Obama urges Colorado crowds to vote early

DENVER — As many as 100,000 people gathered at a downtown Denver park Sunday, where presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama fired them up for the final nine days of the campaign.

The crowd spilled out of Civic Center park, onto side streets and the steps of the state Capitol.

"Goodness gracious. Who are those folks there at the top of the Capitol there? Unbelievable," said Obama, peering into the distance, just after taking the stage 40 minutes late.

It was the second day of a two-day festival, a sort of Obama-palooza, with musicians and actors appearing for Obama in the park Saturday.

Sunday, both the crowd and the candidate were jubilant and excited, buoyed by poll numbers showing him leading Republican rival Sen. John McCain.

"If you will organize with me and march with me and knock on doors with me and make phone calls with me for nine more days ... We will win Colorado, we will win this election and you and I together, we're going to change this country and change the world," Obama said.

In a 25-minute speech, Obama focused heavily on the floundering economy. He highlighted an economic plan including tax cuts for new jobs created, eliminating the capital gains tax, a tax cut for people earning less than $250,000 and a temporary moratorium on foreclosures.

"For the last eight years we've tried it John McCain's way. We've tried it George Bush's way. Don't you think it's time we tried something new?" he said.

The purpose of the rally was to encourage people to take advantage of early voting, which began last week in Colorado. But Obama also lashed out at the McCain campaign. Some of the loudest applause came when he addressed comments by Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, who has said some parts of the country are more "pro-America" than others.

"There are no real or fake parts of this country. We're not separated by the pro-American, anti-American parts of this nation. We all love this country, no matter where we work, no matter where we come from," Obama said.

It is Obama's third Colorado visit since accepting the Democratic nomination for president at Invesco Field this summer. Both candidates have courted voters here extensively in hopes of capturing the state's nine electoral votes.

"The road to the White House in 2008 goes through this park in this city in this state," Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat, told the throngs.

"It was a great honor for Denver to host the nomination of Barack Obama for president of the United States and we are honored to have him back here today," said Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, also a Democrat.

Sunday's crowd was bigger even than when Obama accepted the nomination. Detective Sharon Hahn, a Denver police spokeswoman, said there were at least 100,000 people, though the park itself could hold only 34,000.

The temperature grew colder as the morning went on, though it didn't seem to chill the spirits of the crowd. Supporters danced to keep warm, and chants of "yes we can" broke out sporadically.

Marty Burns, an Obama supporter from Colorado Springs, had been awake since 1 a.m., too excited by the chance to see Obama to sleep.

"I feel great. I know he's going to win. He's going to be our next president," said Burns, waiting outside the park, wearing 11 Obama buttons on her shirt.

Burns believes Obama is the best candidate to change the country's direction. She has been to several other Obama events, including Obama's acceptance speech, and said, "I'm hoping this time to at least shake his hand or get a picture of him."

"I think the polls have something to do with it," said Robin Nosek, of Longmont, about the optimistic mood. "I heard a lot of people in line talking about the polls."

Further back, John Gentzen, of Westminster, craned his neck to see the stage.

"I think he's a shoo-in," he said of Obama. "Republicans offer nothing."

He was not surprised by the turnout.

"We knew the crowd would be big. We got down here at 7:30," he said.

Obama spoke later Sunday at a rally in Fort Collins.

Michelle Obama to visit Colorado Springs

When: 4:30 p.m. Tuesday

Where: City Auditorium, 221 E. Kiowa St.

Info: Event is free and tickets are not required. An RSVP is encouraged, though, at www.co.barackobama.com

CONTACT THE WRITER: 476-1605 or srappold@gazette.com