[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/06/04/art.va.gi.jpg caption="Warner and Kaine are set to campaign with Obama Thursday."]
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama will kick off his general election campaign in the purple state of Virginia on Thursday – and two of the state’s most prominent Democrats, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, will be along for the ride.
Another high-profile Virginia Democrat, Sen. Jim Webb, is remaining mum on whether he will appear with Obama tomorrow, even though the newly minted nominee has scheduled an event in rural southwest Virginia, his home turf. Webb has yet to endorse a candidate.
Warner, the popular former governor who is now the frontrunner for the Senate seat left vacant by retiring Sen. John Warner, will campaign with Obama tomorrow in the city of Bristol, just over the Tennessee border. Warner was elected governor of Virginia in 2001 partly because he worked to win over rural voters in the southwestern part of the state, the very place Obama will campaign tomorrow.
Obama won the state’s primary handily on February 12, but he lost overwhelmingly to Hillary Clinton in the state’s rural Ninth Congressional District by 33 points, the first hints of a pattern of vulnerability among white, working-class voters that continued to nag him throughout later primary states like Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Gov. Kaine will appear briefly with Obama tomorrow evening at a rally in Manassas. The event will take place at Nissan Pavilion, a 25,000-seat concert venue in Manassas that in recent weeks has hosted acts like Radiohead and Kanye West.
Kaine has been one of Obama’s most ardent backers, and was one of the first prominent Democratic leaders to endorse the Illinois senator’s presidential bid in 2007.
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Filed under: Candidate Barack Obama |
Brian in Seattle – not even close to the worst ever! He was an adaquate president at a bad (actually just bland) time in American history.
George "W" wins worst ever hands down. And that not just because he's the most resent in mind. His terms started by reading kids books while the World Trade Centers fell, presided over two terms of worsening economy, social elitism, corporate cronyism, and political appointments that bordered on crimes, and has ended with a pointless war that has mad the US less safe with more radical elements out to do us harm than ever before! Thats your worst president ever!
Yes, baby. Obama knows exactly what he needs to do. To hell with Hillary. He's gonna win this with the help of the RIGHT people. Hillary is so WRONG.
Please say NO to HRC.
Obama / Kaine in 08!
OR
Obama / Sebelius in 08!
I WISH I COULD BE THERE, BUT I WILL ALASY SUPPORT OBAMA IN SPIRIT!!
LET'S GO DEMOCRATS, UNITE IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE THIS COUNTRY GO TO HELL UNDER MCCAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's unfortunate but I have lost respect for Hillary and Former Bill.
Webb better get on board if he wants a shot as the VP!!. I can't for the life of me understand why the undeclared delegates aren't rallying around Obama now. Hillary doesn't have the votes for a floor fight in Denver, and her selfish, ungracious stance in not acknowledging Obama and pledging Party unity during her speech Tuesday has made her increasingly IRRELEVANT.
It will make me sad to see the old man take such a beating. I know Obama will take him down gently so he won't break his hip.
Good luck with that.
Obama predicts party unity? We would already have a unified party and an infinitely stronger chance of winning back the presidency if he had supported Hillary a year ago instead of starting prematurely to run for president.
He's a moron.
McCain Democrat
The rats are coming out of the woodworks.
oh joe get on your hind legs an get back in your hole
Let's Go Democrats! WE can do this! UNITY 08!
Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona for VP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Give McCain heartburn in his own back yard.
This is why we don't need Clinton in this campaign. There are many other honest, smart democrats (caring about this country, not themselves) who will lead us to victory in November.
It is not about them anymore Lea. Whether reality has set in for her or not she has lost. I am a little worried about her mental stability. Because there is something wrong with her. She lost. This is not about her being a fighter anymore. There is something mental going on here. Everyone keeps placating her and not realizing that there is something mental going on with her. She can't get her mind around the fact that she lost. That is an irrational or somewhat insane person that cannot accept reality.
time to raise taxes and take money back from rich neocons plantation owners
less than a year till free health care, free education, peace around the world
black unity 08
Webb will endorse Obama tomorrow in a surprise appearance.
Does anyone else wish that after this endless campaign that both Obama and McCain would take the summer off like a pair of school kids and come back in September?
It appears that the overwhelming majority of Democratic office holders and Democratic voters across the nation are moving over to Obama and uniting. There will always be some losers in all parties who think that somehow they are better than everyone esle and should be accorded special status, such as Hillary. The only thing that Hillary cares about is Hillary! It is all about Hillary. She once again showed that she lacks character and integrity to make the critical decision. She showed tonight that this election was about Hillary, not the Democratic Party, not her supporters and certainly not about the country. Hillary is truly pathetic when she showed last night that she is not a team player.
Good. Obama may not stay close in WV or KY, but he can win OH and VA. But, to do so, he's going to have to win big in the cities and close the margins in the rural parts of the state.
He can certainly do this with the help of the VA Dems and Strickland in OH who is from the Appalachian part of the state. Even though Strickland is a Hillary guy, come fall, he'll be stumping for Obama in the SE part of Ohio, convincing those folks that Obama is not really a Muslim and stands up for Democratic principles, unlike John McCain.
Maby it's too early, but for Hillary's supporters to be willing to continue to live the republican nightmare out of spite is INSANE. be careful what you ask for you just might get it!
Please describe just one, one single meaningful accomplishment of presidential stature by the most excellent Mr. Obama. Other than talking real sweet and dressing real pretty, that is.
if i were obama i would not take hillary for my vice president i would fear for my life the clintons are so vicious i hope he doesn,t. please tell him not to let her become vice president . Carter say s unity ticket would be worst mistake , he is so right .I would not trust them.
Obama has won this process WITHOUT the help of Clinton. In point of fact, Hillary and her supporters threw all the kitchen sink stuff at Obama and he still won "fair" and square.
So Obama does NOT need Hillary to screw this process for him. Hillary, Bill, and Chelsea should stay away from this ticket and the White House as far as possible. This nation cannot afford to deal with any more of the past or current scandals!
If the Clinton supportes want to roll over to McCain, so be it. No DEM should beg or worship these people! Both Hillary and McCain make the same old poor judgements with their years of tauted experiences. We need to move forward (change); this election is about CHANGE, not Queen Hillary or One-eyed McCain.
Thank you Mr. Kaine and Mr. Warner. True democrats! Time to move on and those who cannot-STAY BEHIND and vote OUT OF YOUR MIND! I am confident Virginia will go democratic this year.
IGNORE HILLARY
SHE LOST
SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE FLOOR VOTES FOR DENVER
SHE'S IRRELEVANT
HER SPEECH TUESDAY SHOWED HER FOR THE SELFISH, EGO-DRIVEN, VINDICTIVE PERSON THAT SHE IS.