Rasoul not asked to speak at Obama event

By Alicia Petska
Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: August 23, 2008

Congressional candidate Sam Rasoul estimates he shook more than 1,200 hands in the hours leading up to Wednesday night’s Obama rally in Lynchburg.

“We figure we got almost every single person waiting in line,” he said.

The 6th District Democrat, who’s mounting a challenge to Republican incumbent Bob Goodlatte, arrived two hours early to work the long line of spectators awaiting the chance to see Sen. Barack Obama.

For the event itself, Rasoul had a seat close to center stage inside the venue at E.C. Glass High School.

He was not, however, among the series of figures that got a chance to address the crowd in the run-up to Obama’s emergence.

The list of chosen speakers included the likes of state party chairman Dick Cranwell and Sen. Jim Webb. It also featured Tom Perriello, the Democratic nominee in the neighboring 5th District race.

Perriello, a political newcomer facing off with entrenched incumbent Virgil Goode, took to the stage at the top of the program.

Rasoul got a mention from the chairman of the state Democratic Party, but was otherwise not acknowledged. His campaign, the first Democratic bid for the 6th District in a decade, is currently trailing Goodlatte in both polls and fundraising.

Lynchburg Republican Party chairman Mark Peake felt Rasoul’s absence from the podium was a sign of how his party viewed him.

“I think the Democrats are trying to steer as far away from his campaign as they can, and I don’t blame them,” Peake said. “Bob Goodlatte is a tremendous congressman. You’re going to have a very hard time unseating an incumbent like him.”

Rasoul himself chalked it up to the rally’s unexpected scheduling. He said he was already committed to attend other events when the stop was announced late Monday, and so told organizers not to expect him.

He described his appearance as “last minute,” and said he didn’t push to be on the program.

“I was just happy to be there with all those wonderful people and help spread our message,” he said, adding he felt “sure” he would have been asked to speak had he confirmed his attendance earlier.

Recent poll results released by WDBJ News7 and SurveyUSA have Goodlatte running a 2 to 1 lead over Rasoul. Campaign reports filed June 30 showed Rasoul with $83,000 in cash on hand. Goodlatte, an eight-term incumbent, had a treasury of $1.5 million, most of it held over from prior elections.

A spokesman for Obama said the campaign does not comment on its process for selecting event speakers.

Lynchburg Democratic Party chairman John Lawrence said state leadership may be “putting more emphasis” on the Perriello-Goode race, but added the 6th District was still behind its candidate.

“At the state level, they probably think Goode is more vulnerable than Goodlatte, but we don’t feel like that at the local level,” he said, describing Rasoul’s chances as good.

“It’s very, very hard to beat an incumbent, but if anyone can do it, this guy can,” he said.

Goodlatte campaign manager David Rexrode declined to comment on the possible significance of Wednesday’s lineup.

The candidates are expected to debate before the election, but no events have been scheduled. Earlier this week, Rasoul attempted to engage Goodlatte in a YouTube forum, but the incumbent elected not to participate.

Rexrode said the Rasoul camp announced the endeavor without consulting them. The debate, crafted by Rasoul, invites the public to submit questions that would then be answered via YouTube video.

The Lynchburg Ledger is onboard as debate moderator. Editor Ann Page said Friday she was unsure if or how the event would proceed at this juncture.

Rasoul criticized his opponent for refusing to commit to a debate schedule, and said the YouTube format would be more accessible to voters as responses could be viewed on-demand once they were posted.

Rexrode said they were uncomfortable with Rasoul’s active role in organizing the event. Goodlatte is willing to participate in a YouTube debate organized by a nonpartisan media organization independently of all candidates, he said.

He added the campaign is currently waiting for Congress to set an adjournment date before committing to live debates.