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Barack Obama visits Greensboro today to speak in War Memorial Auditorium. Obama holds a slight lead over Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential primary.

Clinton will come to the area Thursday, stopping at Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem at 5:30 p.m.

Here are updates on Obama's visit:

3:30 p.m.:

From The Associated Press story:

Barack Obama on Wednesday sought to quell concerns over anti-American remarks by his former pastor, saying people are paying too much attention to a small number of "stupid" comments.

Obama gave a sweeping speech on race and condemned the incendiary remarks of Rev. Jeremiah Wright last week, but the words of the former pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago continue to dog the candidate. Reflecting the campaign's concern about the fallout, Obama used a question about religion at a town hall forum as an opportunity to address the issue.

"This is somebody that was preaching three sermons at least a week for 30 years and it got boiled down ... into a half-minute sound clip and just played it over and over and over again, partly because it spoke to some of the racial divisions we have in this country," Obama said.

"There are misunderstandings on both sides," the Illinois senator said. "We cannot solve the problems of America if everytime somebody somewhere does something stupid, that everybody gets up in arms and forgets about the war in Iraq and we forget about the economy."

3 p.m.:

Sister Gretchen Reintjes of Greensboro said she thought Obama gave a moving speech. She appreciated his response to a question from the audience about faith and religion.

"What he says and how he appears awakens a lot of people," she said.

2:36 p.m.:

Obama closes his speech, then shakes hands with some of the people on stage with him. (Listen)

2:35 p.m.:

Regarding retirement savings, Obama said he is setting up a plan that says every employer has to set up a 401K-type plan.

"Even if they're not matching it, even if they're not contributing to it, at least they got to set it up and administer it," he said. "And the federal government can provide some tax breaks for you to invest to start your own savings plan."

He described today's workforce as more likely to change jobs more often than previous generations.

"But the days of you working in one place for 30 years with health care and a pension that you can count on, that's increasingly not going to be out there for a lot of people," he said. "Frankly we probably can't mandate that everybody sets all of that up because the economy's changed so dramatically but we can at least make sure that people get a decent wage and that they got a way of accessing those benefits, even if it's not through the job."

2:25 p.m.:

Obama discussed strengthening unions.

"One of the values of unions is to make sure that everybody who's working has a decent wage and decent benefits."

2 p.m.:

Obama also discussed curbing illegal immigration.

"We've got to have stronger border security. We've got to have better surveillance, better patrols. We have to monitor people overstaying their visas."

1:54 p.m.:

The first questions from the audience were about poverty and keeping college tuition costs down.

1:52 p.m.:

Obama began taking questions from the audience after his speech, which lasted 27 minutes. He said he had 30 minutes to take questions.

1:40 p.m.:

Obama attacked John McCain's policy regarding people who face foreclosure on their homes. Obama said he would take immediate action to help, including creating a home foreclsoure prevention fund, mortgage tax credits and cracking down on predatory lenders and mortgage fraud.

Obama also took a swipe at the presumptive Republican nominee.

"John McCain may call helping struggling homeowners pandering, but I dont think the families of North Carolina losing their homes would see it that way," he said.

1:26 p.m.

During his remarks, Obama mentioned the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq. (Listen)

"Our nation is at war on two battlefronts," he said. "We're fighting a war we need to win in Afghanistan against Al Qaeda, and a war that should have never been authorized and should have never been waged."

1:19 p.m.:

"This is a town hall meeting, so my job is to answer questions and hear what is on your mind," Obama said. "So I'm not going to give a long speech today ... you know I can give a long speech."

1:11 p.m.:

Deborah Compton Holt takes the stage and talks about her support of Obama and his health care plan, which she favors. She also talks of Obama's ability to bring groups of people together and restore the respectability of America.

She introduces him, and he takes the stage at 1:16 p.m.

1:05 p.m.:

The doors to the main auditorium were shut, leaving some ticketholders unable to get in. They were taken to an overflow room where staffers said they could watch the speech on a TV.

"I could have stayed at home to watch this," said Jeff Knight of Greensboro, an Obama supporter who said he would still vote for Obama despite not getting into the main arena.

1 p.m.

As the crowd waited for Obama's arrival, a campaign organizer for Greensboro announced there would be a kick-off event to recruit North Carolina volunteers at Bennett College at 7 p.m. Thursday. To volunteer, text message on your cell phone "NC," your name and number and send it to 62262.

12:50 p.m.

About 12:40 p.m., the Rev. Cardes Brown of New Light Baptist Church in Greensboro delivered an opening prayer invocation.

"We are those who believe there is hope," Brown told the audience. "We pray that we will fully understand unity."

He added: "I pray a special blessing, oh God a special blessing, on Barack Obama," which prompted cheers from the audience.

A pledge of allegiance was also delivered.

Audience members then began chanting "yes we can. Yes we can." (Listen)

12:30 p.m.:

More photos from today

Noon:

The line is growing longer, even though people are being let into War Memorial Auditorium. The line now reaches Patterson Street.

On nearby Coliseum Boulevard, Uno Phelps is among the vendors who follow the campaign. Today he is selling buttons; so far the big seller is a "his and hers:" one button of Obama and one of his wife. Another big seller is a pink "Women for Barack" button.

"I'm hoping to get one of Barack in a bathing suit," Phelps said.

He said business was good, though it is better in places where vendors are allowed closer to the crowd.

11:38 a.m.

The Republican National Committee didn't waste any time reacting to Obama's expected speech. In an e-mail sent out shortly after 11:30 a.m., Katie Wright, an RNC spokeswoman, said the group had a "pretty good idea" of what Obama was going to talk about.

The RNC statement:

"Senator Obama's criticism is ironic since his 'economic plan' recycles the same tax-and-spend policies that would increase spending and take money out of the hands of North Carolina's hard-working families and businesses. Contrast that with Senator John McCain, who has the experience to know that by cutting taxes, spurring investment, and ending wasteful spending in Washington we will get our economy back on track."

11:35 a.m.:

Donald Scales of Greensboro stood in line clutching "The Audacity of Hope," a book written by Obama. He hoped to get an autograph.

"You never know," Scales said. "I'd rather have it and not need it than not have it and need it. It's worth a shot."

11:25 a.m.:

Inside War Memorial Auditorium, a stage is set up with three rows of chairs facing the audience. An American flag and a North Carolina flag are on opposite sides of the stage, and a larger American flag is hanging on the wall near the stage. A "Change We Can Believe In" sign with Obama's campaign logo is also onstage.

Several people were picked at random from the crowd to sit onstage.

The auditorium is filling up from front to back. The news media is on risers about halfway back on the first level.

Among those spotted in the crowd: Greensboro Mayor Yvonne Johnson, County Commissioners Skip Alston and Bruce Davis and Reps. Earl Jones, Alma Adams and Earline Parmon. N.C. A&T Chancelor Stanley Battle is also here.

Adams said she was interested to hear what Obama had to say about the economy. She was to be part of a small group that would meet with him after his speech.

"From what I see, students are really excited about this election," said Adams, who sported a "Bennett Belles are Voting Belles" sticker.

11:10 a.m.:

About 11 a.m., the line started moving as the doors to War Memorial Auditorium opened for ticketholders. Still, there were several hundred people waiting outside.

James Lacewell and his wife, Brenda, of Greensboro were among them.

"We are here mainly to be supportive and let him know that Greensboro loves Obama," James Lacewell said.

Behind him, Jeanine Townes of Greensboro showed off a new T-shirt with Obama on it that she bought today.

"Isn't that wonderful," she said.

11 a.m.:

Photos from today

10:30 a.m.

Mimo Davis, 49, was motivated enough to get to War Memorial Auditorium at 5:10 a.m. today. She was the first person in a long line of tickeholders waiting to get inside.

"I want to look into Barack Obama's eyes," she said. "I want to have a personal experience with him."

Davis, who is set to get a master's in environmental science from N.C. A&T this sprimg, said seeing an African American candiate was "amazing."

"His speech on race in America was very motivating for me," Davis said. "I'm really ready for not just change but absolute change."

10:07 a.m.

Ennis Moore, 54, of Dunn left home at 7 a.m. to get to Greensboro and watch Obama's speech with his daughter, Tracie, a senior at UNCG.

By 10 a.m., Moore stood in a long line that stretched from War Memorial Auditorium past the Greensboro Coliseum. Those in line had tickets and were waiting to get inside.

Moore, a retired veteran of the U.S. Army, is an Obama supporter.

"He supports troops coming home," Moore said of Obama. "I want my troops home. ... No. 2, he's a man for all people. And No. 3, he's a black American.

"This is an experience of a lifetime. It's a one-time shot probably."