Helen Sandor, a retired elementary school teacher from Pittsburgh, said: "We've made so many strides, waiting to get to the end of Roe v. Wade. Now, it's like there's a light through the darkness. We feel stronger now."

While Mr. Bush voice his support for what he called "such a noble cause," he only vaguely alluded to matters of abortion that might come before the Supreme Court.

"You believe, as I do, that every human life has value, that the strong have a duty to protect the weak, and that the self-evident truths of the Declaration of Independence apply to everyone, not just to those considered healthy or wanted or convenient," he said. "These principles call us to defend the sick and the dying, persons with disabilities and birth defects, and all who are weak and vulnerable, especially unborn children."

"By changing laws," he added, "we can change our culture."

Despite Mr. Bush's decision to address the issue only broadly, the expectation that Judge Alito will soon win Senate approval and join a majority in overturning Roe was clearly the uber-message of the rally.

Representative Steve Chabot, an Ohio Republican and a leading abortion opponent in Congress, was one of several members to address the crowd -- the first to mention Judge Alito -- and recalled the judge's words during his confirmation hearing that there needs to be a special justification for overturning a precedent. Then referring to a number of abortions that opponents say have occurred since Roe was decided, Mr. Chabot said, "If the killing of 46 million babies isn't sufficient justification for overruling that awful case, I don't know what is."