Obama taps crowd’s frustration at rally in Charlottesville

Sen. Barack Obama criticized the
Bush Administration during a rally
in Charlottesville Monday, voicing
concern for its policies both in Iraq
and at home.

His message was received by a
crowd of more than 4,200 people
who gathered outside at the Charlottesville
Pavilion.

Obama took to the stage, telling
the cheering crowd that they were
an inspiration to him. He said it is
their diversity that inspires him to
work toward an America that looks
past bipartisanism.

“America is not just a collection
of red states and blue states,” he
said.

Even though Obama is trailing
Hillary Clinton in popularity polls,
Obama’s visit drew more spectators
and money than Clinton’s visit to
Charlottesville in September, a Pew
Research Center survey said.

The Democratic presidential
candidate was praised by Gov.
Timothy M. Kaine, who spoke at
the event. Kaine endorsed Obama
in February and expressed his hope
that Obama turns Virginia into a
mostly Democratic state for the
first time in decades.

Kaine called Obama the underdog,
but Obama is secondseated
among Democratic party
candidates, according to the Pew
Research Center.

The only way Americans will
see the changes they want to see
is if the current political system is
changed, Obama said.

Congress should not be influenced
by lobbyists, heads of
corporations or big oil companies,
he said.

“Congress should be held accountable
by you,” he said.

He said he would bring back the
civil liberties the Bush Administration
has taken away. If elected,
Obama said he would review every
executive order established by Bush
and reverse any law that encroaches
upon the nation’s civil liberties.

Strongly promoting basic human
rights, Obama also said that if
elected, he would work to end the
genocide in Darfur and stop the
AIDS/HIV crisis in Africa.

On health care issues closer to
home, he promised to lower premiums
and get everyone, including
47 million uninsured Americans,
insured by the end of his first
term.

Obama spoke out against the
war in Iraq, saying the war has cost
the country billions of dollars and
thousands of lives. He promised that
if elected, he would start bringing
troops home immediately.
“It will be the first thing I do,”
he said, prompting cheers from
the crowd.

Obama expressed concern for
Congress, saying they need to stand
up to the president on tough issues,
such as the war and energy plans.
He pledged that if he were
elected, he would work to raise
the fuel efficiency on automobiles
to 40 miles per gallon, ending
U.S. dependence on oil from the
Middle East.

If elected, he also promised he
would keep the well-being of the
average voter in mind.

“Everyday I will wake up and
ask: ‘How can I fight for a better
country?’ ” he said.

He said his ability to know what
the average American wants comes
from votes, and he encouraged
everyone to go to the polls for elections
both big and small, including
Tuesday’s local elections.

As he left the stage, shouts of “We
believe!” were heard throughout
the crowd.