SEN. BARACK OBAMA appeared at a large rally at the T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, down Route 7 from Falls Church, on Sunday. Obama’s campaign was invigorated by legions of young volunteers operating out of a temporary office set up in Falls Church to win Virginia’s Democratic primary by a wide margin over Sen. Hillary Clinton. (News-Press photo: Lou Emery)
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Sen. Barack Obama’s landslide victory over Sen. Hillary Clinton in the Virginia Democratic primary Tuesday did not only contribute to the “Chesapeake primaries” sweep that gave Obama a net lead in total delegates to date. It also confirmed that Virginia stands a solid chance of turning out a majority for the Democratic presidential nominee this November for the first time since 1964. Almost twice as many voters turned out to vote in the Democratic primary as in the Republican, and the Republican vote was sharply split.
“I believe more than ever that Barack is the best candidate to unite our country and transform our politics in the cause of progress,” Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine said in a statement issued yesterday, after Obama carried the primary by a lopsided 63.7% to 35.3% margin. Kaine was one of the first prominent elected officials to formally endorse Obama, doing so days after his campaign was announced a year ago. Speaking before a record turnout at the Democratic Party of Virginia’s JeffersonJackson Dinner in Richmond Saturday night, Kaine said it was “just a year ago tonight” that he endorsed Obama. The momentum from ear-
lier Obama primary victories on “Super Tuesday” Feb. 5 swept into Virginia like a tidal wave last week. In Northern Virginia, two offices opened up, with streams of young volunteers piling onto the phone banks at the office in Falls Church, and picking up piles of literature to go door-to-door into neighborhoods. In Falls Church, residents reported multiple visits to their door by young Obama campaigners and at its largest polling place at the Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Tuesday, there were four volunteers handing out literature for Obama, and none for any Continued on Page 5
The crème-de-la-crème of the Washington, D.C., Metro area’s musical talent, their producers, supporters and admirers will bring a gigantic regional spotlight to the City of Falls Church this Sunday night. The 22nd Annual Wammies award ceremony of the Washington Area Music Association will be held Sunday night at the historic State Theatre, and more than 700 at the top of the industry in the region will pack the venue to the rafters. Pre- and after-parties, formal and informal, will also pack area restaurants as Falls Church will enjoy the attention that comes with hosting one of the premiere annual galas in and around Washington. The official after-party will be held at the Ireland’s Four Provinces, a half-block away from the State Theatre, featuring live music by the Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band. Awards will be handed out in 97 different categories for music and musical production ranging from classical to hiphop, jazz, gospel, Latin, cabaret, bluegrass, big band, folk, country, go-go, choral, blues, reggae, rock, urban contemporary and more. Among the hundreds of nominees, most of whom will be present Sunday, are a select number from Falls Church itself. Randy Barrett is nominated for best bluegrass vocalist, Andrew Acosta is nominated for best bluegrass instrumentalist, Cue Recording is nominated for recording studio of the year and City resident Mary Cliff is