McCain Rallies Crowd Of Thousands In Northern Virginia

This story was written by Michael Gaynor, The Collegian

Its great to be here in the Commonwealth; this is a must-win state! McCain said as he opened his speech to about 7,000 people in Woodbridge. The last time the GOP lost Virginia in a presidential election was to Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

McCain commented on the growing trend favoring his opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, in the state and nationwide.

Ive got to give you some straight talk, he said. Let me give you the state of the race today. We have 17 days to go, and were down six points. The national media has written us off. Senator Obamas measuring the drapes.

And with the liberal Democrats, Speaker Pelosi and Senator Harry Reid, theyre planning to raise your taxes, increase spending and concede defeat in Iraq. But with all this planning, they forgot to let you decide. We got them just where we want them.

McCain emphasized his tax plan to the Prince William County crowd, playing to the working-class base in attendance. He criticized Obamas promise to lower income taxes to 95 percent of the country, saying it was equal to a government giveaway that would end up costing the average American family more in the long run.

Instead, McCain endorsed an across-the-board hold on government spending to help the nations flagging economy recover.

Im going to make government live on a budget, just like you do, he said. I will freeze government spending on all but the most important programs like defense, veterans care, Social Security and health care.

The crowd in Woodbridge was streaked with broad swaths of red t-shirts and people were holding signs with phrases such as Keep Virginia Red and Experience Matters. The event began with a festive atmosphere, the audience welcoming a candidate in a state that has historically not seen much presidential campaigning. Dont Stop Believin blared through the speakers. Some members of the crowd lined up for pictures with a Sarah Palin look-alike, who was wearing red high-heeled boots, a large golden belt and was draped in an American flag cape.

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore opened the event by encouraging the crowd to rally their friends and family in finding new voters to support the Republican Party in the state.

Now listen upyou are the key to this election, and the polls are being used to discourage you from working and from voting, Gilmore said. This race is not decided.

Gilmore is running for the Virginia seat in the U.S. Senate.

While waiting in between speakers, conversation in the crowd would be periodically broken by short waves of chanting that swept through the audience, echoing a chorus of Drill, baby, drill! or Nobama, Nobama!

Nick Monaco, 17, a McCain campaign volunteer and resident of Woodbridge, said he was excited about the event.

I dont remember in my time any president or future president coming to our town, Monaco said. Im interested to see how this county will go.

Luke Kraus, another McCain campaign volunteer with the American University College Republicans, commented on the close race in Virginia.

Its a really tight election in this county, Kraus said. But I know overall northern Virginia is more leaning toward Obama. So I think McCain is trying to reach out over here in these swing areas.

As polling has increasingly favored Obama, McCain has stepped up rhetoric criticizing his opponents lack of experience. His speech at Saturdays rally continued this trend.

We face many enemies in thisdangerous world and many challenges here at home; you know that, McCain told the crowd. The next president of the United States wont have time to get used to the office. He will have to act immediately. We cannot spend the next four years as we have spent much of the last eight, waiting for our luck to change. We have to act immediately.

McCain also tried to distance his campaign with President Bushs policies.

I said in the last debate, Ill say it again, McCain said. Im not George Bush. If Senator Obama wants to run against George Bush, he should have run four years ago. We need a new direction, and we have to fight for it. The crowd boomed as McCain closed, saying, Now lets go win this election!"

McCain finished his speech by stirring up a fighting spirit in the crowd of Virginians.

Dont give up hope, be strong, have courage and fight, he said. Fight for a new direction for our country, fight for whats right for America, fight to clean up the mess and corruption and infighting and selfishness in Washington, fight to get our economy out of the ditch and back into the lead, fight for the ideals and character of a great people, fight for our childrens future, fight for justice and opportunity for all.