By NEIL H. SIMON, Media General News Service
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ARLINGTON, Va. -- As dozens of reporters waited Wednesday for Sen. Hillary Clinton's press availability on the second floor of her national campaign headquarters, cheers suddenly arose from the floor below.
Clinton, D-N.Y., had stopped by to rally campaign staff and volunteers for the set of primaries Feb. 12 - this time in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.
"It's going to be a mad dash to Tuesday. There's not a lot of time to catch your breath," she told reporters.
To win Virginia's 85 delegates, Clinton will have to overcome Sen. Barack Obama's endorsements from the Virginia Democratic elite, including Gov. Tim Kaine.
"As I recall, the governor and both senators of Massachusetts endorsed my opponent. I think we'll do fine," she said. Clinton won the Massachusetts primary after that state's Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick and Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and John Kerry backed Obama.
Obama, D-Ill., and Clinton are scheduled to attend the Democratic Party of Virginia's annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Richmond Saturday night. Clinton also has a rally scheduled Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Arlington's Washington-Lee High School.
Obama's campaign declined to release details of his other Virginia events.
Clinton said she expects to draw support from federal workers in Northern Virginia and active duty and retired military across the state.
Asked how she plans to compete in rural Virginia, Clinton cited her track record on Super Tuesday. "I did really well in rural Missouri. I did really well in rural Arkansas, and I did really well in rural Tennessee," she said.
Virginia political observers say Virginia may be Clinton's best shot at a win in the so-called Chesapeake primary. Both Maryland and the District have higher percentages of African Americans.
"When you look at the state as a whole, it looks more like the other battleground states.
I expect Clinton will be out in force in Virginia," said Michael McDonald, an associate professor of government and politics at George Mason University.
Obama is running TV and radio ads across Virginia, but campaign spokesman Kevin Griffis said the grassroots network and endorsements by Kaine and others are bigger strengths.
"That same group of Republicans and independents who pulled the lever for Tim Kaine are going to be interested in joining Senator Obama," Griffis said.
Clinton, D-N.Y., had stopped by to rally campaign staff and volunteers for the set of primaries Feb. 12 - this time in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.
"It's going to be a mad dash to Tuesday. There's not a lot of time to catch your breath," she told reporters.
To win Virginia's 85 delegates, Clinton will have to overcome Sen. Barack Obama's endorsements from the Virginia Democratic elite, including Gov. Tim Kaine.
"As I recall, the governor and both senators of Massachusetts endorsed my opponent. I think we'll do fine," she said. Clinton won the Massachusetts primary after that state's Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick and Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and John Kerry backed Obama.
Obama, D-Ill., and Clinton are scheduled to attend the Democratic Party of Virginia's annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Richmond Saturday night. Clinton also has a rally scheduled Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Arlington's Washington-Lee High School.
Obama's campaign declined to release details of his other Virginia events.
Clinton said she expects to draw support from federal workers in Northern Virginia and active duty and retired military across the state.
Asked how she plans to compete in rural Virginia, Clinton cited her track record on Super Tuesday. "I did really well in rural Missouri. I did really well in rural Arkansas, and I did really well in rural Tennessee," she said.
Virginia political observers say Virginia may be Clinton's best shot at a win in the so-called Chesapeake primary. Both Maryland and the District have higher percentages of African Americans.
"When you look at the state as a whole, it looks more like the other battleground states.
I expect Clinton will be out in force in Virginia," said Michael McDonald, an associate professor of government and politics at George Mason University.
Obama is running TV and radio ads across Virginia, but campaign spokesman Kevin Griffis said the grassroots network and endorsements by Kaine and others are bigger strengths.
"That same group of Republicans and independents who pulled the lever for Tim Kaine are going to be interested in joining Senator Obama," Griffis said.