Obama picks Virginia as his last stop before the DNC

It was his last appearance in front of a crowd before he formally accepts the Democratic nomination for president and Barack Obama chose Virginia for that last rally.

The rally itself wasn't much different than the more than 40 visits Mr. Obama has made to the Commonwealth, but this was significant because of its timing and the important role Virginia will play come November.

We we granted an interview with President Obama following the event. It was the 2nd time we have interviewed the president since he was elected, the third time since he has been involved in presidential politics. We talked about his line from a speech in Roanoke where he said "if you have a business, you didn't build that" which became the theme for the Republican National Convention. We asked him if America is better off than it was four years ago, and we asked what we should expect in terms of a crowd for his acceptenace speech which is scheduled to take place in a football stadium.

The interview will air starting tomorrow morning on NBC12. Our main story on the interview will happen on NBC12 News at 6. The interview in its entirety will be posted here on Decision Virginia.

Meanwhile, the president worked to build momentum leading into Charlotte with a rally this afternoon in Norfolk.

The president is making sure his supporters get out the vote. Here is my story from NBC12:

It was his closing argument ahead of the Democratic National Convention. Barack Obama came to Norfolk to pump up Virginia voters leading into this important week in his campaign.

In a town that came out from him big in 2008, in front of a crowd that hung on his every word, Barack Obama laid out the stakes for November.

"The good news is Virginia, that in just two months you get to choose which path we take," he said.

The president wove a tale of his first four years in office. He argued that he deserves a chance to continue what he started. The friendly crowd agreed.

"Four more years!” they chanted, “Four more years."

Republicans, like Pete Snyder, said that the president spends all of his time playing to crowds he knows will agree with his message.

"He tends to show up only where his base is, so usually in inner cities and urban areas,” said Snyder, a potential GOP candidate for Lt. Governor.  “We haven't been seeing him out in the real swing battlegrounds of Virginia."

That crowd of close to 12 thousand not only heard the president tout his own accomplishments, they also listened as the president took aim at Mitt Romney's opposition to "Obamacare".

"Which means he'd kick nearly 7 million young people off their parents plan, he'd make seniors prescription drugs more expensive,” Obama claimed.  “Maybe we should call his plan Romney doesn't care.”

Snyder believes the president's words are designed to mask his true record on the issues that count the most.

read and see the full story on NBC12.com

And don't forget, the entire one on one interview with Barack Obama can been seen right here on Decision Virginia tomorrow.