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About 6,500 people had streamed into the civic center coliseum by the time state Democratic Party chairman Richard Cranwell emerged for a couple of minutes to warm up the crowd.

“My question is, ‘Can we turn Virginia blue,’ and the answer is,” Cranwell said, pausing, before the crowd erupted, “Yes we can!”

Congressman Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, cited Obama’s visits to Bristol and Lebanon in the time since he won the Democratic Party’s nomination. Boucher said that since then he’s seen a movement by southwestern Virginia voters to Obama, who he predicted would win not only the region but the state.

U.S. Senator Jim Webb is now speaking.

He asked “When’s the last time you saw John McCain in this part of Virginia?”

The crowd responded with boos at the mentioned of McCain.

-- Mason Adams

State Democratic Party chairman Richard Cranwell emerged for a couple of minutes to warm up the crowd.

"My question is, ‘Can we turn Virginia blue,’ and the answer is," Cranwell said, pausing, before the crowd erupted, "Yes we can!" Congressman Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, cited Obama’s visits to Bristol and Lebanon in the time since he won the Democratic Party’s nomination. Boucher said that since then he’s seen a movement by southwestern Virginia voters to Obama, who he predicted would win not only the region but the state.

U.S. Senator Jim Webb is now speaking.

He asked "When’s the last time you saw John McCain in this part of Virginia?" The crowd responded with boos at the mention of McCain.

Acting Civic Center Director Robyn Schon just said she believes the crowd number is around 6,500. The Civic Center coliseum capacity for the event is 9,900, she said.

Maxin Casey of Vinton arrived at the Roanoke Civic Center about 9 this morning to find herself about 2,000 places back in line. Using her cellphone, she managed to find a cousin, Sharon Graves, who was 1,800 people ahead of her. "I moved up, thank goodness," said Casey. She took a personal day off from work as a public school administrator. "This is history in the making."

Not everyone took the day off to attend. Adrian Stowe made the most of history, from a free enterprise perspective. He owns A Plus Promotions, a Charlotte-based clothing company whose team of sales representatives, led by Stowe, has followed Obama to events in Greensboro, N.C., and Nashville, Tenn., among other stops in the South. "Business in Roanoke is good today," he said. Stowe set up his tent outside the civic center about 6 a.m. Among his best sellers: chocolate colored sweat shirts with pink lettering that read, "Obama 08."

-- Rob Johnson

The temperature was below 60 degrees, and the rain looked like it was blowing sideways, but by 8 this morning hundreds of people were standing outside the Roanoke Civic Center. Many were clutching umbrellas to fend off the rain, and others were digging their hands into their pockets to stay warm.

The line to see Sen. Barack Obama started at one of the civic center entrances facing Orange Avenue and wound around the edges of the parking lot.

A man from Rocky Mount who was standing on the stairs outside the entrance said he got to Roanoke about 6 a.m., parked his car blocks from the civic center and waited with his brother until the gates to the center were opened at 7 a.m. Then they ran to the gate.

"I want to shake his hand," explained Roy Flynn, who stood next to his brother, Michael.

Pat Cargill of Roanoke showed up in her red pickup truck at about 9 a.m. with three large mocha-flavored coffees -- one for herself and two for friends who were already waiting.

Cargill said that her friends were "a lot closer to the door than I am" but that she didn't want to stand in the rain all morning.

"I know I can still get in," said Cargill, who wore a thick black jacket and a gray hat. "Or at least I hope I do. There are a lot of people here."

-- Jorge Valencia | Photo by Jared Soares

Traffic cleared on Williamson Road, Orange Avenue and the areas immediately surrounding after the Civic Center opened its gates this morning.

A long line of people with umbrellas, jackets and rain ponchos has formed from the entrance that faces Orange Avenue and has spilled into the perimeter of the parking lot.

-- Jorge Valencia

Traffic lines have clogged the main arteries immediately adjacent to the Civic Center, with cars lined up on Williamson Road and Orange Avenue. Traffic has also backed up on Williamson Road toward downtown.

Meanwhile, dozens of people were already standing in line by 7:30 a.m. near the Orange Avenue entrance.

The Virginia Department of Transportation has advised that traffic traveling to the Civic Center can cause delays from about 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 581.

-- Jorge Valencia

Democrat Barack Obama’s rally today marks the first time since 1960 that a major-party presidential candidate has appeared in Roanoke during a general election campaign. The last time was Nov. 4, 1960, when Sen. John F. Kennedy appeared here during his race against then-Vice President Richard Nixon.

WHERE: Roanoke Civic Center Coliseum,
710 Williamson Road N.E. (Exit 4E off I-581)

WHEN: 12:30 p.m.; civic center entrances open at 10 a.m.

ADMISSION: Free; first-come, first-served

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