Washington Speaks: President Obama fires up the troops

President Obama in Clifton, Virginia/Patricia Leslie

Last weekend in Clifton President Obama talked to several hundred of the faithful, the volunteers who will call, deliver, cook, drive, knock, walk, seal, fold, stamp, register, canvass, vote, smile, and talk to convince straddlers about the wisdom of re-electing their man.

It was a hot and muggy afternoon, and his supporters without complaint had waited outdoors a long time for admittance to the cool Centreville High School gymnasium, and once past security and inside, the wait was forgotten for smiles and joy adorned faces in anticipation.

The smile to melt Iceland/Patricia Leslie

President Obama said the Republicans have only two ideas ("check out their website"): Cut taxes for the wealthy and cut taxes for polluters and credit card companies/Patricia Leslie

The same Republican ideas have been tested before, for about a decade when Republicans held the White House: "Guess what, Virginia," the president said to deafening cheers, "their ideas didn't work."/Patricia Leslie

President Obama said contrary to Republican Mitt Romney, he supports bottom-up economics and "in-sourcing," not out-sourcing. "I fight on behalf of the middle class, and that's why," he said amidst cheers and hands showing four fingers, "I am running for four more years."/Patricia Leslie

"I believe women should make their own health care decisions" which "Romney wants to restrict."/Patricia Leslie

"In Virginia, immigration is a strength, not a weakness."/Patricia Leslie

"We're Americans first before we're Republicans or Democrats."/Patricia Leslie

President Obama was the center of attention/Patricia Leslie

Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-11th District) preceded the president on stage. He said Congress was not totally lifeless: It had voted 33 times on the same thing: against health care for all/Patricia Leslie