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Sen. Barack Obama touched on a variety of issues during his 31-minute remarks to a crowd in downtown Greensboro.

"But I am running for President because we simply cannot afford four more years of an economic philosophy that works for Wall Street instead of Main Street, and ends up devastating both," the Democratic presidential candidate told the crowd.

Earlier, a line of people that stretched for several blocks formed to watch Obama and Sen. Joe Biden speak at the J. Douglas Galyon Depot in downtown Greensboro.

During his remarks, Obama twice tried to draw rescue workers' attention to someone in the audience who apparently fainted.

But most in the crowd - as many as 18,000 strong by police estimates - seemed to be full of energy.

They were college students and senior citizens, activists and working mothers, even grade school kids perched atop their fathers' shoulders.

Many said they hadn't seen downtown so lively since American Idol's Chris Daughtry gave a free concert here last year. According to some, the energy was much the same.

"Obama is a total rock star," said Elizabeth McGregor, 19, a UNCG student who walked from campus with three friends. All wore Obama t-shirts and caps.

"What our parents or our grandparents had with JFK, that feeling of excitement, that's what he gives us," McGregor said.

Maggie Jeffries, 72, said that was an understatement. She and her daughter came from Raleigh to see Obama live for the first time.

"There has never been a politician like him," Jeffries said. "He brings so many people together. All you have to do is look at this crowd to see how many different people feel like he represents them. He is what America is now."

The crowd was wildly diverse, dressed in everything from sneakers and sweat pants to three-piece suits as they formed a line that snaked throughout downtown to the Depot, where Obama spoke. Vendors also lined the streers selling Obama T-shirts, caps, buttons and towels.

"I bought nearly one of every kind of shirt they have out here," said James Turk, 22. "When he's the president these are going to be like history, I'm going to show them to my children."

VIPs like Mayor Yvonne Johnson and Councilwoman Diane Bellamy-Small filled a fenced-off area around the stage outside the Depot, dancing to songs by Bruce Springsteen and country group Alabama. Beyond that gated area thousands of people gathered in the street, cheering as Obama's motorcade arrived.

Later in his speech, Obama criticized Republican Sen. John McCain's answers in Friday night's debate.

"But just as important as what we heard from John McCain was what we didn't hear," he said. "We talked about the economy for forty minutes, and not once did Senator McCain talk about the struggles that middle class families are facing every day right here in North Carolina and around the country."

His remarks drew cheers and loud applause from the crowd.

Grier Booker-Richards and her husband Ed flew down from Princeton on Friday to see them. She had been waiting in line since 8:15 a.m. Saturday.

"It's going to be very cool to see them 12 hours after the debate," she said earlier Saturday.

Roger Caldwell, owner of a screen printing business in the San Francisco area, was selling pro-Obama T-shirts to the crowd to help pay for his travel expenses.

He was asked why he came.

"You mean other than just having paid hundreds of dollars to fill up my tank and watching all my savings go away?" He asked rhetorically.

He added: "I was a Hillary supporter during the primaries. I really don't care. I just want a Democrat."

Not so with Jorgen Meister of Mebane, who attended a Republican rally with his wife Amanda and their 14-month-old daughter Abigail a few blocks away.

"We want lower taxes, less government," he said. "I don't think Obama has a plan."

"I think it's empty to say 'vote for change,'" Amanda Meister added.

Staff writers Joe Killian, Gerald Witt and Mark Binker contributed to this story.