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100,000 Turn Out For Obama Rally In St. Louis Thousands gathered under the Gateway Arch in the red state of Missouri. With just 17 days left before the election, the candidate has been focusing on battleground states seen as critical to winning the race.

Election 2008

100,000 Turn Out For Obama Rally In St. Louis

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100,000 Turn Out For Obama Rally In St. Louis

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As many as 100,000 people gathered under the Gateway Arch in St. Louis on Saturday for a rally for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. With just 17 days left before the election, the candidate has been focusing on battleground states like Missouri, which is seen as critical to winning the race.

"Missouri, of course, is a red state," NPR's Don Gonyea tells host Jacki Lyden. "George W. Bush carried it twice, and it's a state that John McCain needs, and polls show it very close, a tossup."

Gonyea says Obama has been known for his big rallies, but the one in St. Louis was by far the biggest.

"With the size of this particular crowd, in this location, Sen. Obama wanted to make a big statement," Gonyea says. "And he did."