Jide Ajani
3 November 2008
Barely 24 hours to what many have dubbed the greatest presidential elections in American history, Barrack Obama, presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, and his GOP counterpart, John McCain, yesterday continued to make their last pitch move to grab the attention of voters.
As at the last count, over 25million Americans have already cast their votes in early voting.
Records, however, show that the Democrats have a 15% turnout advantage over the Republicans.
This is an indication of the massive mobilization efforts of the Obama Campaign Organisation.
Obama's Campaign Director for Virginia, Mitch Stewart, disclosed that the push for Obama in Hampton Roads, a region in Virginia, for instance, "is with a view to building a coalition that is representative of what our campaign wants to achieve."
At least twice last week, Obama made stops at Hampton Roads where he campaigned and energized voters.
But McCain is not resting on his oars regarding the Hampton Roads votes.
He's also had campaigns there before.
Volunteers in his campaign organisation were still working the phones in a get-out-the votes bid as at the time of sending this report.
Republican Bob McDonnell, Virginia's Attorney General, said the GOP would do very well in Hampton Roads. He spoke confidently about the chances of McCain, especially considering the fact that America's Atlantic Fleet is stationed there.
He also pointed out the fact of the numerical strength of military men and veterans who reside there.
But Professor Joshua Behr, of Old Union University, appraised the essence of Hampton Roads and why this push by both campaign organisations is strong.
According to him, Hampton Roads, which has about half a dozen cities, became a swing area because of population change. Dotted by a number of industries and businesses in recent years, there has been a demographic change which has seen quite a number of blue-collar, average and African American citizens populate the area.
In 1996, Hampton Roads swung Virginia for President Bill Clinton in his re-election bid.
All these are happening at a time when both Obama and McCain continue to throw jabs at one another.
Obama told a rally that America "does not need a big or small government but a better government", a statement reminiscent of his earlier speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, where he said it should not be dominated by red or blue states but by a unity which is colour blind.
Obama said incumbent George Bush had already dug a deep hole for Americans and all he wants to do now is pass the shovel to McCain to dig even deeper.
McCain, on his part told a crowd in Ohio that Obama continues to be inconsistent and is already opening himself up for what he stands for, somebody who cannot be trusted on the issue of tax.
McCain says Obama is attempting to spread the limited wealth, but he is pushing to create more wealth for all.
According to him, Obama said only those earning less than $250,000 would be taxed.
"Last week, he said, those who earn $200,000 would be taxed", McCain noted.
As at the time of filing this report, Obama had already started addressing a huge crowd in Cleveland, Ohio.
For McCain, he was at the point of addressing his own crowd in Pennsylvania, after which he would proceed to New Hampshire for McCain.
Their running mates have also not been left out of the picture as both Joe Bidden and Sarah Palin, for Obama and McCain, respectively continue to lampoon one another.
Interestingly, the immigration scandal of Obama's Aunt, Atuni Onyango, has been kept out of the campaign.
The Obama campaign says the Democratic candidate was not aware of his aunt's immigration status but insisted that the full process of the law should be followed in the case.
Onyango had been denied immigration by a judge four years ago and was, therefore, expected to have been deported from the country.
Meanwhile, the issue of the economy continues to do the GOP in as the closest McCain has gotten in national polls is within six points of Obama.
Even in McCain's state of Arizona, Obama was as at last night on the verge of claiming possible victory tomorrow.
Records show that personal spending dropped to an all time low in October this year, to what it was since 2004.
The month of October also represents the worst month for the drop in stocks in the last 21 years.
Records also show that job loss would continue into next year.
In fact, unemployment would hit 7 per cent by May 2009.
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