Virginia Finally Comes Into Play

CBS Evening News: For The First Time Since 1964, Virginia Is A Free-Fire Campaign Zone

(CBS)  For the series, "Final Battleground," the CBS Evening News is traveling to three key areas of the country - the South, the Midwest and the West - to hone in on the states that will decide this presidential election. Virginia is one state that could swing toward either Barack Obama or John McCain, Richmond Times-Dispatch chief political reporter Jeff Shapiro shares his views of the race with CBS News.

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Virginia, at the presidential level, has always been pretty predictable.

This is a state that tends to default Republican at the presidential level. National candidates didn't even spend money in the state - they left it to local Republicans to raise a few pennies, to generate excitement and enthusiasm.

The last time a Democrat won the state was in 1964 - Lyndon Johnson. And barely. Before that, it was Harry Truman.

This year, Virginia is a free-fire zone.

Public opinion polls suggest that the Republicans are struggling in a state that is logically theirs.

The "red" parts of the state - largely Western and Southern Virginia. Their populations haven't been growing. Their industries have been drying up.

Martinsville, once the sweatshirt capital of the country, has seen its economy - textiles and furniture - disappear.

Because of that, the Democrats feel that they have an opportunity in an area that traditionally votes Republican.

Virginia has more veterans than any other state in the country - north of 800,000. That's particularly appealing for McCain and his campaign.

Due to the continuing war in Iraq, Democrats are wondering if they'll have an opportunity to peel off usually reliable Republican votes - military families, active-duty families and retirees.

The Washington, D.C., suburbs are becoming the tail that is wagging the dog. It's the anchor for Democratic victories - jammed with people who are not natives, who come there often bringing more moderate and more centrist views, much more interested in solutions than in partisanship.

You know, a big name is supporting Obama in the far southwest Virginia coalfields - a bluegrass artist by the name of Ralph Shatley. He's the man of constant sorrow. He's cut a radio piece for Barack Obama that's directed at largely white, heavily rural audience - an audience where Obama has to be competitive to carry the state.

[klbchum]

When I was a journalism major, if you misspelled a person''s name, you lost a grade level, automatically. It''s Ralph Stanley, not Shatley. Come on Jeff, check your facts & spelling!

[jesuit12]

The base of VA needs to get out to vote. Not let the liberals who have moved into Northern Va. control politics for the whole state. Energize and vote. Show these newcomers from a small corner of the state they have no say. www.GunBanObama.com

[jesuit12]

Sportsman and gun owners in VA beware. www.GunBanObama.com

[zimmied]

CBS, the "Man of Constant Sorrow" is Ralph Stanley, not Ralph Shatley.

[dinslc]

hbevis,

Reading your post, that you voted for Obama without knowing anything about him, one would think you are an ldiot.

Reading another of your posts, that now you think Obama is a muslim socialist, one would now KNOW, without a doubt, you are an ldiot.

[max0010]

Redistribution of money and honored traditions and respect to those who fought to keep America free are thrown under the bus.
New Hampshire, October 17%u2014The National Anthem and the Pledge of Alliance was scratched according to Sandra Abrevaya, communications director for the Obama campaign at the last minute because they needed more time for speeches. SOCIALISM IS ROLLING IN. We do not need the traditions, the respect, the flag, and the pledge anymore -----CHANGE IS COMING. The flag pin finally gets tossed into the wastebasket, right OBAMA.

[jimjus]

Obama is the most intelligent presidential candidate USA ever had. He will not only fix the economic melt down but end the unnecessary war also.

[hbevis]

hbevis , Go to this site and look at the video. It will tell you a lot about mcCain.
http://therealmccain.com/

Posted by todgul at 10:30 PM : Oct 17, 2008

I took your advise and went to the above site. There to many unanswered questions about obama for me to vote for him in November. I voted for him in the Primary but have seen to many changes since then. My belief is that he is a very strong SOCIALIST. We are already headed for Socialism without his help. There is way to much information that points to the fact that he is a Muslim. And I have done a lot of Research about where he was born. All of this together is why I can''t vote for him and I advise others to do the same.

November is not here yet. And I await the outcome.

[todgul]

hbevis , Go to this site and look at the video. It will tell you a lot about mcCain.
http://therealmccain.com/

[louiseriley]

So long John McCain and Sarah Palin. We will elect Barack Obama, a smart, passionate and caring individual. John and Sarah are mean spirited and they are dividing our nation with bigotry. Go back to Alaska Sarah and pall around with your separatist terrorist friends from the Alaska Independence Party.

[TheDiplomat78]

Posted by hbevis at 09:15 PM : Oct 17, 2008

Go to this site and look at the video. It will tell you a lot about obama. http://www.americanthinker

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So this is the new scheme, Robo(idiot) comments on news articles?

Have you looked at AmericanThinker??? Reading the articles, they weren''t thinking.

[hbevis]

Go to this site and look at the video. It will tell you a lot about obama. http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/10/this_could_be_the_game_changer.html

I would not vote for him if he was the only person on the ballot.

[hbevis]

I just do not understand why people can''t see that a lot of our job problems started with the NAFTA bill that was passed in 1994. It had support from the Democrats and the Republicans and it was signed, very reluctantly, by then president William Clinton.

Since then we have seen jobs move very slowly to other Countries.

[obbcbs]

I am offended by McCain''s new tactic. It goes like this: Although Obama says ABC, dont believe him. Its not what he really will do.

This is amazing. McCain is reduced to the false claim that the other person wont really do what the other person says in plain English, quite clearly, happily and eloquently, he will do.

McCain is now on the level of Palin. Nothing of import to say himself, just hoping to sleaze his way to a victory based on his own lies and name calling.
What a bum. And to think I supported him in 2000.
I am not a DEMOCRAT and I am voting for Senator Obama.
And I glad to be able to do it. The choice is clear now.
I am choosing a smarter, more decent person, with clear vision and a sense of balance.