Obama, Clinton, Kaine Campaign in Bristow

Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine campaigned at Jiffy Lube Live on Nov. 3. Credit: Stacie Bowman.

Bundled in hats, scarves, gloves and boots, 24,000 people braved four hours of cold to see Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, and musician Dave Matthews campaign at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow.

Hoping to encourage citizens to vote, speakers also urged the crowd to make calls, knock on doors, and as Dave Matthews said, “push your friends in our direction.”

When President Barack Obama took the stage at nearly 11 p.m., he said his heart goes out to the families affected by Hurricane Sandy.

“Virginia, we are not here only to listen to Dave Matthews, not only to hear the master Bill Clinton break it down for us.” Obama said the election was still about, “making sure everyone has a fair shot.”

The President attempted to draw a sharp distinction between himself and the Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, saying: “Who do you trust? You know I mean what I say and say what I mean.”

President Obama explained that during his first term, he reformed healthcare, ended the war in Iraq and repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

“Most of all, you know I will fight for you and your families every single day,” he said.

Obama spoke about creating opportunities for the middle class being the right direction for America. Credit Stacie Bowman.

The crowd cheered when President Obama said, “Don’t tell me that hiring more teachers won’t help,” and, “We’ve got to cut tuition in half over the next 10 years.”

He also claimed that Romney was wrong about Bill Clinton’s economic plan back in 1992, saying it will kill jobs in the U.S.

“Mitt’s arithmetic was just as bad back then as it is today. He wants us to go back to the same policies that didn’t work,” he said.

Obama told the crowd that American businesses would do better if the government were to continue to invest in research and development.

Furthermore, he was sympathetic to the strong ties Virginia has to the military.

“Virginia carries more than it’s load when it comes to defending this country,” Obama said. "They shouldn’t have to pay for a job when they get home.”

Finally, President Obama said that he likes to work across the aisle, but there are a few issues he refuses to compromise on: Planned Parenthood, healthcare reform and the Head Start program. In contrast, he explained that he Republicans in congress obstructed the passage of middle class relief that would have reduce the deficit, until it includde tax breaks for millionaires.

Because wealth can always buy and advocate, he told the crowd: the middle class, “they need a champion. We have come too far to turn back now.”

Obama asks the crowd who they trust, him or Gov. Romney. Credit: Stacie Bowman.

President Bill Clinton began his speech near 10:30 pm, apologizing for his scratchy voice. “I have given my voice in the service of my country.”

Clinton said it was an ideological war they are now fighting, and that he is, “much more enthusiastic” about President Obama than he even was in 2008.

He referred to the fact that after Hurricane Sandy, Mayor Bloomberg, an independent, endorsed President Obama, and that the President worked collaborately with New Jersey Governor Chris Christy.

On the economy, Clinton said, “Barack Obama has done a better job than I had,” noting that he created 5.5 million new jobs in the private sector, when the economy was in a much darker place than it was in the early 90's.

Giving a confused look and nervous shuffle, Clinton mocked Romney, mimicking his response to debate over the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act for women. Clinton declared that as president, Romney would have to make “harder decisions than this.”

Clinton said he surprisingly agreed with President George W. Bush's sentiment that the president is the "Decider and Chief.” However, he said Romney would be more of a “Chief contortionist for Cirque du Soleil” because he twists his arguments.

Bill Clinton tells the crowd that President Obama turned around the economy better than he did in the 1990s.

“(Romney) believes middle class people are so scared about their jobs, so uninformed, they’ll believe anything they see on TV,” Clinton said

Clinton said that Obama is working to allow individuals to pay back their college loans at a fixed rate percentage of their income. He also said that rising healthcare costs have factored in to why most Americans have not seen raises over the past ten years.

The two candidates also endorsed former Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, who also spoke on the president’s behalf as well to stump for his own Virginia senatorial campaign.

At the beginning of his speech, Kaine asked the crowd, “How does it feel to be in the battleground state of Virginia? You remember that for years people took Virginia for granted, but not anymore.”

Kaine said he decided to run because the President will need more people willing to work with him in a Congress that has become obstructionist in recent years. He spoke strongly on the need to protect women’s rights.

Noting that women are more than half the workforce, Kaine said, “There is no way to grow the economy and take rights away from women.”

Dave Matthews said when Virginia went for Obama it was one of the proudest days of his life. Credit: Stacie Bowman.

Kaine said that democrats do not want to, “roll back rights for women and refight battles that we’ve fought in the past.”

Matthews, who followed Kaine, said, “Did I mention that I’m a big fan of Mr. Kaine? He’s a bad ass.”

Supporting the President, Matthews performed a five-song acoustic set of songs that took on new meaning in the context of the rally.

"One of the“proudest days of my life was when Virginia went for President Obama in 2008," he said. Surebet247 computer version

Obama chose to visit western Prince William in the final countdown to the election to try to take the lead in a state that polls show to be divided almost evenly.

Northern Virginia residents said they could not pass up the opportunity to see two of their favorite presidents together.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to see two presidents. I love Obama, but I really love Clinton. He’s kind of my hero,” said Constance Benegra of Fauquier County.

Amber Wilson of Crystal City said she wanted to attend because she has never seen President Obama speak before, and “it’s rare that you see two presidents in one place. Last election was my first time voting, and it felt excellent to vote for," Wilson said.