If you were ever wondering what impact the Electoral College has on the race for president, today's line of attack by Mitt Romney and subsequent response from the Obama campaign are perfect examples.
(Mitt Romney visited a closed down Bill's BBQ)
The Electoral College system, which divides the states up into a series of individual contests, forces the candidates for president to dive down deep into local issues. On Thursday Romney visited the shuttered Richmond institution Bill's BBQ, and released this web ad blaming at least some of the companies struggles on the Obama administration:
But while the owners of Bill's put their support behind Romney, another prominent Barbecue restaruant, Buz & Ned's defended the president. They say their business is thriving, in part to a series of small business loans provided by the federal government. Their latest one came during the Obama administration and allowed them to open a new facility in the West End.
The battle is one only a Richmonder could care about and it shows just how important this campaigns consider you vote.
Here is my story for NBC12:
CAROLINE COUNTY, VA (WWBT)- Not only are the candidates for president spending a lot of time in Virginia, they are now talking about issues that only people here would care about. In his visit to Caroline County, Mitt Romney launched a new attack against President Obama and used a Richmond based business to illustrate his point.
Sometimes it seems like the Electoral College turns people running for president into city council candidates.
Every vote in Virginia, and even Richmond, is so important they need to connect with you on something you are familiar with.
Like your favorite barbeque.
The clock is running out and the campaigns are pulling out all the stops. Mitt Romney rolled into an Exhibition Hall at the Meadow Event Park in his campaign bus. He then fired up the crowd.
"I know the president wants to see four more years and that is his chant 4 more years, 4 more years,” he said. “But our chant is this, 5 more days."
It was a message loyal republicans in attendance wanted to hear, but the overall theme of the rally was much more than that.
Romney put a special emphasis on small business and he drove home that point by highlighting a Richmond based business.
This morning the Romney team released a web video, featuring the Richmond institution Bill’s BBQ. The business shut down completely a few weeks ago. The owner told Romney in a visit before the candidate came to Caroline, that the Obama Administration is to blame for at least part of her company’s struggles.
"She said taxes, federal regulation and then she also said Obamacare," said Romney during his stump speech. "Those three things are crushing small business."
At its height Bill’s employed around 200 people. Now every single restaurant is closed. But not everyone believes that is Barack Obama's fault. Buz and Ned's another Richmond barbecue is thriving. They just opened a second location, thanks in part to a federal small business loan.
"We benefited directly from the government's ability to help small business," said Buz Grossberg, the Owner of Buz and Ned's. "Through, the S-B-A, small business administration we have loans."
read and see the full story on NBC12.com
Here is the video from our story:
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