We brought it to you live all day Monday, from the moment his plane touched down at the Grand Junction Regional Airport, until his motorcade left Cross Orchards Historic Farm, Senator Barack Obama brought his message of change to Grand Junction.

He was here trying to convince voters here on the Western Slope that he is the man to fight for them in Washington.

Campaign officials say Mesa County could make or break the campaign in Colorado. It's a swing county in a swing state that has made the difference in past elections.

They say Senator Obama is trying to show that he is in touch with rural America and will fight for issues that matter to people on the Western Slope.

With music blaring and a cheering crowd, Barack Obama took the stage Monday at the Cross Orchards Historic Farm to try to convince Western Slope voters he's the right man for the job. He began with a list of thanks.

"I'd like to first off thank Bill Haggerty who introduced me and he left me a box of peaches," Obama said as he took the stage in front of a crowd of thousands.

The Senator apparently got an introduction to Palisade peaches
but the smile on his face faded moments later as he went on the attack, capitalizing on bad news from Wall Street, questioning John McCain's economic philosophies.

"We woke up to news of economic disaster and McCain said this morning that the economy is still fundamentally strong--Senator McCain I ask you, what economy are you talking about?"

Obama promised to end the country's dependence on foreign oil in ten years and promised to invest $150 billion in renewable energy.

"Colorado you understand clean energy, Governor Bill Ritter understands clean energy, now we need Washington to understand clean energy."

He didn't rule out expanding clean coal and natural gas drilling in Colorado but stressed he doesn't believe it's the silver bullet solution.

Senator Obama also touched on cutting taxes for small businesses, working on healthcare, the war in Iraq and education, emphasizing that he is the candidate for change.

"Now mccain says he's about change in a new ad, he's stealing my lines, maybe he should steal some of my ideas."

But while talking politics, he said politics should be set aside.

"It's not about me or Senator Biden, it's not about Senator McCain or Sarah Palin, it's not about lipstick or pigs, it's about you!

After talking issues, he directly addressed issues central to Coloradoans.

"If you want relief for the middle class, if you want green jobs right here in Colorado and someone who is going to look out for rural america.."

Asking again for your vote.

"I need your vote on November 4th and I promise together we will win not just in Colorado but in the general election and work together to change the world. Thank you Grand Junction. God bless you, and God bless America!"

Senator Obama has another stop scheduled in Colorado on Tuesday in Golden. He's scheduled to speak at the Colorado School of Mines at 9:30am.