Barack Obama Comes to Alexandria

By: Lowell
Published On: 9/14/2006 8:51:23 AM

WHAT: Rally with Jim Webb and Senator Barack Obama

WHERE:  Market Square
  301 King Street
  Alexandria, VA

WHEN:  Wednesday, September 20, 2006
  5:30 PM

This should be a great event; be there!

[UPDATE:  I just thought I'd remind everyone of Obama's amazing speech to the Democratic National Convention in 2004.  Read these lines, and understand why Obama's a superstar.

Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our Nation +óGé¼GÇ¥ not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That is the true genius of America, a faith -- a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles; that we can tuck in our children at night and know that they are fed and clothed and safe from harm; that we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door; that we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe; that we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution, and that our votes will be counted -- at least most of the time.

I can't wait until next Wednesday!]

Comments



Allen Gets Another Endorsement (PM - 9/14/2006 8:58:08 AM)
Well, this will make IPublius happy...

http://www.licensedt...



Lowell, is this the big news... (va.walter - 9/14/2006 9:03:36 AM)
you were hinting at yesterday?  Can't wait to hear the specifics of this event.  Should be a fun one.


Yes. (Lowell - 9/14/2006 9:07:00 AM)
BTW, Barack Obama was very effective for Tim Kaine last year.  Let's face it, this guy's a superstar.


I love Obama and am glad he's supporting Webb... (va.walter - 9/14/2006 9:16:18 AM)
That said, I was hoping the news was a quick Wilder endorsement.  Oh well.


I saw Obama (David Campbell - 9/20/2006 2:50:38 PM)
when he came to town to stump for Kaine.  He is awesome!


NICE! (phriendlyjaime - 9/14/2006 9:10:19 AM)
Very cool.  He made a HUGE effect on the Richmond residents last year, and I think that this will be great.  What a rockstar, talk about some huge news coverage we and Webb will get!  Wow!

Can't beat that endorsement!

BTW, Obama had a big rally for Kaine last year at VCU; maybe Barack will be able to come into Richmond at some point before the election...



More Barack Obama (Lowell - 9/14/2006 9:16:57 AM)
It is that fundamental belief -- It is that fundamental belief: I am my brother’s keeper. I am my sister’s keeper that makes this country work. It’s what allows us to pursue our individual dreams and yet still come together as one American family.

E pluribus unum: "Out of many, one."

Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us -- the spin masters, the negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of "anything goes." Well, I say to them tonight, there is not a liberal America and a conservative America -- there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America -- there’s the United States of America.

The pundits, the pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I’ve got news for them, too. We worship an "awesome God" in the Blue States, and we don’t like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and yes, we’ve got some gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and there are patriots who supported the war in Iraq. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

In the end -- In the end -- In the end, that’s what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or do we participate in a politics of hope?



Immensely Popular on the Hill (PM - 9/14/2006 9:30:36 AM)
In the Sept. 2006 Washingtonian poll of Hill staff, Obama got rave reviews.

This is the same poll that placed Allen with Santorum in the "No Rocket Scientist" category.



Re: your updates (phriendlyjaime - 9/14/2006 9:37:20 AM)
I will never forget after that speech, when Chris Matthews declared Barack to be the star of the evening, and someone who "would be desired greatly on EITHER SIDE OF THE AISLE."

Awesome.



Reflecting on the big picture---- (PM - 9/14/2006 9:48:23 AM)
ABC poll just out on pollingreport.com:

ABC News Poll. Sept. 5-7, 2006. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3. Fieldwork by TNS. LV = likely voters.

  .

"Overall, which party -- the Democrats or the Republicans -- do you trust to do a better job in coping with the main problems the nation faces over the next few years?" Options rotated
Democrats 47
Republicans 38

This attitude, if it holds, will be what pushes Webb over the top.



Are there VA numbers from this poll? (va.walter - 9/14/2006 10:21:14 AM)
No question the national attitude is pro-Dem (although these polls have shown a little movement to the right)?  However, I don't care about what voters anywhere other than VA think in answer to this question.


With a national sample of 1000, expect VA numbers to be too low (RayH - 9/14/2006 10:37:52 AM)

This ABC poll is a general indicator of the mood of the nation as a whole. Pulling VA numbers from a national pool of 1000 would not be a fair representation of our state. We might be different than the national average.


You missed my point. (va.walter - 9/14/2006 12:08:42 PM)
I realize you can't pull the 20 Virginians out of this poll.  I'm asking if there are any VA polls showing the mood of Virginians regarding generic party voting questions?  Otherwise, you're just talking about national trends which are only tangentially relevant to VA.


Good question (PM - 9/14/2006 12:57:14 PM)
I know there are polls that measure Bush approval state by state.

I think the Thelma Drake poll says something.



This is great! (JennyE - 9/14/2006 10:28:09 AM)
Obama is a huge crowd draw. I hope he stops by again in October for the last minute push.


The body armor ad (PM - 9/14/2006 12:58:39 PM)
is now up at Americablog and Raw Story.

Wonkette had nothing but did have a cute snarky comment:  "Since introducing the cute infographic above as the cornerstone of their midterm election coverage, has Slate’s Applause-O-Meter Momentum meter changed even once? Why even bother rendering it in Flash? So it can shift wildly to the left at a moment’s notice should, say, George Allen burn a cross on Jim Webb’s lawn."



COMMENT HIDDEN (4TheGipper - 9/14/2006 1:18:55 PM)


For you..... (Doug in Mount Vernon - 9/20/2006 3:15:33 PM)
That'd be DemocratIC, to you, schmuck.


He'll have to ask Felix what schmuck means... n/t (Loudoun County Dem - 9/20/2006 3:36:47 PM)


COMMENT HIDDEN (4TheGipper - 9/20/2006 4:07:07 PM)


COMMENT HIDDEN (4TheGipper - 9/20/2006 4:09:57 PM)


America then, America Now (blackamerican - 9/14/2006 1:32:55 PM)
Kind of funny that when the words were written a man of Obama's skin color could no none of the things that he spoke of.  America as constructed back then, was not a country for all the people who resided in her borders. 


True. (RayH - 9/14/2006 2:07:18 PM)


(loboforestal - 9/20/2006 11:30:16 AM)
Blah Kamerican, you got a bad platitude.


Attitude (blackamerican - 9/20/2006 1:06:26 PM)
Why is my attitude bad?  Because I am pointing out the there is some irony in the quotes by Mr. Obama. 


(loboforestal - 9/20/2006 1:23:42 PM)
turpitude?


The Culture That Existed (Doug in Mount Vernon - 9/20/2006 3:18:08 PM)
Does not diminish the meaning of the words, neither for them in that time, nor for us today.

Just as the words of Martin Luther King (a holiday to whom George Allen vociferously protested!) ring true today as well.



open event? (rugbyjen - 9/20/2006 1:30:47 PM)
this may be a stupid question, but is this an open event? just a rally outside?

thanks, if so, i will leave work early to be there!



And yes it is an open event (according to their mass evite) (Republicus1 - 9/20/2006 1:41:22 PM)


And the weather is beautiful... (Loudoun County Dem - 9/20/2006 3:12:39 PM)
Sunny and mid 60's...


Obama's 2004 Convention Speech (Republicus1 - 9/20/2006 1:38:49 PM)
I've watched the video (here's the link) like 10x - such a great speech. 

Republicus
Our Republic



(sorry my tag went haywire) (Republicus1 - 9/20/2006 1:44:49 PM)


I was there.... (Doug in Mount Vernon - 9/20/2006 3:20:00 PM)
....in Boston as an Edwards delegate from Virignia's 10th Congressional district.

It was a historic speech and the energy in the hall after Barack spoke was truly unlike anything else I've ever felt in my entire life.

It was an amazing evening.