This afternoon I attended the McCain rally in Woodbridge, Virginia. The crowd was quite boisterous and enthusiastic — even when MCCain commented that the polls put him about 6 points down right now. There were plenty of signs in the crowd, and while many of them must have been prepared by the campaign (a common practice), there were clearly some home-made ones. I snapped a shot of one that caught my eye. I posted it over here.
McCain offered his clearest and most pointed criticism of Obama’s tax plan yet. I’ll turn to the Associated Press for the exact language:
“That is not a tax cut. It is just another government giveaway,” he told a crowd of about 7,000 cheering supporters at an outdoor rally at the Prince William County government complex.
He invoked again the name of Joe the Plumber, an Ohioan he had made famous Wednesday night at Hofstra…
Obama has said that under his economic plan, 95 percent of Americans— families that earn less than $250,000 —would see no tax increase.
“How do you cut income taxes, federal taxes, for 95 percent of Americans, when more than 40 percent pay no income taxes right now?” McCain asked. “How do you reduce the number to zero?
“Well, that’s the key to Barack Obama’s whole plan. Since you can’t reduce taxes on those who pay zero, the government will write them all checks, called a tax credit, and the treasury will have to cover those checks by taxing other people—you—including a lot of folks just like Joe.
“In other words, Barack Obama’s plan to raise taxes on some, in order to give checks to others isn’t a tax cut. It’s just another government giveaway.”
McCain’s message was received warmly, and he got a rock-star welcome. You get the sense that he’s finally hit a winning message.
Moe Lane
Steve Maley
Dan McLaughlin
Neil Stevens
Daniel Horowitz
Thanks for updating on the Rally I had a company picnic today...
JadedByPolitics (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 5:14PM EST (link)I also had a request to do the Operation Fresh Air and OMG I was so very conflicted but being a worker WHO would KEEP her job during Messiah’s reign (won’t happen) because I am a GREAT employee (ego is huge on this point) I had to go help set up and break down the picnic.
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Too Little Too Late?
Hestrold (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 5:15PM EST (link)I suspect that if the financial markets hadn’t collapsed McCain would pull this thing out. As it is I suspect his comeback is too little, too late, too bad for America.
Hestrold
"Jeff the Sound Man", Obamas promises
CDarby Saturday, October 18th at 5:22PM EST (link)As a die hard republican and McCain supporter I am furious at Obama and his meandering around the subject when he spoke with Mr. “Joe the plumber”! My husband is “Jeff the Sound Man” and he will be cheated if Obama wins! And, we didn’t like the way Obama treated the sound man the other day when he could not be heard!
I sent this to FOX news today October 18th:
Small business OHM Productions produced the sound for Barack Obama’s campaign
kick-off Rally at Nissian Pavilion in August, however, OHM may not survive under Obama’s TAX plan. Jeff Darby, OHM’s owner, had high hopes and inspiration for Senator Obama after hearing him speak through his company’s microphones. Mr. Darby was thrilled to have been the chosen sound company for the Rally. After having to lay off 4 salary employees last month, Jeff now has to work twice as
hard and do most of the jobs himself. OHM is barely two years old, even though
it resides in the wealthiest county in the country, and will be taxed more
under an Obama presidency. Jeff is disappointed and fearful as he looks for
answers for next year and the future of his small business.
My husband Jeff now supports McCain along with his wife and 11 yr. old son, who
have always been supporters, Cathy a long time Republican.
Mrs. Cathy Darby
Long time Republican
Purcellville Virginia
"Jeff the Sound Man" will be cheated by Obama!
CDarby Saturday, October 18th at 5:24PM EST (link)As a die hard republican and McCain supporter I am furious at Obama and his meandering around the subject when he spoke with Mr. “Joe the plumber”! My husband is “Jeff the Sound Man” and he will be cheated if Obama wins! And, we didn’t like the way Obama treated the sound man the other day when he could not be heard!
I sent this to FOX news today October 18th:
Small business OHM Productions produced the sound for Barack Obama’s campaign
kick-off Rally at Nissian Pavilion in August, however, OHM may not survive under Obama’s TAX plan. Jeff Darby, OHM’s owner, had high hopes and inspiration for Senator Obama after hearing him speak through his company’s microphones. Mr. Darby was thrilled to have been the chosen sound company for the Rally. After having to lay off 4 salary employees last month, Jeff now has to work twice as
hard and do most of the jobs himself. OHM is barely two years old, even though
it resides in the wealthiest county in the country, and will be taxed more
under an Obama presidency. Jeff is disappointed and fearful as he looks for
answers for next year and the future of his small business.
My husband Jeff now supports McCain along with his wife and 11 yr. old son, who
have always been supporters, Cathy a long time Republican.
Mrs. Cathy Darby
Long time Republican
Purcellville Virginia
I was there...
TheMentor Saturday, October 18th at 5:44PM EST (link)I went to the rally as well and it was like being a rock concert. The crowd was energized and motivated. I waited nearly an hour and a half to get in and it was worth it. His speech was inspiring to say the least.
trends
Michael DeWeese (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 5:50PM EST (link)Rasmussen Trend Line
Date McCain Obama Spread
10/18/2008 45% 50% Obama +5
10/17/2008 46% 50% Obama +4
10/16/2008 46% 50% Obama +4
10/15/2008 45% 50% Obama +5
10/14/2008 45% 50% Obama +5
10/13/2008 45% 50% Obama +5
10/12/2008 45% 51% Obama +6
10/11/2008 45% 52% Obama +7
10/10/2008 45% 50% Obama +5
10/09/2008 45% 50% Obama +5
10/08/2008 45% 51% Obama +6
10/07/2008 44% 52% Obama +8
10/06/2008 44% 52% Obama +8
10/05/2008 44% 51% Obama +7
10/04/2008 45% 51% Obama +6
This would indicate that over a 11 day period from 10-7 to 10-17 that the trend of the movement for voters was towards McCain by 4 points. At this rate, McCain would be ahead of Obama by 2 points on 11-4. Add to this any polling inaccuracy. An Obama campaign advisor concedes that the poll numbers need to be 15 in favor of Obama to win due to hiistorical inaccuracies. Under this scenario, McCain would win by as much as 17%.
Brain Dead Republican
An hour and a half to get in?
Brian Faughnan (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 6:00PM EST (link)We were probably close in line.
4Pt Movement Toward McCain
Suzy Saturday, October 18th at 6:23PM EST (link)Michael,
I obviously don’t know as much about polls as you do, so can you elaborate on your post? On the 7th, McCain was at 44. In today’s poll (18th), he’s at 45. How does this equal a 4 pt movement toward McCain? I would love it if it were true, so help me understand.
He's talking about the spread
I was previously Tlaloc, and I was banned last year. (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 6:36PM EST (link)He’s looking at the difference between Obama and McCain on one date versus another. Looking just at McCain’s numbers isn’t enough.
Probably...
TheMentor Saturday, October 18th at 6:49PM EST (link)Probably…
It took me like an hour to get out of the parking lot. It was at a complete standstill. I hung around at the end and there was this construction worker guy who was getting interviewed by a couple of the news reporters around and he was definitely on a tirade. It was quality viewing.
I was at the rally in NC earlier today
PoliticalGhost (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 7:14PM EST (link)Everyone was so excited and energized there at well. My husband and I arrived there at 7 am (rally started at 10) and there were already a few hundred people there.
McCain seemed a bit stunned by his enthusiastic welcome.
VA Question
dld1717 (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 7:28PM EST (link)I see media playing up the McCain camp comments today over “real Virginia” and I was wondering is this a good or bad thing?
Doesn’t this hurt GOP in northern VA even more?
The MSM will always....
swami7774 (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 7:56PM EST (link)…find something to twist and hurt McCain. He could recite the 23rd Psalm and the MSM would accuse him of forcing religion on the masses.
Today, there is a name for the political doctrine that rejoices in scarcity of everything except government. The name is environmentalism.
Desperation
soldier4hillary (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 8:15PM EST (link)is the battle cry of the MSM. This is my first time posting over here but the media is part of the Obama campaign. If they blow that statement up, they can always make a big deal about the whole “racist” statement made by that dem elected official.
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Combat kickn Puma*
Loyalty, Duty, Honor, Selfless Service
Fear is a thief in the night that steals your hope.
Hopelessness is an enemy that kills your will.
I’ve been there once and I will not let them in again.
“I am a American and I choose to fight.”
-President John McCain
http://www.anvp.typepad.com
Welcome CDarby....WE are grateful to have another diehard Republican onboard!!!
JadedByPolitics (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 9:21PM EST (link)nt
Unified Patriots – How-To:
Activists Taking Action
A soldier4 hillary....I welcome you as well....McCain/Palin will WIN!
JadedByPolitics (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 9:24PM EST (link)nt
Unified Patriots – How-To:
Activists Taking Action
Will it hurt him? As compared to what?
PSDA (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 10:11PM EST (link)It’s pretty important at this point that McCain is in Virginia. Along with Palin, they need to not only spend as much time but money as they can afford here.
We can talk all we want about potential problems with the polls, but the leftward drift of this state is a tangible realty that you can observe with your own two eyes.
The encroachment of the DC suburbs (filled with government workers) into Northern Virginia is real. Places that were farm and pasture land just a couple years, are now covered with giant housing developments.
Whatever happens in the Presidential race, Mark Warner is about to crush Gilmore in the race for the open Senate seat–by 20+ points. Our state, which just two years ago had two GOP senators, will now have two Democratic senators.
Beyond that, Obama is outspending McCain 4-1 here, and the Obama organization on the ground s almost hyper-active. The Obama canvassers are everywhere, and don’t forget the very large African-American population.
I think that Virginia is STILL very winnable, but those of us campaigning for McCain need a little air support here, which frankly, we’re not getting enough of yet. Barring some bizarre turn of events elsewhere, this is as close to a must-win state for McCain as there is.
The large military population and the conservative belt running north-south in the Shenandoah valley appears pretty solidly GOP, but the state is becoming so top-heavy with the DC-area liberals that McCain needs to step it up a bit. And soon.
Time for an angry video about Joe The Plumber
QueenOfCups (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 10:12PM EST (link)I couldnt say
Black_Water Saturday, October 18th at 10:43PM EST (link)this better myself. You can see the add spending on CNN, it’s overwhelming in the state. This is a state that we largely wrote off 6 months ago, we’ve taken it for granted for some 50 years. If the northern suburbs come out in force this state is done for.
That is Totally AWESOME!!...Put that in your pipe and smoke it!!!
speciallist (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 10:54PM EST (link)n/p
Palin/Bob '08
29Victor (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 11:07PM EST (link)n/t
Too many Amps before bed, apparently
Bill S (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 11:29PM EST (link)“It’s such a fine line between stupid, and clever.” – David St. Hubbins
The extreme leftism of Obama is now as big a negative
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 11:40PM EST (link)energizer of the conservative base as Hillary ever was. There will be a HUGE turnout against Obama.
McCain will win.
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Radio ads too.
PSDA (Diary) Saturday, October 18th at 11:45PM EST (link)If TV is too expensive, I’d suggest that McCain run a lot of radio ads with an anti-tax message in Northern Virginia. The amount of time people spend commuting in Northern Virginia could really mean that a lot of people would hear those radio ads.
The Northern Virginia suburbs WILL turn out in huge numbers. There’s no doubt.
Considering how they’re right next to DC and how so many are federal employees or in some way involved with the national government, that’s one of the most politically-involved populations anywhere.
There are some bright spots to the picture though: a good percentage of that population are escapees from Maryland and Maryland taxes and younger upwardly mobile families.
A strong and focused anti-tax message could cut at least somewhat into Obama’s big Northern Virginia advantage, considering who those people are why they live where they do. Accomplish that, and the conservative preferences of the rest of the state could make the difference.
he's fearful for his business
BlizzardOfOz Saturday, October 18th at 11:47PM EST (link)even while he’s pulling more than a quarter million a year in net income? Where does the fear part come in? Won’t be able to afford that 8th jet ski?
Radio makes sense.
Black_Water Sunday, October 19th at 12:06AM EST (link)Radio ads make a lot of sense for the area indeed, very good point. Those commute times are some of the worst in the country. I have seen Obama ads that cite McCain’s no vote on expanding the local area’s subway system. It’s ironic that those ads seem to be working as it’s a limited system in the first place. Federal government employees do swamp the system though.
I think the bottomline is we conservatives need to be very worried about Virginia not only in this election but in every future election for a very long time. This is a state with a very large electoral vote count that was once a hardcore reliable conservative commonwealth. There is literally no other state in the union that is changing as fast from red to blue and frankly im perplexed how we win it back.
There’s a lot of talk about Virginia coming back into the fold but it’s simply not true. The population of the north is young (democrats), wealthy (democrats), educated (democrats) and heavy on minorities per capita (democrats) and the Starbucks-per-Walmart ratio (democrats). We’re going to have serious issues with this state if a liberal from Illinois is tipping this state when 15 years ago a centrist southern democrat couldnt do it.
That Was Great n/t
Swamp_Yankee (Diary) Sunday, October 19th at 12:14AM EST (link)nt
Dork.
Flagstaff (Diary) Sunday, October 19th at 12:23AM EST (link)Ever meet a payroll, have you? Run a business? Paid business taxes? Paid a mortgage? Raised a family (recently)?
“The press is so powerful in its image-making role that it can make a criminal look like he’s the victim and make the victim look like he’s the criminal. If you aren’t careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”– Malcolm X, Audubon Ballroom, December 13, 1964
Nancy Pfotenhauer on MSNBC
Black_Water Sunday, October 19th at 2:27AM EST (link)ARE THEY TRYING TO LOSE THE STATE!!!!!!
She just called places not-northern VA the “real Virginia.” What is wrong with their campaign, it’s unreal how poorly they are marketing our candidate. As if the margins in NOVA aren’t going to be high enough they add insult to injury. Joe McCain called northern Virgina communists, granted he’s not part of the campaign so we can distance from that but at state teetering on the edge of going blue and they have to razz the place. IDIOTS!!!!!!!!
AWESOME
Gary (Diary) Sunday, October 19th at 3:18AM EST (link)I might be in love with this guy. I know people like to make fun of his hyperness, but he lets loose alot of what us conservatives are feeling.
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? ~Bible~
You know why there’s a Second Amendment? In case the government fails to follow the first one. -Rush Limbaugh~
Only half the patients who go into an abortion clinic come out alive. ~Unknown~
That's because libs foul up the urban areas, then move to the suburbs to get away
QueenOfCups (Diary) Sunday, October 19th at 7:58AM EST (link)And then poison them, too. They’re like the flea infested rats carrying The Black Plague.
Winning back NoVa
reldim (Diary) Sunday, October 19th at 11:12AM EST (link)I’m not sure it’s possible in the current environment. It’s hip and trendy to be a liberal in the suburbs. The same thing has happened in the Westchester and Long Island suburbs here in NY – since NY is pretty blue nobody really noticed it the way they do in VA, but it’s still here.
Somewhere along the line the Republican message stopped speaking to a bunch of people who were once solid Republicans. Unfortunately I don’t know that the party has gone to the focus groups and such to really put a finger on why they’re drifting away. My casual and amateur observation is that they probably feel like Republicans started focusing only on social issues and they don’t much care about those issues.
Look, most people in the ‘burbs don’t make $250k a year – but a lot of them do, and a lot of those people are still voting for Democrats election after election. That is mind-boggling because – especially in the NY suburbs – $250k isn’t going to go all that far (once you pay state taxes, property taxes, high prices, etc), and higher income taxes are not going to help these people. Especially since these same people, even where they aren’t making $250k are going to have salaries that put them well above the thresholds for freebies that Democrats propose. I would bet that most NY suburban families won’t see 75% of the “tax cuts” and refundable credits that Obama is offering – they come in above the phase-out numbers.
So suburbanites get taxed more and get virtually none of the benefits, and they still think Democrats are going to solve their economic concerns. The old pocketbook issues that carried the GOP in the ‘burbs seems to be slipping at just the time when “cultured” liberals are escaping the wastelands they’ve created in urban centers. Hence you get “rapid movement” – you see an influx of liberals at the same time that you are allowing voters to slip from red to blue, which only compounds things.
Remember Blizzard
SG_Lominac (Diary) Sunday, October 19th at 11:29AM EST (link)250,000 will be where the new line of scrimmage is placed. That’s where the next set of downs begins when they start marching toward YOUR goal line.
From the movie “Hard Times”
Jill Ireland: “What does it feel like to knock somebody down?”
Charles Bronson: “It makes me feel a hell of a lot better than it does him.”
Excellent points
Black_Water Sunday, October 19th at 5:16PM EST (link)*”So suburbanites get taxed more and get virtually none of the benefits, and they still think Democrats are going to solve their economic concerns. The old pocketbook issues that carried the GOP in the ‘burbs seems to be slipping at just the time when “cultured” liberals are escaping the wastelands they’ve created in urban centers. ”
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Very right, I dont know if Palin is helping or hurting in the NOVA region. In the religious Hampton roads the argument can be made she’s a bonus but north of Fredericksburg i think she’s a net negative sadly. Ugh!
Excuse me...last night I asked you if you liked to Fish?
speciallist (Diary) Sunday, October 19th at 5:21PM EST (link)n/p
This one, Neil.
Moe Lane (Diary) Sunday, October 19th at 5:22PM EST (link)NT
The Kim Kardashian of blogging.
Check out my blog at http://moelane.com/.
http://moelane.com/filthy-lucre-filthy-lucre/
http://twitter.com/moelane
My (combined) wish list.
Fish?
Black_Water Sunday, October 19th at 5:26PM EST (link)Yea, my brother and I have a boat we go out on fairly often. I actually get up to Alaska to go fishing every summer. My family is from a little town north of Juneau.
This is from my Last trip to Alaska...
speciallist (Diary) Sunday, October 19th at 5:27PM EST (link)Zombies
Black_Water Sunday, October 19th at 5:29PM EST (link)Good, but the Zombies one was GREAT. I have that saved on my desktop!
Uggh, I hope you threw that one back.
Tim_Schieferecke (Diary) Sunday, October 19th at 5:30PM EST (link)That didn’t look healthy enough to eat.
Tim Schieferecke