President Barack Obama disparaged Republicans as ditch-diggers driving the country into a hole, telling a crowd of 37,500 at USC on Oct. 22, 2010 that they must vote for Democrats in one of the most contentious midterm elections in history or run the risk of sending the country deeper into the ground.

The president's stop in Los Angeles was part of a four-day tour of five Western states where Democratic candidates were struggling to retain their powerful seats in either Congress or state government against a nationwide anti-incumbent sentiment. In California, Obama's aim was to help Sen. Barbara Boxer's re-election campaign, but he also stumped for Jerry Brown, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate.

To hear the president speak for 20 minutes, many of the tens of thousands who attended stood and waited for about six hours in line and then in USC's Alumni Park, where the Moving America Forward rally was held. Neon Tommy provided a week of coverage leading up to the rally and offered constant live coverage on the day of. Here's a look at the dozens of stories, hundreds of pictures and handful of videos.

For the complete photo and picture gallery of Obama's Rally at USC, click here.

• Rapping For Barack Obama, Youth Vote at USC
• Obama and Rally Supporters
• Fiorina And Whitman Impersonators Criticize Republican Candidates' Campaigns
• Shaky Bike Camera Report: Traffic Not That Horrible By USC And Convention Center After Rally
• Obama Enters To A "Trojan Welcome"

From @neontommy:

• People waiting in line with umbrellas, chairs, etc. Secret Service won't be allowing those "clunky items" in http://bit.ly/c6RiXz #obamausc
• DADT protestor at #USCObama rally Photo by Mary Slosson @neontommy #obamausc http://twitpic.com/2zufnr
• Volunteer's Notebook: VP of USC College Dems describes how they mobilized 300 volunteers overnight http://bit.ly/bMci8L #obamausc #uscobama
• RT @cmsimike: RT @LAist: RT @LAistLive: Air Force One just landed at LAX. #ObamaUSC #uscobama
• RT @taylorfreitas: Volunteers are passing out bottles of water to front of the crowd. They went quickly. #obamausc #uscobama
• Chopper overhead, believed to be Obama arriving at USC rally #obamausc #uscobama
• Obama chopper landed at Expo Park, arriving at USC in motorcade #obamausc #uscobama
• Beautiful shot of USC supporter and Obama supporter: http://twitpic.com/2zuyt6 More: http://bit.ly/bFhXCc #USCObama #ObamaUSC
• Villaraigosa opens rally at 12:25 p.m., an hour and a half late http://www.neontommy.com/ #obamausc #uscobama
• Pic from inside Barbara Boxer fundraiser RT @mridleythomas: The President is in the house http://plixi.com/p/52222101 #uscobama #obamausc
• Overheard at USC Obama rally "We should have tailgated." #obamausc
• 2 people in Alumni Park have fainted and been carried out, tho temperatures are in the mid-60s ppl are so packed in it's boiling #obamausc
• We found a real, live Barbara Boxer supporter: http://twitpic.com/2zvi7j More at: http://bit.ly/bFhXCc #USCObama #ObamaUSC
• The cutest #Obama supporter ever: http://twitpic.com/2zvjt4 #ObamaUSC #USCObama More at: http://bit.ly/bFhXCc
• Jerry Brown: "When I see the power of the sun, I see we don't need Saudi Arabian oil... we've got the California sun!" #USCObama #ObamaUSC
• "You are beautiful" - Incumbent Dem. Senator Barbara Boxer #ObamaUSC #USCObama
• "This is a Trojan kind of welcome, FIGHT ON!" Obama says #obamausc #uscobama uses words "fired up" (again)
• RT @maryslosson: Money shot of President Obama at USC Rally #ObamaUSC #USCObama http://twitpic.com/2zwlgr