11,000 for Obama in Dayton, Ohio

Obama energizes Nutter Center crowd

By Lynn Hulsey, Ryan Fox and Stephanie Gottschlich Staff writers

Monday, February 25, 2008

FAIRBORN — Sen. Barack Obama told an enthusiastic packed house at the Nutter Center that he is not only the candidate of change, but the one who could accomplish the hard work that needs done in America.

"I'm tired of this petty partisanship, I'm tired of this arguing and bickering all the time," said Obama, speaking at a campaign rally Monday night, Feb. 25, in his campaign to defeat Sen. Hillary Clinton in Ohio's March 4 Democratic presidential primary.

He said Clinton's has attacked him for talking about hope, as if he is naïve. But, said Obama, real change happens when people first hope for it.

"Nothing worthwhile has ever happened except when somebody was willing to hope," Obama said.

Obama's campaign estimated the crowd at about 11,000.

Christina Pridgen, 30, brought her two sons and her husband. They were undecided until the primaries started, now they're Obama supporters. The Englewood family took the kids out of school to attend today's rally.

"We're here to see history." They're ready to get out an help the campaign.