Barack Obama drew a "rowdy" crowd in Charlotte.
Speaking before 2,500 people at the Grady Cole Center, the Democratic presidential candidate was greeted by a deafening ovation and shouts of "We love you, Obama!"
"I love you too," he replied.
Obama repeated his proposals to fix health care, make college more affordable and fight the influence of lobbyists. But he spent much of his time talking about the Iraq war and issues of race.
"The war in Iraq was unwise," he said. "It distracted us from a war that had to be fought against al-Qaida in Afghanistan. ... I was opposed to it in 2002. I'll bring it to a close in 2009."
In response to a question, he also spoke about "black-on-black" crime, saying part of the problem is welfare policies that have encouraged single-parent homes. (Char-O)
