Obama Rally In St. Louis Draws 100,000 (VIDEO, SLIDESHOW)

Barack Obama drew a crowd of 100,000 at a rally near the Gateway Arch in St. Louis on Saturday, the AP reports. McCain spent the day campaigning in North Carolina.

The focus on the stump Saturday for both Obama and McCain continued to be taxes, and the candidates traded sharp criticisms of each other's plans.

More from the AP:

McCain, trailing in the polls, fired the first volley, likening his rival to the socialist leaders of Europe and saying he wanted to "convert the IRS into a giant welfare agency, redistributing massive amounts of wealth at the direction of politicians in Washington."

McCain added, "Raising taxes on some in order to give checks to others is not a tax cut; it's just another government giveaway."

Obama responded a few hours later in appearance before an enormous crowd, saying his Republican rival "wants to cut taxes for the same people who have already been making out like bandits, in some cases literally."

"John McCain is so out of touch with the struggles you are facing that he must be the first politician in history to call a tax cut for working people 'welfare,'" Obama said.

The Wall Street Journal has more details:

Barack Obama attracted 100,000 people at a Saturday rally here, his biggest crowd ever at a U.S. event.

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The crowd assembled under the Gateway Arch on a sunny Saturday afternoon to hear Obama speak about taxes and slam the Republicans on economic issues.

Lt. Samuel Dotson of the St. Louis Police Department confirmed the number of attendees piled into the grassy lawn by the Mississippi River.

To be sure, big crowds don't always signal a big turnout on Election Day. But Obama's ability to draw his largest audience yet in a typically red state that just weeks ago looked out of reach, could signal a changing electoral map.

For months Missouri polls put Obama as much as ten percentage points behind Republican John McCain. It was widely believed that McCain's pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate would have won over the state's conservatives and boosted his chances there. So far, that hasn't happened.

A Rasmussen poll released on Friday shows Obama leading in Missouri 52% to 46% for McCain.

Comments

[qoftu]

There was a report in the Charleston Gazette this morning that in at least two West Virginia counties, voters who cast early ballots for Obama and state Democratic candidates had their votes switched to McCain and Republican candidates. These people were fortunate enough to have noticed the errors before finalizing their vote. If this happens on election day there could be chaos resulting from the time taken to correct these problems. There weren't enough machines the last election which resulted in long lines and people leaving polling places in frustration and anger at being denied the right to vote. So vote EARLY and CHECK YOUR BALLOT CAREFULLY. Fooled us twice, shame on them and us. Fooled us
three times, we deserve what we get.

[carriellbee]

There should be no machines anywhere. Where I live, we use an ink dot system (InkAVote or something like that). The ballot is marked with an ink dot and then scanned. Each ballot is run through a scanner that checks for incomplete dots or things like voting for more than one candidate or both yes and no on a ballot measure. If there's a mistake, the ballot is rejected and the voter is given another to try again.

[aaronr2000]

I love STL. I go there alot on business. McCain said he'd rather speak before 50,000 Americans at the bikers' ralley than 200,000 Europeans any day. How about 100,000 Americans Mr. McCain? Oh and I'm sure Rush Limbaugh and his blogging trolls are going to remind us that the liberal media doesn't want us to know that this crowd has little to do with Obama. The crowd has to be that large because of a couple of local start up bands that are making the rounds in the bars and the fact that there were hotdog stands and volunteers were giving away free pens or something. Whatever it takes to deny what a once in a generation inspirational figure this guy is.

[iRob08]

And McCain says HE has foreign policy credentials. Yet, he slights foreigners. What a foolish old man.

[AZTrueBlue]

WOW, BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS!
KUDOS TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER!!!!!!!

[SoftwareDiplomat]

Question:
Why are some of the Red States not being polled? Some Blue states aren't being polled as well, and that is just as bad.

[scully09]

Barack Obama WILL be the next president of the united states, but don't let us get 'laxed' and 'complacent' in our goal. GET OUT THERE AND MAKE IT A REAILTY, VOTE!!!!!!!!!

[poropo]

its a shame jm will call tax cut for middle class welfare.

[Tobiasism]

True.
Big crowds.

Vote early.

[sharri]

I am so proud to be from St Louis.....­......We Rock and KC gets lots of credit too.

[ghunt]

Thank you - thank you! You guys definitely rock! I wish I could have been there!

[sueno]

This is amazing!!!!
This is the response to "Joe & Jose the Plumbers".
McCain is quaking in his expensive loafers-
If this isn't a great example "pro-American" spirit,
then I don't know what is-
St. Louis ROCKS! I might have to move there.

[nellie]

Okay folks. Look at this crowd. And then think about what the lines are going to be like on election day.

If you really want to help Obama win this thing, VOTE EARLY. Free up some space in the lines. Free up yourself to volunteer on election day.

GOBAMA!

[Petey131]

Early voting in Nevada has begun. Vote early I did!

LATINOS FOR OBAMA AND BIDEN 2008!!!!!

[ChefDC]

OBAMANOS!!!!

[sharri]

I have been checking many major newspapers this morning and I am appalled at the lack of coverage given to the single greatest show of political support in this nations history. Shame on the gutless media

[stone3600]

I was there- it was amazing! I saw him last year with a small crowd at Union Station during the primaries-and was definitely able to see him much better, but that didn't compare to this inspiring event. I love seeing hundreds of thousands in our city united-MOBama!

[breathestolive]

I still say that is WAY more than 100,000.

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

I agree,years ago Pope John Paul II came to Grant Park in Chicago and the crowd was estimated at over one million people,I saw the crowd and the pictures I'm seeing now look so similar.I have to admit I'm not seeing this live though, so I can't be sure.

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

In related news John McCain said he would address the crowd too if they would just wait for him.

[alvdh1]

I was at the Obama rally yesterday in St. Louis, Mo with my wife and daughter. I have never seen anything like this before in my life. We had to walk a mile and half away from the Arch before we were able to turn back toward the Arch. The line of people averaged 8-10 people wide. The crowd was peaceful and enthusiastic. What an experience.