DUNEDIN, Fla. - Obama palooza woke the sleepy gulf coast community Wednesday morning.

The news vans started filling the parking lot the night before. By 10 a.m. more than eight satellite antennas reached toward the cloudless blue sky. A TV news helicopter hovered above.
 
The city of 37,000 was the center of the "Change We Need" rally for Barack Obama at Knology Park, a minor league baseball stadium for a major league political candidate. The stands and field brimmed with more than 10,000 spectators, who packed the 7,000-capacity stadium.
 
The Republican-leaning town, which cast about 1,000 more votes for President Bush than for Democratic nominee John Kerry in 2004, turned dark blue Wednesday, save for one mustached motorist hoisting a John McCain sign through the moonroof of his black Honda Accord while rhythmically honking his car horn.
 
Wednesday was the first time Nick Costarelis went to a political rally. The 40-year old former Montreal resident has lived in the United States for 12 years but recently registered to vote because he said this is an important election.
 
"I just hope he's the real deal," Costarelis said of the Democrat's presidential nominee.
 
Also at the rally was Largo City Commissioner Rodney Woods, the first black man to hold that office in the community, located near Dunedin. Supporting the man who hopes to be the America’s first black president, Woods lead the crowd in the stands chanting “O-Ba-Ma.” The crowd raised their hands and bodies in a "wave" that swept around the stadium, resembling more of a sports spectacular than a political powwow.

"America is ready for a change,"  Largo City Commissioner Rodney Woods said.  "America is ready for a change," Woods said. "I think he is really going to bring us together."
 
Just after 1:30 p.m., Obama took the stage, which was set up in shallow centerfield facing the stands. He brought his message of change, his take on the financial crisis and the possible $700 billion Wall Street bailout.
 
But, first, he addressed one of the more pressing issues for the Tampa Bay region: baseball.
 
The Chicago White Sox fan gave kudos to the Tampa Bay Rays for their successful season but stopped short of possibly offending his Illinois constituents.
 
"We'll see you in the playoffs," Obama told the Rays fans.
 
In a final touch of political theatre, Obama worked the crowd after his 20-minute speech while John Fogerty’s song "Centerfield" blared through the loudspeakers: "Put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today. Look at me, I can be Centerfield."