SCOTT SIMON, Host:
NPR's Gregory Feifer reports from Georgia.
GREGORY FEIFER: When the dark-haired, energetic president appeared, the crowd erupted in cheers, calling out Misha, Saakashvili's nickname.
(SOUNDBITE OF CROWD CHEERING)
MIKHAIL SAAKASHVILI: (Speaking in foreign language)
FEIFER: Almost shouting himself hoarse, the 40-year-old American-trained lawyer, who came to power following the Rose Revolution in 2003, promised to reunify Abkhazia with the rest of Georgia. Among the crowd, Bilogias Sarkavas(ph) said he respects Saakashvili for cracking down against corruption and building Georgia's infrastructure.
BILOGIAS SARKAVAS: (Through translator) Just take a look around you, he's built roads and schools. He's hardworking, helping people by making sure wages and pensions are paid.
FEIFER: Speaking after his rally, Saakashvili called himself a founding father of the new Georgian state.
SAAKASHVILI: The country that has been the hopeless (unintelligible) which has formed itself into the downlink of the World Bank. But it was for very painful reforms. And basically now, we went out to our people and said, okay, you want to go on like this, or you want something else.
FEIFER: Former Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili is an opposition leader, who says the police crackdown showed the true nature of Saakashvili's administration.
SALOME ZOURABICHVILI: We were telling our foreign friends that this was not a democratic government, but this is first time that it was make - made obvious for a much larger public.
FEIFER: But the opposition has been splintered, and Saakashvili has accused an opposing candidate of trying to overthrow the government. Billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili was recorded offering a police official $100 million to help undermine the government.
SAAKASHVILI: This guy basically promotes bribing of police officer to kill the minister of interior, to make a coup d' etat, to arrest members of government. So, excuse me, but are we dealing now with politics or we are dealing with pure criminal activity?
FEIFER: Former winemaker Levan Gachechiladze is Saakashvili's main opponent in today's vote. He says Saakashvili has dominated media coverage and barred other candidates from buying space on billboards.
LEVAN GACHECHILADZE: (Georgian spoken)
FEIFER: Gregory Feifer, NPR News, Tbilisi.