"Three days before Virginia's primary, Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton last night asked thousands of state Democrats in Richmond to support their visions of change.

The rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination urged a crowd of 5,000 at the Siegel Center to reject what they called the incompetence of the Bush administration and cynicism in American politics.

Fired up by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, the crowd at the Democrats' Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner appeared overwhelmingly in favor of Obama, often chanting the Illinois senator's slogan "Yes we can."

"Democrats, this is our moment. This is our time for change," said Obama, who picked up wins last night in Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington state.

Clinton, who spoke earlier, concluded: "Together we can make history, come join me."

The Democrats' fundraising dinner was the largest in the state party's history as Virginians jumped at the chance to get a firsthand look at the party's historic presidential contenders.

Clinton and Obama both took aim at likely Republican nominee John McCain.

Clinton likened the Arizona senator to President Bush. She blasted McCain as "more of the same," drawing lusty boos from the crowd.

Both candidates trumpeted their health-coverage plans, support for improved public education and weaning the country from foreign oil. Obama said he would make annual cost-of-living increases in the minimum wage.

Clinton spent most of her speech positioning herself against McCain. She did not mention Obama by name but criticized him indirectly for not supporting a universal health-insurance plan.

"It's a disgrace that 950,000 Virginians do not have health care," Clinton said.

Obama, who has been endorsed by Kaine and Mayor L. Douglas Wilder, defended his plan, saying he knows what it takes because he's done it while a state senator in Illinois.

Obama said he would implement his plan by the end of his first term in the White House. As first lady, Clinton proposed a health-care plan that failed.

As he took the stage to raucous cheers, Obama embraced Kaine, a national co-chairman of his campaign.

Obama noted that he has taken some criticism that he is peddling false hope.

"It's true I talk about hope a lot," he said. "I have to. The odds of me being here aren't very high."

Clinton drew huge applause when she noted that on Jan. 20, 2009, the next president "will put his -- or her -- hand on the Bible" and take the oath of office as the nation's 44th president.

"Our task tonight is to make sure that president is a Democrat," the New York senator said.

Her voice hoarse from a long day on the campaign trail, Clinton said her election would end a government "of the few, by the few, and for the few" that has spanned "seven years of incompetence, corruption and cronyism."

Initially, Virginia was not supposed to be the center of the Democratic universe. Many observers thought the state's Feb. 12 primary would come after the Democrats' nomination was settled on Super Tuesday.

But Super Tuesday left Obama and Clinton in a virtual tie, and the two candidates hit the stage last night still vying for delegate votes.

Virginia will elect 103 delegates to the national convention, with 85 determined on the basis of Tuesday's outcome. With the outcome determined on the percentage of the votes between Clinton and Obama, neither candidate was expected to come out of Virginia with an overwhelming majority.

Before last night's program started, Kaine said he thinks Obama's attractiveness with independents would help him win Virginia, though he is not writing off Clinton's chances.

In a news conference, Kaine and Wilder predicted that a Democratic candidate will pull ahead soon and that the momentum will push superdelegates in that direction. Virginia has 18 superdelegates, mostly party officials and members of Congress.

Wilder said it would be a mistake if the Democratic contest goes to a brokered national convention, settled by party "graybeards." The convention will be held in Denver in August.

Former Gov. Mark R. Warner, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat of the retiring Republican Sen. John W. Warner this year, again said he will not make an endorsement in the Democrats' nomination battle.

Asked if the losing candidate should be named the vice presidential running mate, Kaine said, "That's above my pay grade."

The J-J dinner draws Democrats from across the state, some supporting one candidate or another, others on the fence and looking to confirm their pick after the speeches.

Denise Goode came from Portsmouth supporting Obama. She's a single mother and a small-business owner.

"Being able to dream and hope again is important," she said. "I've only been working, treading water."

Mary Sue Terry, a former Virginia attorney general, is pulling for Clinton. "I've known her for a long time [and] I think she's the best-qualified person from day one to lead this country."

Outside the pavilion along Broad Street, it was a lively scene with long lines and vocal groups of supporters for Obama and Clinton." (Tyler Whitley and Olympia Meola, Richmond Times-Dispatch, February 10, 2008)