In crucial Va., Obama talks taxes

President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign event July 13, 2012 at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

/ AFP PHOTO/Mandel Ngan

(CBS News) VIRGINIA BEACH, Virgina - It's hard if not impossible to overstate the importance of Virginia in this presidential election. Perhaps rivaled only by Ohio, it could be the state that decides the 2012 election.

It's a must-win state for both the Obama and Romney campaigns. It's an indispensable element of each candidate's gameplan for victory.

"When we win Virginia," the president told supporters at his first stop Friday, "we're going to have won the election."

It's that political assessment that launched President Obama on a two-day swing through this commonwealth beginning here in Virginia Beach.

He won Virginia in 2008 by a 53 percent to 46 percent margin. That was the first time Virginia went Democratic in a presidential election since Lyndon Johnson won his landslide in 1964.

Hoping for '08 repeat, Obama returns to key Va. region

Mr. Obama knows he has to re-energize the political base that turned out for him four years ago - and give them the motivation to do it again in November.

"I'm going to need you more than ever in 2012," he told an overflow crowd at his first campaign event today. "This is gonna be a close one," he said of the 2012 election. "We're going to have to work hard."

A CBS News tally shows that the president has visited Virginia 46 times since taking office - more often than any other state. As a neighbor of D.C., Virginia is also a convenient destination for any president, but especially for the president, for whom the state may hold the path to a second term.

He's accompanied on his Virginia visit by two of the state's top Democrats: Sen. Mark Warner and former governor, former Democratic National Committee chairman and current candidate for the Senate, Tim Kaine.

Appearing before supporters in the gymnasium of Green Run High School, Mr. Obama exhorted them to "stand up for me." He urged them to knock on doors, make phone calls, get out and organize.

"Then we'll finish what we started in 2008," he declared in the high-decibel campaign cadence that is a hallmark of his political oratory.

He used his speech to portray himself as the premier defender of middle-class Americans, reiterating his call on Congress to enact a one-year extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for those making no more than $250,000 a year. Republicans say taxpayers of all income levels ought to get the tax cut extensions. That would include Mr. Obama, but he doesn't want it.

"We don't need it, we're least likely to spend it. It's least likely to give a boost to the economy. We can't afford it because we're trying to bring down our deficit and trying to control our debt."

He emphasized that even millionaires would benefit from the lower tax rate on the first $250,000 of their annual income.

But in an open-collared shirt, with sleeves rolled up, Mr. Obama accused Romney and his supporters in Congress of holding the middle-class tax cut extension "hostage" to extension for the top 2 percent of income earners.

"Because of the values we share, I believe in you. And I hope you still believe in me," he told his supporters.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Romney's family has no military service in its history this includes his grandfather, dad and his five sons. Of course Romney is part of that no military service. Btw the mormon church was the only religious organization that members got automatic deferments from selective service during the draft and Vietnam war. So Romney didn't have to lie to get multiple deferments like Bush and Cheney. OTOH Muhammad Ali was sent to prison for not reporting to serve because of his faith. Nice to have mormon connections, huh?

The kicker is... now chickenhawk Romney has no problem advocating further military escapades causing unnecessary deaths of our brave troops.

[wfw3536]

Did Obama tell the folks that his new tax on people making 250,000 plus mean about 700,000 small business owners will be affected. Instead of offering ideas on how to save money, Obama plan is to stick it to the small business owners.

[marychgo]

Sorry, wfw, but 97% of the small business owners who file as S corporations earn LESS than $250,000 a year; Obama's proposal won't increase their taxes a penny. And the vast majority of those who make MORE than $250,000 are NOT small business owners; they're some doctors, some lawyers, but mostly executives of large corporations, particularly financial services corporations!

[nonpolitico]

wfw3536: I agree with you. Looks great dont it? Obama talking about tax as his Obamacare law is categorised as a TAX by Supreme Court?
SO! There you have it. Obama intends to TAX everyone who takes out health care.
It is one thing, doing what the Socialists in GB did (without citizens permission) back in 1948), to create a National Health Service, paid for by contributions from employees and employers, another to preremptorily get passed a Bill which attacks the democratic arrangements of citizens to impose a Washington TAX on everyone!
Hell, if all our representatives had not already got their own (Deep) pig trough of entitlements how d`ya think THEY would react to this Commie notion!
Work all your life, pay what you can afford for your family.then BOOM Sociobamacare is forced onto everyone.
Obviously Obama and cronies have never read the Constitution, (Especially Obama as his paw wasn`t even American, or ever lived in USA!!).
If Obama wants Socialised medicine how`bout he runs for president in Cuba...They need a Good Socialist now!!

[charleskaye]

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery". Winston Churchill.