President Clinton and Terry McAuliffe in Roanoke - Overflow Crowd

Monday, April 27, 2009

After a highly successful rally in Richmond this morning with Terry McAuliffe and President Bill Clinton, the Roanoke event begins around 12:45 PM. Check out the WSLS live stream here.

UPDATE 12:38 pm: President Clinton speaking now, talking about how Terry McAuliffe is "smart as a whip," has created jobs, "spent the last 20 years in Virginia growing businesses and raising kids." "You can tell a lot about a persons' values...when you see the light in their kids' eyes." Terry McAuliffe will take good care of Virginia's children. "He's the right sort of bipartisan guy" "McAuliffe will be a force of nature...they have never had his kind of treatment before." Talks about how McAuliffe kicked Enron out of the DNC headquarters. The "most important part" - "in the end...the only thing that matters" is whether people are better off when you finished than when you started." Blown away by how much Terry knows about Virginia's issues. Current economic mess, we got there because we didn't have a jobs strategy, all the money went into finance and housing. Money flowing from Main St to Wall St instead of the other way around. Got to have a jobs strategy, need to change the way we use energy. Terry has "way the best plan on that." I want my country to go back in the right direction. I believe we've seen in President Obama the right kind of leadership...but how it plays out in Virginia will depend on who the governor is. "He was made for this moment, he will be magnificent if you elect him the next governor of Virginia."

UPDATE 12:45 pm: Terry McAuliffe talking about Bill Clinton's record as president - peace around the world, jobs, etc. Thanks to firefighters, everyone who puts a hard hat on every day. I'm running for governor because I want to help people. We need to grow jobs. We're in the worst economy since the depression. 20.2% unemployment in Martinsville. Thank goodness our last two Democratic governors were in office to deal with tough economic issues. I want to build on what Warner and Kaine did. Right now, we're cutting into bone. In a tough economy, you put more money into education. I don't believe in raising taxes in a down economy. How do we create new economic activity, jobs, I'll think about that every single day. That's how to raise the money to pay for education, transportation. Jobs that pay well and have benefits to them. I bring a business experience to the job just like when Mark Warner first ran. I haven't been part of partisan battles in Richmond that have stymied us on energy, transportation. I want wind farms offshore Virginia Beach. Let's use green energy. Add tax credits for alternative energy. Need to win back the House of Delegates so we can push green jobs agenda. I will not take a check from Dominion Power, they won't work with me to get a mandatory Renewable Energy Standard here in Virginia. Other states have it and they're getting all the business. That business isn't coming here because we don't have a mandatory RPS. I'll make sure Virginia is the #1 state in the country for green jobs.

More money into Virginia, every child should have access to pre-K. 90% of brain development by 5 years old Smaller class sizes, K-3. Link between education and prison Put money in early years and you won't have to do it later. Quit building prisons and start building classrooms. Let's pay our teachers the national average. We lose 50% of our teachers, let's keep our teachers here. I'll pay our teachers what they're worth. Make college affordable for everyone. Virginia just received an "F" on college affordability.

We have a mess here on transportation; in 2014, we will not have any more money to get the federal match. Everyone here should be concerned. I'll get us high speed rail, from NOVA to Richmond to Hampton Roads. That's $1.3 billion, we need to get every penny of that money to come here in Virginia. I want more than my fair share as governor. It's a new global economy.

We have to focus on health care. We need to take care of people who are in need. Students for scholars for service. Give us 2 years, we'll pay off your college loans. I've got a lot of great big ideas, I'm excited. This will be a tough election. Two other good Dem's in this race. My argument is that if you're looking for someone different, someone who hasn't been partisan battles, who has created thousands of jobs, will never say a negative word about another Democrat. I'm running a positive campaign.

That doesn't apply to Bob McDonnell. When Kaine tried to get $125 million in stimulus money, Bob McDonnell said no. I'm never turning any money back. Bob McDonnell has made fun of our positions on green jobs and green energy. They're the same as Jim Gilmmore, "drill baby drill." McDonnell said Barack Obama should not receive an honorary degree from Notre Dame. You need someone as governor who will bring people together, not divide people. We need your help, we've got a primary in 43 days and a general election. The Republicans want to win this, can't believe that Obama won and that Goode and Drake were defeated. I'm gonna sweat for you every day as governor if you put me there.

UPDATE: The crowd was so large that some people (unfortunately) couldn't get in.

UPDATE #2: Terry tweets.
Felt the love in Roanoke! +500 at Fire St 1. Full Steam ahead 2 the WISE Energy Summit Candidate Forum w/my msg of NEW ENERGY for NEW JOBS!
UPDATE #3: Excellent photos from Roanoke by jacromer on Flickr.