PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (CNN) – There was no red or blue politics Saturday, only green as Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton marched in this city's annual
St. Patrick's Day parade.
Clinton marched about two miles on the parade route through downtown Pittsburgh. Thousands of people lined the streets, cheering and screaming, some holding green signs that said "Clinton Country" with others that said O'Bama. At times there were mini-sign wars, all in good Irish fun.
Clinton wore a green American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees scarf. Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, who have all endorsed the senator, marched alongside her.
City of Pittsburgh police estimated the
crowd lining the route to be well over 260,000.
Clinton received a warm welcome as she walked along the one mile parade route that was sprinkled with supporters holding both green Clinton and Obama campaign signs along the way.
Clinton spontaneously stopped and shook hands several times along the way even making an unscheduled stop at the reviewing stand at the end of the parade saying, "Thank you, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. This is a great parade, may the luck of the Irish be with us all, God bless you."
Speaking to media near the reviewing stand, Sen. Hillary Clinton said that she was impressed by the enthusiasm of the people of Scranton.
When asked if winning the vote in Northeast Pennsylvania was key to her winning the Keystone State, Sen., Clinton replied that it was "important to me personally" to win here. She also said that she feels like she's at home in Scranton, having visited many times as she grew up.
1:25 p.m.
Shaking hands with supporters and well-wishers along Wyoming Ave., presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has received another warm welcome in Scranton.
1:50 p.m.
Sen. Clinton is now along Lackawanna Ave., greeted by a huge crowd of enthusiastic supporters near the Radisson Hotel.
2:10 p.m.
The crowd roared as Hillary Clinton turned the corner from Spruce St. to N. Washington Ave. The block is the final leg of the parade before the reviewing stand.
Times-Tribune staff writer Borys Krawczeniuk reports that "this parade is like nothing I've ever seen." He said that Sen. Clinton is greeting parade-goers on both sides of the street, posing with people for photos, shaking hands, and at one point holding a baby handed to her.
The crowd of people, expected to top 100,000 spectators, lined up 10 people deep in spots to catch of the New York Senator.