"From the hills of the Piedmont, to the fields of the Southside," sang the Perriello Pickers buegrass quartet at the start of the evening’s rally for Fifth District Democratic incumbent Tom Perriello.
And if familiar melodies began the evening, a familiar refrain capped it, thanks to a visit from President Barack Obama, who reminded an estimated crowd of 8,000 people in and around the Charlottesville Pavilion that "political courage is hard to come by." (An estimated 2,000 people were on the Mall and the surrounding streets).
Obama, who referred to Perriello as "one of the best congressman Virginia has ever had," told the crowd that Perriello has not always voted according to party lines and places his allegiance to the Fifth District and Virginia first. In a speech that focused heavily on job creation and student support, Obama singled out Perriello’s American Opportunity Tax Credit legislation and told the crowd that "the only way to fight cynicism" was to vote on November 2.
"I need you guys to keep on fighting, and Tom needs you to keep on believing," said Obama near the end of his speech, jacket absent and sleeves rolled to his forearms despite temperatures that hovered in the 40s. Read C-VILLE’s Twitter coverage of the event here.
President Barack Obama and Congressman Tom Perriello on stage.
The Western Albemarle High School students who camped out since 7:30am to be first in line.
President Obama and Congressman Perriello saluting the crowd at the end of the night.
President Obama steps down the stage and meets his Charlottesville supporters.