Posts Tagged ‘Michelle Obama’
Romney plans big Virginia swing around Obama launch event
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will appear at four different events in Virginia over the next two weeks. The Romney swing represents the first significant amount of time the republican has spent in the Commonwealth since taking control of the GOP nomination for president. It also comes around the same time as President Barack Obama plans a major event at VCU in Richmond to formally launch his 2012 campaign.
Romney will appear by himself at an event in Chantilly Wednesday morning and then a fundraiser with Governor Bob McDonnell that evening in Northern Virginia. McDonnell will then join Romney at an event at a business in Portsmouth Thursday afternoon. Finally Romney will return to Virginia next Saturday May 12th to serve as the commencement speaker at Liberty University in Lynchburg. First Lady Michelle Obama will deliver the commencement address at Virginia Tech the day before Romney’s Liberty event on Friday May 11th.
The dual focus on Virginia comes as a new poll released by the left leaning Public Policy Polling shows Obama holding a 7 point lead in the Old Dominion. This poll follows two surveys from other services that show Romney leading by a smaller margin. The Real Clear Politics polling average gives the president a 2.5 point lead.
The visit will also increase the speculation about Governor McDonnell as a possible running mate to Romney. McDonnell has emerged as a top surrogate for the new presumptive nominee and this will be our first opportunity to see the two in what could be a ticket leading into the fall.
We will have complete coverage of th Romney Virginia swing this week on Decision Virginia and NBC12.
Obama to launch 2012 campaign in Richmond
In case you needed even more proof, (and you shouldn’t) it became very clear the Obama 2012 campaign is making Virginia a high priority in their re-election bid.
The president, who has yet to make an official public campaign stop, will hop on the campaign trail for the first time in Columbus, Ohio and at the Seigel Center at VCU in Richmond.
President Obama coming to Richmond is no longer earth shattering news. He has made five official White House visit to the Central Virginia region since becoming presidents. This visit is different, because he will be a candidate and the points he generally talks around during his policy trips, he will be able to drive home and leave no doubt.
The president, who became the first democrat to win Virginia since LBJ, wants to make sure he wins again in 2012.
Here is my story for NBC12 on the announcement:
RICHMOND (WWBT)- President Barack Obama is no stranger to Central Virginia, but his next visit to Richmond will be much different. That is because the 2012 campaign is officially underway.
Saturday May 5th, the president will make his first two campaign stops in Columbus, Ohio and here in Richmond, Virginia, on the campus of VCU. Republicans have been very critical that the president has used the White House travel budget to visit swing states like Virginia to push his agenda, in fact today the RNC filed a formal complaint to that effect.
But, this trip will be paid for by his campaign, and he won’t mince words.
He wants your vote.
It was Barack Obama’s loyal volunteers, at his downtown Richmond headquarters who were the first to get the news.
“President Obama will be holding his very first campaign rallies in Columbus, Ohio and the Seigel Center in Richmond,’ said Obama For America Virginia Field Director Lise Clavel to cheers.
Of the many places the president could’ve picked for his first campaign rally, he chose two with enormous significance in November, Ohio and Virginia.
“It’s recognition that Virginia is a really important state in this election and that it is all up for grabs,” said Sai Iyer a VCU student who has the unique distinction of being the only student national co-chair for the Obama Campaign. He is excited the president is coming to the place where he will graduate from in just two weeks.
“I think it’s recognition that Richmond came out in a big way in 2008 and it is going to come out in a big way in 2012,” he said.
But republicans were quick to criticize the announcement and downplay its importance.
Governor Bob McDonnell, a Mitt Romney supporter and a potential vice presidential pick said that all the president is doing his bringing his “failed policies and broken promises to Virginia.”
read and see the rest of the story on NBC12.com…
OBAMA EVENT DETAILS/ TICKET INFORMATION
The event will take place Saturday May 5th. The specific time of the event has not been released, but the doors to the Seigel Center will open at 1:45pm.
Official ticket distribution has not been revealed yet, but those eager to claim a spot can RSVP on the Obama Campaign web site. Keep in mind that reservation does require you to submit an e-mail address, which can than be used to solicit future campaign information.
The full response from Governor Bob McDonnell to the Obama visit can be found after the jump:
Michelle Obama pushes her husband’s agenda in Central Virginia
First Lady Michelle Obama was only in Central Virginia for a couple of hours, but she made most of her time. Headlining two fundraisers, and unveiling an ambitious new plan to help treat soliders returning home from war.
Mrs. Obama is one of her husband’s most effective spokespeople and her visit to an imporant swing state was carefully calculated with an eye toward the 2012 election.
Here is my story for NBC12:
RICHMOND (WWBT) – It seems like when it comes to politics, the candidates for the republican nomination for president are the ones getting all the attention. But in Central Virginia today it was all about Team Obama.
First Lady Michelle Obama was in town to unveil a new plan to help veterans return home and help her husband’s re-election.
Polls show the First Lady is very popular, in some respects more popular than her husband. During his administration she has latched on to an issue that is easy to get behind regardless of party- military families. Today in the swing state of Virginia, she never came right out and said it. but it was clear that re-electing her husband will allow her work to continue.
At an event at VCU, a quiet and respectful crowd heard Mrs. Obama lay out the case for better care for soldiers returning home from war.
“But it will mean real work,” Mrs. Obama said of the initiative. “It will mean every single one of us doing our part.”
The venue and the backdrop showed the First Lady at her best. Even though she never once mentioned the president’s re-election, and only specifically mentioned his policies briefly, the setting in a swing state in a re-election year spoke volumes. She passionately made the case that she would do everything she could to help America’s military families.
read and see the full story on NBC12.com.
You can read the First Lady’s entire remarks from today’s Richmond fundraiser below.
Michelle Obama to headline event at VCU highlighting veteran medical care
First Lady Michelle Obama will appear at two events in Richmond next Wednesday. Mrs. Obama will headline a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee in the afternoon and then speak at an event at VCU Medical Center.
According to the White House, The First Lady will announce a major committment by the country’s top medical colleges and universities to help create a specialized medical care for U.S. Military Members returning from service.
Among the specialty areas of focus, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
VCU is recognized as a national leader in TBI research and is considered to be a strong partner with the local VA hospital. Mrs. Obama will also conduct a private tour of the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center’s Polytrauma Unit to visit wounded warriors and veterans receiving in-patient treatment.
Following the event at VCU, the First Lady will travel to Charlottesville for another fundraiser for the DNC.
This visit from the First Lady once again indicates the White House’s focus on Virginia ahead of the 2012 election. President Obama has made several trips to Virginia including three separate visits to the Richmond metro area, since he became president.
NBC12 will have complete coverage of First Lady Michelle Obama’s visit next Wednesday. We will update you on any potential road closures and other information when we receive updated information from the White House.
105 year old Ashland woman gets front seat for Obama event
For one local woman today’s visit by President Barack Obama was something she never thought she would see in her lifetime. And her lifetime is impressive.
Among the small group of 20 or so people that will get to hear and speak to the President will be Virginia Shelton, a 105 year old woman from Ashland. Ms. Shelton told our Tara Morgan just a few minutes ago that from the moment Mr. Obama was elected that all she wanted was just one chance to meet him.
She will get that chance this afternoon.
Ms. Shelton has already had a little brush with the White House. First Lady Michelle Obama sent her a letter on her 105th birthday, which was September 8th.
Michelle Obama comes to Caroline County
First Lady Michelle Obama is expected this afternoon in the sleepy town of Bowling Green, to headline a ribbon cutting ceremony for a small health care practice that was able to expand thanks to the boost from federal Stimulus funds.
As you can tell from the photo above, interest and security is already pretty high. Many people who support and oppose Barack Obama‘s health care initiatives are here hoping to catch a glimpse of his wife. Although they are hopeful, it appears that only invited guests will be the only ones who get very close to Mrs. Obama. Those buses you see on the left hand side of the photo are surrounding the perimeter of the facility and are acting like a shield to protect the Obama entourage.
I will keep you updated on her visit throughout the day and we will have a live report tonight on NBC12 news at 5:30 and 6.
After the jump you will find the video from my 6pm live report on the FLOTUS visit to Central Virginia.
Coverage for 9/17/08
Sorry for being absent the past few days. My birthday was Monday and I spent the last two days in D.C. watching my beloved Mets fall from first place. Here is a picture of my wife and me right before the start of the 9th inning on Tuesday night. The Mets were trailing the Nationals 1-0 , but New York had the meat of the order coming up. We look so hopeful don’t we? Oh well. 
The funny thing is that my wife and I went to see the Mets and Nats at RFK last year around the same time. New York was up 7 games at that time last year. They lost that game and then went on to one of the biggest collapses in baseball history. This time there lead was not nearly as big, and it is now gone. I am starting to wonder if I am a curse.
Anyway.. on to the business at hand. There is quite a bit happening today that we are keeping an eye on.
Michelle Obama in Richmond- The Democratic nominee’s wife, makes her second trip to the Commonwealth and first to Richmond. She is holding a roundtable discussion on Women and the Economy. My colleague Rob Richardson is at the event and will have more tonight during our early evening newscasts. She will head to Charlottesville this afternoon.
Voter Registration- Today during the Call 12 segment of our newscast we will have volunteers from the State Board of Elections taking calls from our viewers about the upcoming election. Their goal is to help people register to vote. There is a concern that an overwhelming response to the election on November 4th could cause problems. (Chesterfield County already experienced some issues during the Primary) The State BOE wants to make sure that every voter understands what they need to have in place in order to be eligible to vote and that they know where to go and how the process works. We normally don’t begin our Call 12 segments until the 5pm hour, but we are expecting a big response, so your opportunity to call will begin during First at Four.
US Senate Debate- We are heading up to Fairfax tomorrow to cover the US Senate Debate between Jim Gilmore and Mark Warner. I also plan to liveblog the event. The two have recently gone on the attack, with Gilmore using a TV ad accusing Warner of being a liar and Warner then putting up a TV ad defending himself. The Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, who is sponsoring the debate, has opened up the media pool to allow for more coverage, considering that this may be the last time the two square off face to face.
**UPDATE**
I admittedly was out of the loop on this one, The Warner and Gilmore camps have agreed to a debate on October 7th in Roanoke. The location has not been determined, but it will be produced by our affiliate in Roanoke, WSLS. Television stations across the state have been invited to broadcast this debate.
**UPDATE ENDS**
Bob Barr Making Noise- We told you last week about Libertarian Candidate Bob Barr’s role in the race for President, which up until now has been limited at best. Today he announced that he has filed a lawsuit to keep John McCain and Barack Obama off the ballot for President in Texas. If he were successful, it would be a much bigger blow to the Republicans than Democrats. Texas is reliably red and John McCain’s chances of winning the election without Texas’ 34 electoral votes, would be slim to none. See what Barr is up to after the jump.
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