Scott May

Managing Editor

Springfield Il; earlier today 20-30 thousand politically minded fans gathered to watch Barack Obama introduce Joe Biden as his running mate. 

The line, waiting to gather around the foot steps of the Old Illinois State Capitol building, snaked around the downtown area of Springfield for several blocks.

After opening the gates to the yard of the Old Capitol Building the onlookers poured in for over and hour.

Smashed together, the crowd endured and helped each other when many succumbed to the heat and lack of water while waiting.

"If Obama wasn't the supposed nominee" said Scott Petersen, a 23 year old graduate from Joliet College, "I would have liked it to have been Biden."

Petersen was happy to travel over two hours by train to watch the event. "Hillary didn't do it for me; the White House would have been a bit incestuous."

Petersen cited Biden's foreign and domestic policies for reason he supported him.

At 2:10 pm, nearly three hours after the gates opened to let the crowds gather, Obama recharged the exhausted spectators. 

"Today I come back to Springfield to tell you that I have found (a) leader, a man with a distinguished record, a man with fundamental decency, and that man is Joe Biden," said Obama.

"He has brought change to Washington but Washington has not Change him. He is uniquely suited as my partner to put our country back on track."

Shortly after, Biden jogged on staged and embraced Obama. "Today Springfield, I know my feet are in the right place," said Biden. "I am proud to stand firm with the next president of the United States, Barack Obama."

Biden then went on the attack saying "You see it in your shrinking wakes and the rising cost of health care, to college, to filling up at the gas station. We cannot afford four more years of this."

"You can't change America when believe that in the Bush administration, we make great progress economically," said Biden, referring to a quote of John McCain's.

 "I have never in my life seen Washington so broken. This year the choice is clear," said Biden "We will get the job done."

Afterwards the two candidates welcomed their wives on stage and interacted with the crowd. The candidates shook hands and Obama held a toddler.

"The speech was great" said Shane Biehn of Peoria. "Joe Biden is a solid Choice and will strongly attack John McCain."