ESPAÑOLA — Barack Obama went to Rio Arriba County on Thursday to shore up his standing with Hispanic voters in the presidential election. Thousands, many with signs reading "Obamanos!" and "Cambio" — Spanish for "change" — came to cheer him on.

Obama evoked cheers when he said to Hispanics, "I want you to start voting your numbers. Start flexing your muscles."

The Democrat needs overwhelming support from voters in heavily Hispanic Northern counties to capture the state's five electoral votes.In 2004, Republican George W. Bush drew about 40 percent of Hispanic voters in the state, a large reason he was able to win the close presidential contest here.

Española Mayor Joe Maestas, who spoke at the event, said the rally temporarily "doubled the size of Española." Indeed, the population of the town is about the same as the 9,500 people estimated to have crowded in and around the Plaza de Española.

The atmosphere was festive. Many of those who turned out for the event wore "Obamanos" T-shirts and buttons. A mariachi group played on the bandstand. Vendors sold shirts and buttons. A pink-and-white "Obama Mamas" button was a popular seller.

At a home near the plaza, a vendor sold drinks called "Obamanade." Some local businesses experienced a windfall. Before gates opened for the speech, the line at a nearby Blake's Lotaburger extended around the building with people trying to get a morning meal. After the speech, Obama supporters filled local restaurants. At JoAnne's Rancho Casados, diners applauded loudly when a news report on a big-screen television announced Obama was leading in a national poll.

Law enforcement agencies from nearby communities were on hand to help the Española Police and the U.S. Secret Service. The Santa Fe Police Department's Special Weapons and Tactics team was there. Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano said he and eight deputies were helping. Most of Española's main thoroughfares were clogged with traffic after the rally ended.

Obama had a full day in New Mexico. He started out meeting with about 100 Native American leaders in Albuquerque. On his way to Española, he also stopped for a quick appearance at The Range Cafe in Bernalillo, where he ordered enchiladas to go. After the Española rally, he headed back to Albuquerque for high-dollar fundraising events, hoping to collect $1.5 million.

Obama spent the first part of his speech blasting his opponent, Republican John McCain, for recent statements about the stock market crisis, as well as the economic policies of the Bush administration.

"My opponent's first reaction to this crisis on Monday was to stand up and repeat the line he's said over and over again throughout this campaign — 'the fundamentals of our economy are strong.' ... But the truth is, John McCain's attitude was nothing new. It reflects the same economic philosophy that he has had for 26 years in Washington. The same philosophy he shares with George Bush. It's the philosophy that says we should give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down."

Dan Garza, the New Mexico Republican National Hispanic Assembly chairman, said in a conference call for reporters after the Democratic rally that McCain has a better plan to bolster the economy than Obama. "Higher taxes and out-of-control spending are recipes for further economic disaster in this country," he said.

"For the Hispanic community, especially for those of us making less than $42,000 a year, (the Obama plan) is just going to be a further burden on our family budgets," Garza said. "I really think that Senator Obama and his economic plan are not going to serve the people of New Mexico."

Obama in his speech repeated his promise to cut taxes for most. "My opponent doesn't want you to know this, but under my plan, tax rates will actually be less than they were under Ronald Reagan. If you make less than $250,000 a year, you will not see your taxes increase one single dime."

The event drew a cross-section of Northern New Mexico residents.

Henry Montoya, 43, of Ohkay Owingeh is a disabled veteran. He said he hoped to "look at the next president, maybe. Maybe he's going to help us out. Maybe he'll help vets and the poor people."

Paul Roybal, a retired history teacher from Española Valley High School, attended the speech with his sister, Annabelle Martinez. "I was a Hillary Clinton supporter, but now I'm 100 percent for Obama," he said.

"I have my insurance with AIG, and I don't know what's happening with that," he said, referring to the giant insurance company that this week was the subject of a federal bailout. "Obama has the best economic policies. Republicans have always been pro-business. In the first Bush administration, there was the savings-and-loan scandal, and McCain was part of that."

He was referring to McCain's role in the "Keating Five" scandal in which McCain and four other senators were accused of improperly aiding Charles Keating Jr., who was involved in a failed savings and loan. McCain was cleared of any wrongdoing, but the Senate Ethics Committee criticized him for "poor judgment" when he met with the federal regulators on Keating's behalf.

Three teen girls stood with their grandmother behind barriers in an overflow area behind the space reserved for news reporters. "I think he's going to help the middle and lower classes," said Lorissa Abeyta, 14.

"We love Obama," said her cousin, Alyssa Lucero, 16. "We think he's just great."

Though she's not yet old enough to vote, 16-year-old Ashley Guinn said she has an Obama bumper sticker and has been talking to people about the candidate. "We need a Democrat in office," she said.

The grandmother of the three girls, Dorothy Guinn, said a major reason she backs Obama is because of health-care policies. "I'm 64 with no health insurance," she said. "It's sad and it's scary."

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com.