Republican Sen. John McCain hoped Virginia really would be his country as he and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin appeared in Virginia Beach this morning. "The national media has written us off, but they forgot to let you decide," McCain told the crowd of 20,000 supporters chanting "Nobama" in a local convention center.

Country singer Hank Williams Jr. played for the crowd, but the real surprise was the McCain-Palin entrance music--the theme from "Rocky." Hey, remember when Hillary Clinton did that way back in the primaries? Good times!

McCain is currently speaking in Wilmington, North Carolina at a town meeting, while his running mate rallies the faithful in Richmond. Tomorrow, the Straight Talk Express is Pennsylvania-bound as McCain hosts a town hall meeting for women in Blue Bell, while Palin speaks at a rally in the Electric City of Scranton.]]> egw 2008-10-13T15:15:44-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/1/74733/7243

Busch Gardens Europe in Williamsburg, Virginia is the perfect distraction for those who have given up on the election and are looking for something even more terrifying than preparing Sarah Palin for Thursday's debate.

The Halloween fun got started a couple weeks ago and continues to run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night through October. Oddly enough, that means that you won't be able to celebrate Howl-O-Scream on All Hallows Eve.]]> kjb 2008-10-01T13:00:37-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/24/231648/192

There's a lot going on this fall in Virginia, mostly because these four will be battling each other there. But if you're looking for something with a little more culture, look no further than the Williamsburg Scottish Festival, complete with more kilts, clans and Celtic music than you can shake a caber at.

The fest starts October 3 and carries on through the weekend. Celtic bands including Albannach and Greenwich Meantime (clever!) will ensure that you get your fill of bagpipe. And of course there will be traditional athletic events that involve people throwing really heavy things as far as they can.

The festival also seeks to assist people in tracing their Scottish roots. Take a trip down "Clan Row" to try to find your link back to the mother country. Last year there were almost 50 groups from across the nation with their own unique lineage, so you're almost guaranteed to find a picture of Grandpa McManus.

Related Stories:
· Williamsburg Scottish Festival [Official Site]
· Fall Travel coverage [Jaunted]]]> kjb 2008-09-26T14:05:34-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/19/114227/373

Potential First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama visited Paula Deen's studio in Norfolk, Virginia this week to tape an appearance on the Southern cooking show. Deen is originally from Savannah, but Virginia is still very much a swing state, which makes it already one of the most traveled states by both campaigns.

If you're in town on (political?) business, do a little grassroots outreach at one of our hot spots:]]> egw 2008-09-19T13:30:30-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/17/17233/6223

Michelle Obama has been noticeably missing from the headlines over the past few weeks while her hubby deals with the rise of that other lady.

But at least part of Michelle's absence can be attributed to a secret meeting with one of the country's prominent, er, tastemakers.]]> BS 2008-09-18T10:00:30-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/10/16341/3247

While everyone else was manufacturing controversy about who's wearing lipstick and who's a pig, candidates John McCain and Sarah Palin hosted quite a rally this morning in Fairfax, Virginia--exactly the type of suburban town conservative pundit David Frum is worried the Republican ticket might lose come November.

According to organizers, more than 20,000 people turned up at Van Dyck Park to hear the duo's stump speech, though the local fire marshal said the crowd was smaller than that.]]> pbb 2008-09-10T16:15:25-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/9/13822/16007

With fewer than 60 days left before the general election (it's true!) John McCain and Barack Obama will be crossing paths even more as they both try to hit the same battleground states. (Although they probably won't be seen in line at the same coffee shop--and we all know McCain just eats the roasted beans straight out of the bag.)

Joe Biden spoke in Des Moines last night at the Iowa State Fair, while the top of his ticket is appearing at a town hall today in Lebanon, Virginia, just days after Biden himself was working the small-town circuit in the Old Dominion. ]]> egw 2008-09-09T14:00:31-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/