Obama: Virginia is for Obama-lovers?

Posted: Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:11 AM by Mark Murray

Stumping in Virginia, "Obama pledged yesterday to create millions of union jobs in alternative energy and to end tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas, using tough new populist language to persuade voters that he, not Republican rival John McCain, is best positioned to lift the limping US economy," the Boston Globe writes.

The Washington Post: “Obama came to economically distressed Southside alongside Mark R. Warner, a popular former governor who seven years ago made the strongest electoral showing in rural Virginia of any statewide Democratic candidate in a generation. Warner is running for U.S. Senate, and Democrats hope he can help Obama snare Virginia's 13 electoral votes. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee spoke to workers laid off from nearby factories at a packed town hall meeting in a cavernous warehouse here used by Patrick Henry Community College to train workers in the auto-racing industry. U.S. flags and race cars surrounded the stage.”

In fact, Obama's trip to Virginia and focus on the economy lands him on the front page of several Virginia papers. See here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

This should keep the conservative blogosphere in full conspiracy mode. Apparently the University of Illinois “has refused to release records related to the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee's past service for a nonprofit educational project that put him in contact with activist [William] Ayers, a 1960s-era radical who helped found an organization advocating violence for political change. Ayers is now an education professor at the school. The university's Chicago campus maintains that the donor of the records that document the work of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge has not officially handed over ownership rights and, therefore, the school cannot open the documents to public inspection."

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Comments

Wake up people: McCain wants to draft you to catch Bin Laden!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/20/mccain-on-bringing-back-d_n_120178.html

Absurd (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:18 AM)

The University of Illinois “has refused to release records related to the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee's past service for a nonprofit educational project that put him in contact with activist [William] Ayers.
********************************************************

Cue Limbaugh, Hannity and O'Reilly going mental in 3... 2... 1...

http://thepajamapundit.com/

the Pajama Pundit (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:20 AM)

I'm done speculating on Veep. It will be the best candidate for Obama, his choice and hopefully it will deliver the electorate for a sweeping win in November.

Honestly, I can't believe the insular bubble the Bushies remain in given the RECENT past of wars, deficit spending (real conservative there,my friends), the economy, job losses and the volume of millionaires and billionaires made under this administration when 95% of Americans say they are worse off than they were 8 years ago. That is a pretty strong 'mickey' slipped into the watering hole.

Wake Up America - you are being duped AGAIN - by the same old tricks. The rich get richer and your grand kids kids will never be able to pay it off.

Clara Kansas City, MO (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:22 AM)

The fact is that while Ayers and the Weather Underground were terrorists, they weren't very good ones as the only people they killed were themselves.

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:27 AM)

SO much in this one post.
1st how is he going to pay for all these "Union Jobs"?
Is there the demand for them and the "Profits to pay the Union Wages? (I am not against people making a decent wage and benefits but if the business doesn’t support it who pays for it?

2nd Yes it will keep the conservative blogosphere in full conspiracy mode. it looks like they are hiding something. This goes back to Obama being a unkown up untill a few years ago.

What_you_Selling (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:27 AM)

The whole country is for Obama Lovers! It's way past time to rid our country of the repugnant ones who have done nothing for our country except to bankrupt it and turn it into the Evil Empire.

What a joke the repugnant ones are using the title of "Country First" for their convention. Not one of them places country first and not one of them believes in John F. Kennedy's challenge that we "ask not what our country can do for us, but ask what we can do for our country" All they can think about is what can our country do for them while giving them massive tax cuts they don't need or deserve. The legacy of Ronny Raygunz is a bankrupt Social Security system and unfunded liability debt of more than $50 trillion dollars.

Only Barack Obama will protect and help the middle class!

Go Obama 08/12!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:32 AM)

If the GOP goes after Obama over Ayers, (a butter knife), then the 'O' team will go after Keating, Reed, and Phil 'Nation of Whinners' Graham, et al, (a sword). What a duel, eh?

donna (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:34 AM)

War-monster McShame wants to add more jobs also - for your kids and mine - in the military as he wants to start a draft to start more wars and continue the ones his mentor started.

Brian, Cedar Hill, TX (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:35 AM)

I'll bet Obama didn't talk about reinstating the draft..Let's get a First Read take on McCain's Town Hall
yesterday in New Mexico.

Jen,MI (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:38 AM)

As a former Va. resident and navy vet I would love to see that great state give its' support to Senator Obama. In New Mexico yesterday McCain indicated a willingness to reinstitute the draft. Add that statement to his other major "I'll say anything to get elected" flip-flops and you get a man who's out of touch with the needs and desires of the American people.

subgruvet, ok (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:39 AM)

Things are looking better and better for Obama in Virginia, I'm thinking you're really going to see that as we get closer.

Thank you First Read, for bringing to light more of the lowest common denominator politics. Ayers? Seriously? For shame, First Read, for shame.

http://www.rodneyhopper.com

Rodney Hopper, Waxahachie, TX (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:41 AM)

Keep pounding the economic message Mr. Obama. John Sydney McCain III has always been and will continue to be out of touch with the economic issues of this country. If he cannot throw the military at it, then he is without a solution.
And speaking of throwing the military at it, did John McCain agree with a woman questioner yesterday about the need to bring back the draft? Can someone here at First Read check that out? Thanks.

Benny, SFBayArea, California (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:42 AM)

Talk about using a soundbite. A woman gave quite a long , passionate statement about wounded/injured vets and the need for care for them. She ended by saying something to the effect if they're not cared for "we'll have to reinstute the draft." McCain's response was something like he agreed with what she had said. He was responding to the WHOLE STATEMENT, not the draft question. Of course, First Read, won't post his answer. Re the draft, McCain has spoken before that if we came to a place where it was ABSOLUTELY necessary then he'd be for it. Any President who was facing a situation like that would have to consider it. The low number volunteering now would indicate IF we got into a larger war the draft would be necessary.

gus in tx (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:45 AM)

It is very difficult to create a million jobs. The alternative energy is quite small at this time. Yet, Obama pledges to create a million union jobs in the alternative energy business. And, he's going to do that in four years? Boy, he's got more magical powers than I thought!

lily (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:47 AM)

I'll bet Obama didn't talk about reinstating the draft..Let's get a First Read take on McCain's Town Hall
yesterday in New Mexico.

Jen,MI (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:38 AM)

You're right, Jen. Your candidate would destroy our military and live us wide-open for attack.

Rich , Manhattan, KS (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:49 AM)

McCAin wants the DRAFT back and the media is busy telling us stuff we really do not care about. McBush wants to take all the young women and men of to war and out of college. Do remember he voted against GI Bill, this to keep them as soldiers for his 100 year war. That is the true McCain. Obama 08

Bev (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:50 AM)

[["Obama pledged yesterday to create millions of union jobs in alternative energy and to end tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas]]

Gosh, it so easy to call this man on the bullcrap he's putting out. "Create millions of jobs"? How's he going to do that, wave his magic wand? Alternative energy? What "alternative energy" is he talking about? And best yet, how's is Barack going to pay for it?

The government doesn't create jobs unless it destroys other jobs through it's taxation on people and businesses. Barack is going to stop businesses from shipping jobs overseas. How? By building a wall? May I suggest he put the first wall up on our southern boarder.

Barack - Tear Down This Wall (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:52 AM)

Welcome back Donna. How is your Dad???

Andrea, New York City (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:53 AM)

I bet Sean Hannity is loving the piece about Ayers.

Billy, mi (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:04 AM)

Talk about using a soundbite. A woman gave quite a long , passionate statement about wounded/injured vets and the need for care for them. She ended by saying something to the effect if they're not cared for "we'll have to reinstute the draft."
--------------------------------------------------
Gus in Texas, Obamabots are only capable of listening to one little soundbite before their outrage meter kicks in.

Pass the Arugula (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:07 AM)

Peace Trevors (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:13 AM)

I doubt rural VA will be for Obama-lovers.
And as soon as Bush releases the records of all his wrong-doings and the full record of his military non-service, then they can release the Obama stuff.
As far as Ayers goes; if he was really a bomb-throwing lunatic in the '60's, he'd either have been shot by the cops and the FBI, as most of the more serious Black Panthers were, be in jail, as some old radicals are, or be on the run, nameless and unnoticed, as yet other radicals are now. If Ayers is alive and known by his proper name and free, he wasn't much of terrorista.

Class Warrior, D.C. (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:14 AM)

Sen Obama has promised FIVE million new jobs. Man that is great for Virginia to get one fifth of the total. I just imagine that Mark Warner and Gov. Kaine might really like that, they are already rubbing there hands together seeing all that extra taxes coming in. The promises that this man has laid out are the biggest joke in the world, anyone with half a mind would know that he can not give you one job let alone a million. I certainly hope my fellow Virginians will seriously look at this gent and let him know that he is blowing smoke.

Charlie, Midland, VA (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:17 AM)

I still think that these people who are condeming Obama for his connection to Ayers haven't really looked into it. When they first met, was Ayers still advocating violent politicial change and other Weather Underground policies? It doesn't matter if Ayers doesn't condem them, but is he still advocating them and doing them is the question. How often do these two talk is the better question also.

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:22 AM)

Trying to see things from both sides, it just seems to me that McCain's campaign can be summed up in 3 ideals: Aggression as a foreign policy, Drill at home as an energy policy and "attack with lies" as a campaign policy. Obama's campaign seems to be Negotiate first as a foreign policy, Compromise on drilling to get alternative energy solutions as an energy policy and Campaign on the issues as a campaign policy.
As an Obama supporter, I will be the first to admit that Obama has made some claims that have been wrong, just flat out wrong. He has changed his positions on some items to reflect current trends and in some cases was willing to compromise on issues that he is against to get other items passed. Republicans immediately jump on this as flip-flop.
McCain has made some out-right false claims of his own. The difference is that he has done so and continues to do so in attack ads. He also has changed his position on items that he originally supported or was against. The difference is that he hasn't offered a compromise on anything. This is precisely why it is so easy for the Democrats to take these as flip-flops. There is a difference between a compromise and a flip-flop. Actually, I would prefer a president who would be willing to compromise rather than take a hardline approach. Bush is a prime example of what can happen when there is no compromise.
It is a real shame that McCain has adopted the typical republican approach of campaigning which is to win at all cost. Obama has tried to keep his promise of having a clean campaign but when you get mud flug at you, you are bound to get dirty. The only difference is that Obama has returned fire with truth as opposed to the lies that McCain has spread.

Roderic for Obama 08, Laplace, LA (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:24 AM)

Virginia will not go to Obama, he is too pro-abortion for this state

Alex, Dulles Va (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:28 AM)

Roderic for Obama 08, Laplace, LA (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:31 AM)

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