Manassas

It wasn't that long ago.

Tired Obama addresses huge Virginia crowd at final campaign rally | World news | guardian.co.uk

... After securing the Democratic nomination in the summer, he chose to begin his presidential election campaign in Bristol, Virginia. At the time, it seemed a quirky choice, with the state apparently solid Republican.

But he is in with more than a chance of taking Virginia today and so made it his last campaign stop with the rally in Manassas, a quiet town now but the scene of one of the bloodiest battles of the civil war.

To take Virginia would be rich in symbolism. Obama acknowledged as much last night when he referred to Richmond, Virginia, as "the capital of the Old Confederacy". He said he found it extraordinary that 100,000 people in the state had come out to see him on a Monday night.

John McCain attracted only 8,000 when he held a rally on the other side of Manassas a fortnight ago. The Republican stood on his tiptoes to wave at the expected crowd at the back, only to find there wasn't any...

I'd forgotten he chose to begin in Virginia. Win or lose, Barack Obama is a wonder.