A crowd of 80,000 estimated at Obama rally

The Secret Service estimates that 80,000 people came to watch Barack Obama speak at the Arch today. City police put the number even higher, with 90,000 people on the park grounds, and 10,000 on the periphery downtown.

Even if those estimates are high, it’s still the largest outdoor political rally in St. Louis in recent memory. The last presidential campaign rally at the Arch was in 1996, when Republicans Bob Dole and running mate Jack Kemp paid a visit.

Obama spoke for just under 40 minutes, interrupted several times by the familiar chants of “yes, we can.”

The Democratic nominee touched on his standard stump themes, emphasizing that he won’t increase taxes for those who make under $250,000, and that he would seek to expand health care.

“I can take two more weeks of these attacks from John McCain,” Obama said. “You can’t take four more years of these policies.”

Britton Clapp, 32, a web developer from south St. Louis, said he attended the rally just to take in the scene.

“Obama doesn’t have to convince me. He already has my vote,” Clapp said. “I came down just to see the energy and to be a part of history.”

Kylie Shafferkoetter, 34, who works in public relations, said she had already decided to voted for Obama before coming to the rally. Now, she’s working on others.

“You have to talk to your friends,” she said. “You have to convince them how important it is and, if you have any of those slacker friends, you have to make sure they get out. You can’t rest on the polls.”

Eileen Edelman, 66, said she was struck by the different ages and races in the crowd.

“It’s so wonderful to see the diversity,” Edelman said. “I think we are all experiencing a special moment.”

In his speech, Obama — up in the polls with less than three weeks until Election Day — warned the large crowd against getting over-confident.

His choice of exit songs, however, might say otherwise. Obama walked off the stage to Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours.”