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Feb 20, 2008 7:37 pm US/Central
Obama Fever Hits North Texas
Jay Gormley contributed to this story.
DALLAS (CBS 11 News / AP) ―
A crowd of about 17,000 supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama packed Reunion Arena in Dallas on Wednesday as he offered his message of change.
"It's overwhelming. I mean, I go to football games and sporting events all the time, and this ranks up there," said Arlington resident Willard Mills.
The line of people waiting to get in stretched for several blocks. Thousands of people had to be turned away. Those who did not get in peered through the glass doors just to get a glimpse of the Senator from Illinois.
"It's really exciting to see this number of people out for a politician," said Obama supporter Kathryn Rafter.
CBS 11's Steve Pickett was
blogging live from the event and compared the capacity crowd to that of a rock concert. Van Halen blared over the arena's loudspeakers.
Parents hoisted their children onto their shoulders to get a better view.
In his speech at the campaign rally, Obama urged the large crowd to get out and vote early for the March 4 Texas primaries. Early voting runs now through February 29.
Obama also pointed out that President Bush won't be on the ballot this time. This comment earned the loudest applause of the afternoon.
Prior to Obama taking the stage, the popular presidential candidate got a boost from Dallas pastor Frederick Haynes III of Friendship West Baptist Church, former Dallas mayor Ron Kirk and former Dallas Cowboys player and "Dancing With the Stars" winner Emmitt Smith.
Kirk called Obama "a uniter, not a divider."
Smith then asked the crowd, "Are you ready for a change?" and told them that "they're all on the right team."
Obama hit the stage next. "This is our moment. This is our time, and if you stand with me, Texas, and if you vote for me, Texas, then we just won't win Texas. We'll win this nomination," he said.
He also took aim at the likely republican nominee.
"I respect John McCain for his service to this country. He is a genuine American hero," said Obama. "But let me tell you, his policies are not the policies of change, and that's the choice in this election."
Obama spent much of his Dallas appearance fighting off a cold, which forced him to cancel an afternoon appearance at Ojeda's restaurant near the Oak Lawn neighborhood.
A spokeswoman for the Obama campaign said because of his health, immediately following his speech, he boarded a plane for Austin to get ready for Thursday night. That's when Obama will debate Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton in Austin.
On Tuesday, Obama added Wisconsin and Hawaii to a primary season winning streak that now totals ten.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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