Republican rally draws crowd for debate

FREDERICKSBURG — Republicans went all out on Thursday night in Fredericksburg at a rally to support presidential candidate John McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

The vice presidential debate was set to begin at 9 p.m. between Palin and Democratic Sen. Joe Biden. But, crowds of people were on hand hours before the debate was to take place to hear a group of speakers, including U.S. Sen. John Warner.

The Fredericksburg Area Women for McCain-Palin and the Stafford County Republican Committee hosted the event, titled, "Evening at the Debate." It took place at the Fredericksburg Expo and Conference Center, where two jumbo television screens were available for viewers.

Susan Stimpson, chairman of the Stafford County Republican Committee, said that the event came about after Cessie Howell — wife of Virginia House Speaker Bill Howell, R-Stafford — called her and said that she and Susan Allen would like to put on a debate rally for women. (Allen is married to former U.S. Sen. George Allen.)

But, Stimpson said, the event later evolved to become open to men, women and children alike. It included red, white and blue balloons, a sprawling American flag, volunteers recruiting people to volunteer and to register to vote and T-shirts and souvenirs being sold. Guests also bought drinks at the rear of the building.

Speakers were prepared to get the audience fired up, starting with Stimpson, who told the audience: “Read our lipstick! We’re going to have McCain and Palin going to the White House.”

When Warner spoke, he told supporters that having been in public office for 42 years, he has a pretty good understanding of politicians. After all, it takes a politician to know a politician, he said. He called Palin “electrifying, energetic, extraordinary and quite natural,” noting that she isn’t one to put on airs or appear one way with one crowd and a different way with another, the way many politicians do.

“This lady stays constantly the same,” he said.

Warner added: “…Sarah Palin needs no on-the-job training to run the Senate.”

Regarding Sen. McCain, R-Arizona, Warner said: “I can say with a great sense of humility, I know John McCain. I tell you, you put your trust in me for 30 years, you can put your trust in the man that I know, John Sidney McCain.”

The statement was met with wild applause from the audience.

In closing, Warner spoke about what is planned to be his last few months of service in office. Standing with his wife, Jeanne Vander Myde, Warner spoke about what he called his most important achievement — to create the John Warner Rapids on the Rappahannock River.

He then turned the audience’s attention back to the debate.

“It’s a historic moment, said Warner. “We’re going to watch a historic debate.”

Other speakers at the event included Susan Allen, Cessie and Bill Howell; Drew Landry, a pastor from Spotswood Baptist Church; Bryce Reeves, chairman of the Spotsylvania County Republican Committee; First District Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Westmoreland County; and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives Asa Hutchinson, R-Arkansas.

“What this election comes down to is the measure of a person,” said Hutchinson. “People have taken the measure of John McCain and know he will put America first.”

Christy Swanson, a businesswoman from just outside Richmond, said that she is a lifelong Democrat but studied and researched Sen. Barack Obama and McCain.

“John McCain just gets it,” she said. “…I’m a Democrat but I am proud to say I will be voting for John McCain.”

Nearby, Julie Lucas of Woodbridge, sold t-shirts with the slogan, Team Sarah on them, along with Woodbridge residents Ann Trullender and Lori Bauckman-Moore.

Lucas, a Prince William County School Board member, said she came up with the idea as a way to support Palin and also support breast cancer research.

None of the money is for profit, she said. Half of the money collected will go toward supporting the McCain-Palin campaign, and the other half with go toward breast cancer charities. Lucas also created the Web site, Team-Sarah.com.

As the audience watched the debate, they cheered for their candidate and many expressed their displeasure at some of Biden’s responses. During an emotional response from Biden, however, when he spoke of the loss of his first wife and his daughter from a car accident, as well as having to raise his surviving two children alone, the audience stayed mostly silent.

After the hour-and-a-half debate, Stafford County Supervisor Paul Milde, R-Aquia, said that he felt the event was much larger and gained better attendance than anyone expected. Sarah Palin is someone that “the press makes looks like an idiot but she knows what she’s talking about,” he said. “She’s refreshing.”

“She clearly won this debate,” said Milde. “She’s charismatic and charming. She exceeded every expectation.”