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Romney talks barbecue, Friday Night Lights at Virginia campaign event

Posted at 3:32 PM, Nov 01, 2012
and last updated 2012-11-01 19:39:27-04
Mitt Romney leaves Bill's Barbecue in Richmond. (PHOTO: Sandra Jones)

Mitt Romney leaves Bill’s Barbecue in Richmond. (PHOTO: Sandra Jones)

DOSWELL, Va. (WTVR) – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney rallied voters at Meadow Event Park. Romney was joined on stage by fellow Republicans Governor Bob McDonnell, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and U.S. Senate candidate George Allen.

The afternoon stop in Doswell was sandwiched between a morning campaign stop in Roanoke and one in Virginia Beach later Thursday evening.

“I know the President Wants to See four more years, that is his chant four more years, well our chant is this five more days,” Romney told the crowd.

Prior to Thursday afternoon's campaign rally, the Romney campaign released a video - seemingly targeted to the Central Virginia market - in which the owner of Richmond restaurant Bill's Barbecue blamed President Obama's administration for forcing her to close her stores earlier this month.

Before he arrived at the rally, Gov. Romney made a stop at the now closed Bill's Barbecue restaurant on Boulevard near Broad Street. There he met with the restaurant's owner. A meeting he talked about during the rally.

"[She said] she's going to close her doors, business was closing up," Romney said. "[She blamed] taxes, federal regulations and then she also said 'Obamacare.' Those three things are crushing small businesses."

Romney told the crowd about his commitment to not raising taxes as well as his desire to change America's Energy Policy.

"We need to take full advantage of our oil, our coal, our gas, our nuclear, and our renewables, Romney said.

Members of the Obama response team were on hand to respond to Governor Romney's claims, especially his handling of the economy.

"I think for the Republicans to just fall back on that we're not doing this fast enough, that we are not cleaning up their mess fast enough shows that that don't have a claim to make," Democratic Jennifer McClellan, a VA House Delegate, said.

Gov. Romney ended the speech by evoking a famous line from the television show Friday Night Lights, "Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can't lose."