LoudounExtra.com

Obama Addresses Thousands at Ida Lee Park

By Kafia A. Hosh

Originally published at 8:53 p.m., October 22, 2008
Updated at 10:37 p.m., October 22, 2008

More than 10,000 people filled Ida Lee Park in Leesburg today to hear Sen. Barack Obama outline his "immediate rescue plan" for the middle class, small businesses and homeowners facing foreclosure.

The visit to Loudoun County by the Democratic presidential candidate, after a stop in Richmond earlier in the day, underscored his efforts to win Virginia, which has emerged as a key battleground state in the Nov. 4 election.

Obama touted his plan to slash taxes for 95 percent of American workers and said he supported a three-month moratorium on foreclosures, which would give homeowners time to renegotiate their mortgages.

He proposed giving small business owners emergency loans that he said would help them hire more employees and ultimately allow them to keep their doors open. He also said he would give tax credits to employers who hire workers to ensure that jobs are not outsourced overseas.

"These are immediate short-term steps we have to take," Obama said. "That's what we have to do to get our economy back on track."

Noting that his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain, has claimed to be protecting the interests of "Joe the plumber," Oabama pointed to McCain's support for tax cuts for wealthy Americans. "All I want to do is give Joe a tax cut," he said. "So, let's be clear about who John McCain is fighting for. He's not fighting for Joe the plumber. He's fighting for Joe the hedge fund manager."

Obama also criticized what he said were efforts by some of his political opponents to portray some Americans as unpatriotic.

"The men and women from Virginia and all across America who serve on our battlefields — they may be Democrat or Republican or Independent. But they fought together and bled together. And some died together, under the same proud flag. They have not served a red America or a blue America, they have served the United States of America," he said, to cheers from the crowd.

Democratic candidates Mark Warner, who is vying for the Senate, and Judy Feder, who is running for a House seat in the 10th Congressional District, made remarks before Gov. Tim Kaine (D) introduced Obama.

The gates for the event opened at 3 p.m. and Obama began his 30-minute speech at about 5:40 p.m.

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Obama Addresses Crowd in Leesburg

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Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama addresses the crowd at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg on Wednesday. (Nikki Kahn)

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An excited crowd gathered at Ida Lee Park on Wednesday to hear Sen. Barack Obama speak. Virginia is a crucial battleground state in this election. (Nikki Kahn)

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Presidential candidate Barack Obama at a campaign rally at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg. (Carol Guzy)

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Presidential candidate Barack Obama at a campaign rally at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg. (Carol Guzy)

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Leesburg Police were predicting a crowd of 10,000 at Ida Lee Park to hear Sen. Barack Obama speak on Wednesday. (Nikki Kahn)

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Norma Haney, 65, of Sterling, came out to Ida Lee Park on Wednesday to hear Barack Obama speak. (Carol Guzy)

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Sen. Barack Obama addressed a large crowd at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg on Wednesday. (Nikki Kahn)

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Crowds began gathering at Ida Leek Park early Wednesday afternoon to hear Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama speak. (Nikki Kahn)

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Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama campaigns among thousands at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg. (Marvin Joseph)

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Presidential candidate Barack Obama at a campaign rally at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg. He is greeted by former governor and Democratic Senatorial candidate Mark Warner and Gov. Tim Kaine. (Carol Guzy)

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Friends Danielle Koos, 17, Mecca Randall, 17, both from Sterling, were part of a crowd of more than 10,000 people that showed up to Ida Lee Park in Leesburg on Wednesday to hear presidential candidate Barack Obama speak. (Carol Guzy)

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At a rally in Leesburg, Barack Obama stands on stage with former governor and Democratic Senatorial candidate Mark Warner and Gov. Tim Kaine. (Carol Guzy)

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A crowd of more than 10,000 people gathered in Ida Lee Park to hear presidential candidate Barack Obama speak. (Carol Guzy)

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Attendees at Wednesday's Rally for Change raise their hands in response to presidential candidate Barack Obama's question: How many of you make less than $250,000 a year? (Carol Guzy)

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The crowd at Ida Lee Park on Wednesday snaps photos of Barack Obama during his Rally for Change. (Carol Guzy)

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As predicted, traffic on area roads was backed up by mid-afternoon with cars traveling toward the rally. Around 4 p.m., traffic on the Dulles Greenway was backed up to Exit 3 going west. And shortly before 3 p.m., traffic was clogged heading west on Route 7 and north on Route 15.

Although Obama campaign officials said the event drew about 35,000 people, local fire officials estimated it at around 10,000.

The audience was diverse: women and men of all ages and races, many of them accompanied by small children. Some wore winter scarves, hats and mittens in the chilly weather. The stayed warm by munching on French fries and sipping hot chocolate from nearby vendors. Most of the spectators stood on a sloped hill peering down toward Obama. Another row of people lined the wooden fence that ran along the street.

Obama supporters at the rally noted the economy as one of their primary concerns.

Purcellville resident Joel Hazard, 25, said he's watched his father's cleaning business struggle from the economic downturn as more people cut down on the need for its services. "It's really fallen apart," he said. "Everybody is cutting back."

Hazard said Obama's visit to Loudoun was an example of the county's important role in determining which presidential candidate carries Virginia. He said he thought Loudoun's population growth had resulted in a more Democratic-leaning county. "A lot of people moved out here for work opportunities and they bring their beliefs with them," Hazard said.

Karrie Boswell, 39, said she voted for President Bush in 2000 and 2004, but that the war in Iraq helped influence her decision to support a Democrat this election. The Ashburn resident said she agreed with Obama's exit strategy from Iraq because she has had enough of "watching our American soldiers come home in body bags."

Maria Mathews of West Springfield said she has always supported Democrats but "none of the other candidates has gotten me as involved and as excited as Obama."

"I just wanted to see him person," she said. The 65-year-old retiree said she is mainly concerned about Social Security, which is her primary source of income. "I don't want to see that messed around with," Mathews said.

On the outskirts of the park, a man selling Obama T-shirts and merchandise said, "We're at home now," explaining that he was a D.C. resident and has been following the campaign by car for the last three weeks.

"Haven't slept since Florida, though," said another vendor standing next to him. The two said they had been at an Obama rally in Miami on Tuesday and drove all night to get to Northern Virginia.

After the rally, hundreds of people lined King Street in Leesburg, hoping to catch one last glance of the candidate as his motorcade passed through. Occasionally, everyone broke into chants of "O-ba-ma!" Traffic was blocked in all directions for more than 20 minutes until his entourage sped toward the airport around 6:50 p.m.

Some local stores took advantage of the rally to do some business. Lloyd's Barber Shop and Tobacconist on North King Street advertised Obama cigars in its front windows. Proprietor Marvin Lloyd said that he had sold 10 of the cigars, which bore "Obama4President" labels, at $5 each.

Several other King Street shops, including the Green Tree and the Georgetown Café, had Obama/Biden signs in the window. No one in the parade of people seemed to notice a permanent sign with an American flag and Confederate flag, which pointed down an alley to another restaurant.

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