Obama Campaigns In Conservative Virginia

(AP)  Democrat Barack Obama came into the heart of conservative Virginia Monday with a populist, anti-war appeal and won howling ovations from a crowd shivering in the autumn chill.

Obama, the second Democrat in as many months to campaign in this university town, took on both President Bush and his chief Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, as more than 4,000 supporters who had stood in line for hours cheered.

"You have to admit it. You are tired of an administration that treats our constitution as a nuisance," Obama said. "You're tired of an administration that tries to widen the gulf between rich and poor," he said. "But most of all, you are tired of a war that should never have been authorized."

Trailing Clinton in polls two months before the first nomination contests, he assailed both Bush for sending troops to Iraq and Clinton for voting in 2002 for the deployment.

"I spoke out against that war and that is the kind of experience I bring to bear in this campaign," Obama said. "I may not have the kind of experience that Washington likes, but I have the experience we need right here, right now," he said.

That was just fine with Gregory Olsen of Salt Lake City, a third-year University of Virginia law school student. He said he's looking for a candidate not beholden to the status quo in Washington next year.

"People say he has no experience, but I see that as an asset, not a liability," said Olsen, who bought tickets for himself and his wife, Michelle, the day they went on sale about three weeks ago.

Obama also attracted plenty who have not decided yet how they will vote. Retirees Emil and Nancy Kritzer drove from Nelson County to Charlottesville to see if Obama is what they're looking for.

"We want to see someone with enough leadership skills to tell this country what it has to do, even if they don't want to hear it," Kritzer said.

Obama campaigned about three blocks from the site of a Clinton fundraiser a month ago. Both of them sense a possible Democratic triumph next year in a state that has backed Republicans in every presidential election since 1964.

Democrats rarely bothered bringing presidential campaigns to Virginia since the 1980s. This year, Clinton, Obama and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards have several visits to downstate Virginia to their credit.

Republicans say Democrats are celebrating too soon.

"The more time the Democrat presidential candidates spend in Virginia touting their liberal proposals to raise taxes for hardworking families, increase the size of government, and cut funding for America's troops, the more likely voters in this state will once again elect another Republican president in 2008," said Amber Wilkerson, a Republican National Committee spokeswoman.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, one of the first governors to endorse Obama, introduced him Monday and pledged to travel to Iowa to help Obama campaign.

[gunownerdan]

Barack Obama is just another member of the CFR(Council on Foreign Relations) Just like Bush, Cheney, Clinton, Edwards, Richardson, Biden, Giuliani, Romney, McCain, and Thompson just to name a few.
The CFR has hijacked the foreign policy of both parties and their main goal is to destroy American soveriengty and our constitution leading to the formation of a North American Union with Canada and Mexico.
Dr. Ron Paul is NOT a member of the CFR and he is the only anti-war and pro-liberty candidate running for president.
ronpaul2008.com

[usaprophet]

Some people say, "a Republican? I''d never vote for a Republican." Let me remind you folks that Abraham Lincoln, who freed the slaves, and who won the war to preserve our Union, WAS himself a Republican. Would you have voted for Stephen Douglas, who was ardently pro slavery, against Lincoln simply because he was a Democrat? Of course you wouldn''t. It''s the person your voting for, and the ideas he or she represents, NOT the party. Paul represents a different Republican Party from the one that Iraq, deficits and corruption have soured the country on. The Republican party has "lost its way," he said recently during a GOP debate. Like the limited federal government principles espoused by Dwight D. Eisenhower, his school of Republicanism stands for a certain idea of the Constitution that much of the power asserted by modern Presidents has been usurped from Congress, and that much of the power asserted by Congress has been usurped from the States. Though Paul acknowledges flaws in both the Constitution (it included slavery) and the Bill of Rights (it doesn%u2019t go far enough), he still thinks a comprehensive array of positions can be drawn therefrom: against gun control; for the sovereignty of States; and against foreign-policy adventures like the ones currently being played-out in the Mid-East. After ten terms of service as a U.S. Congressman, Ron Paul has demonstarted a consistent track record of adherance to The Constitution which is unmatched by anyone in either party. Go Ron Paul!

[realpatriot1]

Sounds like the RNC is worried. They should be.

I cn''t speak about the entire south but Virginia and North Carolina are not as hospitable as they used to be for the republicans and even when they''ve won in the past the pluralities haven''t been overwhelming.

Both states have gone through major demographic changes as well that don''t bode well for the national party.

It''s easier to get a republican elected to statewide office in New York or Massachusetts these days than it is down here.

[usaprophet]

Most Americans just don''t seem to care that our nation, along with the Constitution upon which it was founded, is being flushed-down the NWO toilet by our nations ruling elite. While Congress and the President warn and insite fear in the sheeple about the prospect of terrorism, they at the same time leave our border wide open, and fund and conduct illegal wars overseas that do nothing but encite the terrorism which their Draconian Laws like the Patriot Act and The Real ID Act pretend to protect us from. Think about it. What would you do, if someone invaded the U.S. for no reason, and took over. You''d be mad as hell, and you''d be making trips to their country in order to give a little payback. Wake up America! It''s not about protecting you from terrorism, or saving our planet from Global Warming, or any of that fear-mongering garbage the tube feeds you 24/7. It''s about feeding the military industrial complex and facilitating the ruling elite''s ability to ratchet-down control over the American people, placing us into a total control grid where they can surveille, track and control everywhere we go and everything we do. It''s the groundwork for totalitarianism. I weep for my country, and for those of you who are so distracted, dumbed-down, or outright brainwashed by mainstream media, which endlessly regurgitates scientifically-crafted streams of information aimed at keeping your eyes closed to the realities of the world around you, that you fail to recognize this. Go Ron Paul!.

[candide777]

"You have to admit it. You are tired of an administration that treats our constitution as a nuisance," Obama said.

Strong words from a man who wants us to vote for him because he''s such a good Christian, never mind the First Amendment. Hmm, what''s wrong with this picture? What I have to admit is that I''m sick and tired of being sick and tired of politicians who want to inject their religion into politics. It has no place there. Religion needs to stop having it both ways: stay out of my government, or be taxed.

[kansas1946]

He never travels alone with women, and once even dressed-down an aide for using the expression "red-light district" in front of a female colleague.
**************************
You are hurting your cadidate with this one. No woman worth her salt would vote for a guy like this.

[kansas1946]

I am beginning to get the feeling that Barack Obama, and maybe John Edwards, are the only candidates running that are not totally nuts. The Republicans are certifiable, and Hillary is even starting to act a little nuts. Maybe the problem is that you have to be crazy to even run for president.

[usaprophet]

You get the sense that the country is desperate for someone to show us the way. Not the old way. Not the same way, but a NEW WAY. Think about this for a minute. What if we pulled all of our troops out of South Korea? They''ve been there for 50 years. Tens of thousands of them. What if we quit worrying about Iran, but instead, realized that its having a nuclear weapon will not mean the end of the world? What if we pulled all of our troops out of Iraq, and brought them all home? What if we realistically addressed the National Debt, and paid attention to REALLY DOING SOMETHING about stopping illegal immigration? These are the ideas Republican Presidential candidate, Dr. Ron Paul. He''s a ten term Congressman and a physician who has delivered over 4,000 babies. Ron Paul has been married to the same woman for more than 50 years, which means he doesn''t come to the race with the sort of baggage some of the other candidates for the White House do. Paul is given to mulling things over morally. He was once a pious Lutheran, but now attends a Baptist church. He never travels alone with women, and once even dressed-down an aide for using the expression "red-light district" in front of a female colleague. I support the 2008 candidacy of Congressman, Ron Paul for President of The United States. Candidates with the high level of personal integrity and track record of adherance to The Constitution Ron Paul always demonstrates only come around once in a lifetime, if we''re lucky. Go Ron!