Sen. Barack Obama and his vice presidential running-mate, Sen. Joe Biden, held their first rally the day after the first presidential debate of the campaign in front of an estimated 18,000 people at Greensboro's J. Douglas Galyon Depot on Saturday.

"Every time we come back to North Carolina, we end up having a great experience," Obama said. "The people here are some of the best people in the country."

Biden took sharp aim at the man at the top of the Republican ticket.

"Last night we saw John McCain try and defend George Bush's failed national security policies," Biden told the audience. "This was supposed to be John McCain's perk, and Barack Obama owned him last night."

"Last night" almost did not happen as McCain nearly opted to skip the debate in order to tend to the economic crisis that the country is currently facing. At the rally, Obama told the crowd that the financial instability of the nation is in large part due to the policies that McCain supports.

"On issue after issue, from taxes, to healthcare, to the War in Iraq, you heard John McCain make the case for more of the same," Obama said. "He talked about the economy for 40 minutes and not once did he talk about the struggles of middle class families."

The Democrats have spent considerable time in North Carolina. Obama and his wife, Michelle, have been to North Carolina, a key battleground state, four times in eight days.