John and Rob were at the Obama event tonight in Northern Virginia. We've had sporadic communication, but I'm hearing there are some great photos.
The crowd was huge. HUGE. There were 90,000 people at the rally in Manassas. That is astounding:
On the eve of the presidential election, Sen. Barack Obama reached back to the roots of his campaign to tell an inspirational story that had long ago fallen from his routine.90,000.
The story is about a long drive, a rainy day and how one person can make a difference. It was inspired by a woman Obama met during a visit to a small South Carolina town in 2007 and grew to be a favorite during his Iowa caucus campaign.
It ends with Obama leading a cheer of "Fired up, Ready to Go!"
The Illinois Democrat has not told the story much since the South Carolina primary. He last brought it out in mid-October in New York City during a fundraiser that included performances from Bruce Springsteen and Bill Joel.
Edith Childs of Greenwood, S.C., is the woman who inspired the story. Obama had met her during a campaign appearance back when the Democratic nomination - much less the presidency - looked like a long shot.
A crowd his campaign said totaled 90,000 chanted along to end what was the last rally of Obama's 21-month presidential campaign.
"This is the last rally of a campaign that began almost two years ago," he said. "We've gone to every corner of this country."
We'll have more when John and Rob get back -- or get internet access.
