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DAYTON — The capacity crowd at the Ervin J. Nutter Center in Fairborn gave Sen. John McCain's surprise choice for a running mate an enthusiastic welcome as she painted herself as a reformer, a fighter of corruption and a partner in his demand for change in Washington.

McCain, keeping the choice secret until just minutes before taking the stage, spoke briefly, complimenting Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on her "grit", her "fighting spirit and deep compassion."

He came on stage to the sounds of the crowd singing Happy Birthday for his 72nd birthday, which is today. Palin announced that she too had a milestone to celebrate: her 20th wedding anniversary with her husband Todd.

The flag-waving crowd at the Nutter Center was estimated at 12,000.

Hecklers shouted from the stands but stopped after security headed up into the stands.

McCain said he was excited to make his "historic announcement" in Dayton the week that the country celebrates the anniversary of women's suffrage. He said Palin is "exactly what we need in Washington today. She knows where she comes from and she knows who she works for. She knows what's right and she doesn't let anyone tell her to sit down."t

Palin introduced her husband and four of her five children. The crowd erupted into cheers when she said a fifth child, a son, will follow the campaign "from afar" because on Sept. 11, 2007, he enlisted in the U.S. Army.

She said America needs a president who has the good judgment to overcome great threats, who can keep Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and who refused to "hedge his support" of U.S. troops "regardless of those political costs."

"As the mother of one of those troops and as the commander of the national guard that's the kind of man I want as the commander as chief."

A spokesman for Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama criticized McCain's choice of Palin.

"Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency. Governor Palin shares John McCain's commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade, the agenda of Big Oil and continuing George Bush's failed economic policies — that's not the change we need, it's just more of the same," said Bill Burton, Obama campaign spokesman.

Without naming any of those he didn't pick, McCain told the crowd why he settled on a relatively unknown governor who has been in statewide office just two years.

"I had many good people to choose from. I am grateful to all of them and their willingness to serve with me," he said.

He then talked about Palin.

"I found someone with an outstanding reputation. Someone who has fought against coruption and filed polices of the past. Someone with executive experience," McCain said.

The mother of five children is "exactly who I need. She's exactly who this country needs to help fight the same old Washington polictis of me first and politics second," McCain said.

Palin talked longer than McCain, and she reached out to those supporters of Democrat Hillary Clinton.

"It was rightly noted in Denver that Hillary left 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling," Palin said. "The women of America aren't finished yet, and we can shatter that glass ceiling (in November)."

Capacity crowd

The crowd filled every seat and most of the auditorium floor. Nearly each waved an American flag and most clutched "Country First" McCain posters.

Others referenced his years of experience, calling him "ready to lead."

Other signs sprinkled throughout the crowd proclaimed: "Ohio Red," "Ohio McCain" and" POWs support McCain" and "Ohio for Mac."

Ohio Republicans politicians kicked off the rally.

State House Speaker Jon Husted (R-Kettering) brought the crowd to its feet.

"Barack Obama is not prepared to be president, although he plays one on TV," Husted said. "This is Ohio, not Hollywood. We are not impressed with the glitz and the glamour. We want a work horse not a show pony."

Auditor of Ohio Mary Taylor started out with a joke.

"A taxpayer who votes for Obama is like a chicken who votes for Colonel Sanders," Taylor said.

She challenged the crowd to spend the next 67 days talking to family, friends and neighbors about the truth. 

Officials closed the doors to the Nutter Center about 11:25 a.m. Friday and prevented an estimated 300 people from entering the center and attending the campaign rally for McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate.

The McCain supporters had just arrived via bus and were lined up to enter the center when a McCain campaign worker poked her head out of the door and said the building had reached capacity and the fire marshal was not allowing any more people to enter.

Protesters on hand

Earlier, approximately 100 protesters from the Miami Valley AFL-CIO rallied in front of Wright State University's Nutter Center on Friday, Aug. 29, in opposition to McCain.

As the crowd filed in, the protesters chanted, "John McCain, more of the same." People in line to enter the center occasionally chanted back, "Nobama, Nobama," in reference to Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

Wes Wells, executive director of the Dayton-Miami Valley AFL-CIO regional labor council, said he recognized the protesters were addressing a hostile crow, but "they need to know that we're here."

Wells said local union members gathered to demonstrate in opposition to John McCain primarily because of his support for the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. Wells blamed NAFTA for high unemployment and job losses to China and other countries and the high number of foreclosures in Montgomery County.

"This is our time to get things turned around," Wells said.

The protesters said they were late getting started because many of them had trouble getting into the center's parking lot. Attendees flowed into the center from 9:10 a.m. until 11 a.m., the starting time for the rally. A few people were still entering the center as of 11:05 a.m.

Crowd shows support

Seventy-three-year-old Charles Arnett of Union strolled into the Nutter Center wearing a Panama straw hat and carrying a copy of the United States Constitution in his T-shirt pocket.

"I believe in the Constitution as it was written," said Arnett, a retired minister. "I believe John McCain will go by what it says."

His daughter-in-law Cyndi Streavel-Arnett of Pleasant Hill in Miami Township never voted until four years ago.

She is so excited about the upcoming election and the Republican platform that she showed up at Dayton International Airport last night in hopes of getting a glimpse of John McCain.

"I want to talk to him," she said. "He has the experience. I believe everything he says. I agree with everything he says."

Streavel-Arnett said she search long and hard for the perfect card to honor McCain's 72nd birthday, today.

 The birthday card, of course, has an elephant pictured on it and reads, "Today is a special day."

JoAnne Erdman, 56 of Tipp City said she grew up a Democrat, but now stands firmly in the Republican Camp.

"John McCain understands the reality of the world, not the utopian, the reality," Erdman said. "I think McCain's strength is in national defense."

Erdman and her 6-year-old granddaughter Taylor Krumm attended the event, she said, for a chance to see a future president.

"Taylor asked to attend," Krumm said.

The first-grader at Incarnation Catholic School, a true budding conservative said she listens to the Sean Hannity Show in the car.

"This is fun," she said.

Erdman said she believes Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin could help Republicans pick up disenfranchised Hillary Clinton supporters.

"I think she would be awesome as vice president, a wonderful choice." Erdman said. 

David Miller, 40, of Dayton was the first in line, showing up about 6 p.m. Thursday. He said he wanted to find out what everyone else was waiting for: McCain's nominee for vice president.

Miller spent the night outside the Nutter Center.

His ticket said first come, first served.

"I wanted to be the first served," Miller said.

Ryan Day of Dayton and his 5-year-old son Lucas arrived at the Nutter Center at 6 a.m. to get a spot near the front of the line to see their choice for president of the United States, McCain.

"My dad took my to see (Ronald) Reagan," Day said. "I didn't know what he stood for, but it was exciting."

Day and his son plan to watch the Republican convention together.

The little boy wore a T-shirt that said "Future President," but he said he wants to be a NASCAR driver.

Doesn't feel lonely

Mike Richardson, 41, of Cincinnati was one of only a few blacks who attended the rally. Despite that, Richardson said he didn't feel alone in the conservative crowd.

"I'm a conservative. As far as conservatives go, McCain's the best," he said. "I don't feel isolated because of the ideals I share with McCain and the crowd."

Richardson said he looked at both presidential hopefuls, and he's going with the one he feels will screw the world and country up the least.

He in no way feels disloyal for not supporting the nation's first black presidential candidate.

"I don't think Obama is the only choice. There are a lot of black conservatives, " Richardson said. "It's going to happen."