Collegiate Times

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama addressed a packed crowd at the Roanoke Civic Center.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama addressed an electric crowd filling the Roanoke Civic Center to capacity early this afternoon, campaigning in a traditionally conservative area of a commonwealth that has not voted in favor of a Democrat in a presidential election since 1964.

Related: Photo gallery

Related: Highlights of Obama's speech in Roanoke

Related: Obama's full speech in Roanoke

The Illinois senator spoke for 40 minutes in the Star City on a variety of his policies, though his comments on health care may be the most notable from the "Campaign for Change" rally.

Obama slammed Republican Sen. John McCain's health care plan, stating that if implemented, the proposal could lead to $882 billion in Medicare cuts.

"$882 billion worth, paid for an ill-conceived, badly thought through health care plan that won't provide health care to people," Obama said. "Sen. McCain has voted against protecting Medicare 40 times. Forty times, he's failed to stand up for Medicare."

Obama divulged specifics on his perceived flaws to the plan, noting that McCain's plan would "mean a cut of more than 20 percent in Medicare benefits next year."

"If you count on Medicare, it would mean fewer places to get care, and less freedom to choose your own doctors," Obama said. "You'll pay more for your drugs, you'll receive fewer services, you'll get lower quality care. I don't think that's right. In fact, it ain't right. When you've worked hard your whole life, and paid into the system, and done everything right, you shouldn't have the carpet pulled out from under you when you least expect it and can least afford it."

The McCain campaign issued a press release in reference to a commercial recently released by the Obama campaign depicting McCain's Medicare plan similarly to what was noted in the rally, stating that Obama is lying about the GOP's plan for Medicare.

Obama opened his speech by commenting on the current economic crisis, an issue that has been pushed to the forefront of both candidates' campaigns.

"We meet at a great moment of uncertainty for America," Obama said. "The economic crisis we face is the worst since the Great Depression."

"In households across the country, it's getting harder and harder to get a loan for that new car or that start-up business, or that college that you've dreamed of attending," he added. "Your wages are lower than they've been in nearly a decade. You're paying more for everything from gas to groceries, but your paychecks have flat lined."

Obama went on to discuss the current unemployment crisis; promoting his rescue plan for the middle class.

"A few weeks ago, McCain said the fundamentals of the economy are strong," Obama said. "Well where I come from, a job is pretty fundamental. We've already lost three quarters of a million jobs this year."

Obama added that he has proposed a new American jobs tax credit, where each new employee a company hires in the United States of America over the next two years, the firm will receive a credit.

The goal of the plan is to create quality jobs that are not outsourced to the foreign market.

Obama focused largely on topics introduced in the third presidential debate, held this past Wednesday at Hofstra University in New York.

At one point, Obama jabbed at the similarities between McCain's campaign and the ideals of President Bush, satirically saying that he is cognizant of who the opposing candidate in the presidential race is.

"Now in fairness, Senator McCain doesn't look like President Bush -- he doesn't have that Texas accent, like President Bush," Obama said. "And I don't blame Senator McCain for all of President Bush's mistakes. After all, he's only voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time."

"So I know I'm not running against President Bush, but I am running against President Bush's policies; the policies John McCain has supported; the policies John McCain would continue," Obama said. "And that's something we cannot afford four more years of -- more George Bush economics."

Obama addressed another topic of the third debate, government spending.

Continue Reading: 12 Next »