Obama, Biden Energize Voters At Rally In Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- For voters and volunteers in the crowd at President Obama's Moving Forward Rally in Germantown Sunday, the message being delivered was the importance of getting out the vote on Election Day.

"The success of our mission is at stake, I need you as fired up as in 2008", President Obama told the crowd estimated by Philadelphia officials to be about 18,500 people. The President laid out what he said were clear differences in what he says Republicans left him with as he came into office and what Democrats have to offer.

"We went from a record surplus under Clinton to a record deficit", Obama said in reference to eight years of a Republican administration.

He promised that Democrats in office and running for Office, including U. S. Senate candidate Joe Sestak and Gubernatorial candidate Dan Onorato would fight for jobs, education and the middle class. Both spoke at the rally in addition to Congressman Bob Brady and Governor Ed Rendell.

Tara Harper of Boothwyn brought her two children to the rally and says she is teaching them how much a vote matters. She says she will vote for Sestak.

"He's for the middle class", Harper said. She says the economy and education are issues that matter most to her.

Bill Gunter, who lives in the neighborhood, says he plans to vote but he's not sure about his neighbors.

"They say that there's an enthusiasm gap. I just hope that some of the people who are less enthusiastic will decide to come out and vote," said Gunter.

And that's the whole idea behind "Moving America Forward" rallies like the one held Sunday afternoon.

Obama said he knows too many Americans are struggling and frustrated and without jobs. The President says he and Vice President Biden, who introduced the President, created three million jobs. He says Democrats are committed to make permanent middle class tax cuts, give tax breaks to US companies that manufacture in the states and make college affordable.

Pennsylvania is seen as a battleground state for control of the senate. Democrat Joe Sestak trails Republican Pat Toomey in many polls but the numbers are close. Enough, apparently, for Democratic party leaders to feel a Presidential visit to fire up the faithful in the Philadelphia area might make the difference.

We'll see if they're right in about three weeks.

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Reported By David Madden, KYW Newsradio; Robin Rieger, CBS 3