Hundreds camp out for chance to see Obama

Hundreds of people armed with blankets, drinks and plenty of  local pride camped overnight  outside Dobson High School in Mesa for a chance to see President Barack Obama when he visits the campus later this week.  

By sunrise this morning, an estimated 600 people had formed a line that snaked from the school's parking lot to the sidewalk alongside Guadalupe Road.

President Obama to visit Mesa school

Slideshow: Obama tickets

"It was a group of 8th and 9th graders who got us here,'' said Michelle Covarrubias of Mesa, who held the first spot in a growing line that began forming at the school late Sunday afternoon. 

She was among those hoping to obtain a ticket to Wednesday morning's event at the school, in which Obama is expected  to deliver a major policy speech on the nation's housing crisis.

  Her friend, Bobbi Abeyta of Mesa, said her 13-year-old daughter, Alex, woke her late Sunday afternoon after learning that Obama was going to appear at the school Wednesday.

"She just said, 'We have to go. She dragged me out of bed and we came.'''  

Alex, a student at Rhodes Junior High School in Mesa, added: "He's our first African-American president ... and I knew it would be awesome.''  

Further back in the line, Brad Toth of Mesa camped with blankets and stockpiles of water, Gatorade and hot chocolate. As blues music played from a radio in front of him, Toth explained that he's a die-hard Republican but could not pass up the chance to bring his four children to see the president. 

 "I may be a Republican, but he's still my president - it's a once in a lifetime chance,'' he said, explaining how his mother always talked about how she saw President Kennedy, and he wanted to afford his children a similar memory.  

Toth, who had been camped for about five hours, was surrounded by Obama supporters, but he said political debates in line were kept to a minimum. "Everybody, I think, is friendly.'' 

 Janet and Bob Roberts said they came from northeast Mesa to the Dobson lot about 8 p.m., after they ate dinner. 

 "I told him to eat quick because we're out of here,'' she said, in describing their quick decision to  camp out.  Bob didn't need much prodding: "How often do you get to see the president?''  

ASU-West students Rozlind Finley and Erashaunda Adams, both 22, came from 91st Avenue and Indian School to camp out.  "We were going to come around 3 in the morning, but then we saw it on the 9 o'clock news,'' she said.  

Many in line said they were told by officials at the scene that about 300 tickets would be handed out Monday morning at 10 a.m.