About eight hours before polls open in Pennsylvania, Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden addressed a large rally in South Philadelphia in his last stop on the campaign trail.
"In less than 24 hours, we will know who the leader of the free world is," Biden said at the Marconi Plaza at South Broad and Bigler streets.
Pennsylvania is considered a swing state and both campaigns focused on it on the last day of the campaign, with Republican nominee John McCain visiting Pittsburgh yesterday.
Biden kept his remarks brief, speaking for about 20 minutes.
"I'm here with a simple message - change is on the way," he said.
"I believe that we are on the cusp of new leadership," Biden said, but added, "it is in your hands."
He emphasized the importance of Pennsylvania, saying the state "will decide who the next president will be and it will be Barack Obama."
If elected, Biden said he and Obama would focus on restoring the middle class and reclaiming respect for America in the rest of the world.
He also promised to "end this war in Iraq" and work to improve the state of the economy.
"If we can help Wall Street, we can help Broad Street," he said.
Biden called on the crowd to "embrace the single most enduring American belief," which he said was the idea that "we can bend history to our own making - we can change it."
Biden said the McCain campaign has been "taking the low road" and using "Karl Rove's politics of division and lies."
The McCain campaign has been calling Obama names, he said, but "tomorrow night at this time they are going to have to call him something else - the 44th president of the United States of America."
Biden was introduced by his wife, Jill, and Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins.
"Ready to celebrate one more time?" Rollins asked the crowd.
Jill Biden also referenced the Phillies' recent World Series victory, saying, "Now it is time for the rest of us to go to bat - for Joe Biden and Barack Obama,"
The large crowd waited outside for almost three hours to see the senator.
Before Biden arrived, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and U.S. Representative Bob Brady (D-Pa.) all spoke.
Both Rendell and Nutter urged Philadelphians not to get discouraged by long lines at the polls.
"Make it a party," Rendell said, suggesting that voters talk to the other people in line and singing "Fly Eagles Fly" and "Kumbaya."
Rendell also acknowledged that he was a strong supporter of Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary but said her supporters should "be of good cheer because she is."
Nutter, who also supported Clinton during the primary season, has since been a vocal Obama supporter.
"We have a rendezvous with destiny tomorrow," he said.
