Obama Speaks in Virginia at Creigh Deeds Rally Aug. 6

Update: Video below
Update: Live streamed at Cnn.com
Obama will speak tonight at 7:10 at a rally for Virginia state senator Creigh Deeds at the Hilton McLean in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Deeds is running for governor against republican Robert McDonnell. I'll post video if it comes available.

One thing about "Deeds Country," as the swath of rural Virginia extending through the Shenandoah Valley and down into the southwest where state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds has been touring this week has been dubbed by his campaign: It apparently isn't Obama Country.

Outside stops in the more urban settings of Charlottesville, Danville and Blacksburg, many of the 20 visits Deeds (D-Bath) is making on a nine-day campaign swing that begun Sunday are in places where President Obama was beaten handily by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

Appomattox, Hillsville, Tazewell, Floyd. All are areas where Obama did not break 35 percent of the vote.

Obama's victory in Virginia came because he won big in the state's suburban areas, particularly in Northern Virginia, where thousands of new and energized voters joined the rolls in the months leading up to November's election and then cast ballots for the Democrat.

That mirrored other recent successful Democratic strategies, including those of Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and Sen. James Webb, who both used sophisticated mathematical modeling to devise winning strategies rooted in the suburbs.

So a big summer push through the state's rural west -- instead of the developments, community pools and shopping malls of Virginia's densely populated regions -- has some progressives nervous about their candidate's strategy. Wapo

Polls show that McDonnell is ahead by double digits, which is probably why Obama is rallying:

For the second time in as many weeks, a published poll is showing Republican Bob McDonnell with a double-digit lead for governor over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds.

Public Policy Polling yesterday put McDonnell ahead of Deeds, 51 percent to 37 percent. Four weeks ago, the Raleigh, N.C.-based survey group reported McDonnell leading Deeds, 49 percent to 43 percent.

Still Pushing Hillary as Vice President

Here's an interesting update: McAuliffe is talking out of both sides of his mouth, or the media has it wrong. CBS says that he said Gov. Tim Kaine is Obama's best No. 2 but then he told MSNBC that Hillary's the best choice:

Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe recently weighed in on the veepstakes in a rather surprising way. McAuliffe said that Kaine, not Clinton, would be the party's best option for the second spot on the ticket. Like Obama, Kaine was a civil rights attorney before he entered politics, and as governor of Virginia could help the Democrat's chances of turning that state blue.

McAuliffe's other best choice.

Swamp: Terry McAuliffe, chairman of Sen. Hillary Clinton's former campaign for president and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, has a running mate for Sen. Barack Obama:

Hillary Clinton.

"Hillary Clinton. I don't even think it's a close call,'' McAuliffe said in an appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe today. "How do you not pick Hillary Clinton? We would sweep all across the country, up and down the valley... Think about it.

"It would be a bold move,'' he said. "I don't think people would expect it... It's be a bold move: Barack Obama, leadership, take this country to a new place, first African American, first woman.... History!... I'm telling you!... All across the country!""

If Hillary Clinton came out and denounced her racist supporters, I'd be more comfortable with Hillary. But she hasn't rejected them, only encouraged them. 

She could've put an end to this PUMA stuff but she didn't want to (she still needs their money) and that's why she's not likely to be vice president. 

Besides, Obama doesn't need or won't get the PUMA support. He's already got the Hillary democrats -- the PUMAs are NOT democrats. They had their eye on the prize -- the first woman president and all that that meant. These supporters are set to try to make a mockery of the nomination in August. Though, I'm not sure their numbers are large enough to matter. 

So why is Hillary's camp still bent on idea that Obama needs Hillary? I have no idea but they're out of touch with reality.

If Obama thinks she's right for him, I wouldn't complain. But Hillary and Bill seem all about preserving power --theirs.