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Obama Kicks off National Campaign in Bristol with Promise of Affordable Health Care

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Photo by Andre Teague/Bristol Herald Courier

Renee Mason, left, of Abingdon Virginia asks presidential candidate Barack Obama a question during his campaign stop in Bristol Thursday.

By J. Todd Foster | Editor / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: June 5, 2008
Updated: June 5, 2008

» 12 Comments | Post a Comment

BRISTOL, Va. – Decrying “petty partisanship in Washington,” Sen. Barack Obama kicked off his national campaign here Thursday by promising every American affordable health care “by the end of my first term as president.”

The Democratic senator from Illinois and his party’s presumptive nominee following a bruising 16-month campaign against Hillary Clinton said he would pay for his health care program through disease prevention and a paperless system.

“We need a health care system instead of a disease-care system,” said Obama, 46, during a town-hall-style rally that drew 2,500 supporters to Virginia High School.

Obama was the first major party candidate to visit Southwest Virginia since John F. Kennedy in 1960, noted U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va.
Amid chants of “Yes we can!” Obama laid out his health care plan in detail and compared presumptive Republican nominee John McCain’s as “Bush-lite.”
“I’ll allow the drug companies a seat at the table, but they just won’t be able to buy every chair,” said Obama, who promised not to take any campaign cash from registered lobbyists or special-interest political action committees. He added that the Democratic National Committee would be held to the same standard.
Insured Americans would keep their health insurance but pay $2,500 in fewer premiums each year, he vowed. The 47 million uninsured Americans would gain access to affordable health care and be encouraged to use preventive care instead of emergency rooms. Pre-existing conditions would be covered, he said.
“We’ll have to make choices. Liposuction will probably not be covered, guys. You can still have it, but you’ll have to cover that yourself,” Obama joked.
Catering to his Appalachian audience, Obama promised to invest in clean-coal technology, raise fuel-mileage standards and explore energy alternatives to get the United States off $500 billion in annual oil experts from anti-American countries.

Taking a jab at the Bush White House, Obama said anyone who serves in his administration must have integrity, competence and independence – the confidence “to tell me when I’m wrong.”

“We’ll have no more heads of the Arabian horse association in charge of the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” Obama said.

Virginia Republicans later today were scheduled to discuss Obama’s stop in Bristol and later tonight in Northern Virginia.

Reader Reactions

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Flag Comment Posted by McCainforPrez on June 06, 2008 at 9:44 am

They WANT you to turn this into a race issue. They know that McClain is a gentleman and will NOT resort to this race calling crap. McCain wants the issues to stand but you know that Obammmy’s folks aren’t going to stand for it. They know he’s gonna promice anything and when the tough questions are asked about “Who’s paying for it?“ they are going to say “Only reason you’re saying that is that you’re racist” I’m sure someone will disagree but the truth stands, whether we care to admit it or not

Flag Comment Posted by GOPundit on June 05, 2008 at 10:01 pm

Obama is one of the worst demagogues in American history. He’s making incredible promises that he will never be able to actually deliver. I’m not sure if I’m really getting the point across, but this guy says it pretty well, I think:

http://keepvared.blogspot.com/2008/06/still-bitter.html

Flag Comment Posted by jcar on June 05, 2008 at 9:06 pm

Good for Southwest VA/Northeast TN voters. Senator Obama may not get many votes there but he showed up. I think is strange for a black man to visit that area (as a black man raised in Wise County Virginia) I don’t think he will do very well at all. He won’t win (or even compete) in that area—however it forces McCain to come to that area—and good for all the voters there—I think all of Washington needs to be told how off track we are and how much 4/gallon gas is hurting us all (Democrats and Republicans). For far too long in that area Democrats stopped trying and Republicans stopped caring. Regardless of how you feel about Obama(Muslim,American,Christian,Black,White, Whatever) at least Virginia will have a strong voice this election—and that hasn’t happened in decades. In closing I think it is strange that McCain and Obama have spent so much time courting, drawing up policy, and speaking in front of Jewish voters that make up five percent of the total electorate when small town America makes up over fifty percent of the electorate. I am not an anti-Semite by any stretch but that doesn’t make any sense to me—is it that they are such swing voters that they get listened to when I (as an African American) “automatically vote for a Democrat” and most of this region “are white southerners—that only vote republican”)?

Flag Comment Posted by Sienna on June 05, 2008 at 7:30 pm

You know, this is really getting old. The same crap being spouted on this and the other board by Obama supporters. Why is it that just because some people(white, black or whatever color you happen to be) do not support Obama, we’re racist? I cannot for the life of me figure that one out. We are Americans and we have a right as such to speak our minds here people and just because you do not agree with our opinions does not give you the right to call us racist.
The posters are giving you their reasons, laid out plainly and simply, yet you choose to overlook them and jump to the racism crap once again calling us ignorant. If only, because ignorance is bliss, but as you can tell we are not ignorant nor are we blind.
I will state once again I am not a racist plain and simple, believe it or not only God knows the truth in my heart, but I also do not back Obama. You take all three candidates and at some point in time they will or already have lied to the American people plain and simple, but no matter how many times you Obama supporters yell racism it is not going to change people’s minds about him so stop wasting your breath and find another argument to give unless you like being parrots.
And I agree with the previous posters, it’s all the same. He screamed change and here we are once again being made promises that will not be kept so that he will get a vote. Typical politician.
It seems all of our congressmen are going against their constiuents wishes here. Telling isn’t it?
And I’m sorry, but any man who is running for President of the United States that will not salute a flag is NOT an American nor is he presidential material. I take that back, I’m not sorry he still is not getting my vote.

Flag Comment Posted by Tim Mullins on June 05, 2008 at 6:20 pm

Affordable Health Care

What about acceptable standards of health care ?

I know what is defended as acceptable care in East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

http://www.wisecountyissues.com

Flag Comment Posted by Tali on June 05, 2008 at 4:41 pm

Funny, I didn’t hear a bit of “change” in our energy policy. Guess that means we will continue paying artifically inflated prices for fuel for another presidential term?? No drilling for what we already have in abundance? No synthetic fuel from coal? No new refineries? Sounds to me like a “bush” energy policy!
I also didn’t hear how we are going to pay for this new health insurance for all. That should run into the trillions with a “T”.. As a small business owner, I suspect that folks like me will be paying for this.
Where’s the change?????

Flag Comment Posted by whathavewebecome on June 05, 2008 at 4:31 pm

to REBEL 65, not everyone is against him because he is black im not i would vote for COLIN POWELL right now if he was running, and the last time i checked he is black, black men and women can run this country just as good as whites can, the problem is, when you wont solute our flag or the lack of patriostism, come on get real, and he is blowing smoke up your rearends, saying he is going to do this and that, he is like all the other presidents with his hands tied, he cant without congress.

Flag Comment Posted by Gina on June 05, 2008 at 3:31 pm

I have absolutely no problem with Obama’s race, however I DO have a problem with his agenda (or lack thereof), his voting history (or lack thereof), his patriotism (or lack thereof). He is a puppet and only a puppet for those of you who are voting against G W Bush (by the way, W ISN’T running). Wake up people or you will be sorry. McCain doesn’t thrill me either but he’s far and above a better candidate to lead our country.

Flag Comment Posted by rebel65 on June 05, 2008 at 3:16 pm

Hey “chipmunk” I support Obama and Im not ignorant and I dont fall for anything, I didnt fall for George Bush and that sideshow called a goverment he gathered together. Hey I’ll challenge you to a war of minds, but wait a minute I wont fight an unarmed person!! It all boils down to his color. People in this parts can deny all they want, the reason they dont support him is because of his race. If there is ignorance on the part of people it’s the lack of understanding and fear. If he was a white man granted he still might not have the support, but people would take him more serious…period!

Flag Comment Posted by whathavewebecome on June 05, 2008 at 3:09 pm

you all let our congressman Rick Boucher give his delagate vote to Obama, when we the people of the ninth district voted for Mrs Clinton she won by a wide margin in southwest va, so does our vote count NO it doesnt, he should have went the way we ask for him to. and Obama he wont solute our flag, and he was caught in muslim garb, and you people still vote for him, well good luck in the future america, or should we go ahead and change our country’s name to some arabic name? its coming

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