Marci Bressler, 46, a mother of eight from Kirkwood, may have been with McCain from the beginning, but predicts Palin was an addition of historic proportions.

"Hillary Clinton may have started the battle of getting women in the White House but Sarah Palin is going to end it," she predicted.

"That gives all of us that want to work and have kids a chance to do everything a guy can do, and not be stuck in the kitchen," Bressler said

Judging from crowd reaction, Palin's 22-minute speech took on more of a keynote address than a warm-up for her boss.

"I'm ready to vote!" an energized Marcia Stabley of York said moments after John McCain had finished his pep talk amid thunderous applause from a wildly supportive, sign-waving crowd in the auditorium.

Several loyal Republicans admitted sheepishly that they wouldn't have come if Palin hadn't also been on the podium.

The Temptations song that blared before the speeches with the words, "Look out baby, 'cause here I come," fits both candidates, but Palin was garnering the elephant's share of attention.

"I'm in love with Sarah Palin!" said Sheila Myers, 66, of York. "I like her openness. She's very genuine. She's likable. I like everything about her.

"She brings a breath of fresh air, for sure. His campaign has taken off like a rocket. I think he realizes he struck gold."

Many said they liked Palin's "outsider" status.

"She's not typical Washington," said Karen Aydt, 49, of Gladwyne. "That's what I'm sort of sick of. She actually may get in Washington and we actually may have a chance of cleaning things up."

Octogenarian Arlene Holbein of Millersville says she groaned "Oh no!" out loud when she first heard that McCain had tapped the unknown governor from Alaska as a VP.

She now sings a different tune.

"She's terrific. I just like the way she carries herself. (McCain) needed a boost. She's just a positive person."

The crowd lit up when Palin spoke, punctuating her speech with chants of "Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!" and "USA! USA! USA!"

People held aloft a sea of campaign signs such as "Country First" that were handed out at the rally. Plenty brought their own, hoisting slogans including "Preschoolers for Palin," "Energy Independence" and "If We Were 18, We'd Vote McCain-Palin."

People said McCain's campaign got a burst of energy with Palin.

Neal Lesher, 23, of Palmyra, one of many in the crowd from beyond Lancaster County, said, "I'm super-excited about John McCain. I think he has the vision and leadership necessary to lead this country for the next four years."

Palin, he said, "is exactly what this country needed to get excited."

Jack Boyd, of Devon, said he thought it took "tremendous courage" for McCain to pick a relatively unknown woman from Alaska as his running mate.

"It was a brilliant move," he said. "She's a sleeper. ... She will be responsible for a lot of infusion of fringe voters and cross-party voters."

Others praised McCain's character, and said Palin meshes well with that.

"He's a real person," said E.J. Richter, 42, of Wayne. "You can tell when you see a person and when they are trying to sell you something. ... I think she doubly emphasizes that point. I relate to Sarah. She's got integrity."

There were many veterans in the crowd and they received a long, loud ovation when McCain asked them to raise their hands.

One of them, John Frederick, 67, of Manheim, who lost a best friend in Korea, said the main reason he came was to hear Palin.

He predicted that if the McCain-Palin ticket wins in November, Sarah Palin will be elected president in 2012.

At 33, Rebecca Weiler will be voting in her first presidential election, a voting record she is not proud of.

"I just feel I need to set a better example for my son and be an American citizen," she said.

Her choice: McCain. "He served our country and to me that says a lot."

Several McCain-Palin supporters said the two candidates' anti-abortion stands was the crux of their support.

A handful of protesters showed up outside the rally, quietly holding signs.

Charles Lane, a 74-year-old Lancaster Township resident, leaned stoically on an umbrella, holding a sign that said, "McCain Is Bush Warmed Over."

He braved without reply occasional taunts.

"I see a pure white crowd here," he observed. "It's a little sad in a way."

Josh Redd, of Students for a Democratic Society in Millersville, had water thrown at him by someone who yelled, "Get a job!"

Numerous people brought their children to the rally, holding them on their shoulders and handing them signs to wave.

Some came not to cheer but to listen.

Angela Richards, 57, of Lancaster, has not made up her mind about the presidential race. A registered Independent, she also attended Barack Obama's rally Thursday in Lancaster.

She had hoped to hear more specifics about where McCain and Palin stand on issues such as the economy and health care, she said Tuesday.

"I'm still on the fence," she said, "I want to hear less rah-rah and more issues."

About 10 Lancaster County Amish men and women were at the rally.

One of them, who estimated about 15 percent of the local Amish adults will vote this November, said Amish tend to vote Republican because of the party's pro-life platform.

Of McCain, one Amish man said, "Our people look at someone with gray hair and think it's someone who is wise."


Staff writer Ad Crable can be reached at acrable@LNPnews.com or 481-6029.