Seeking Minority Groups' Support
GOP Promotes Unity at Rally

By Christopher Twarowski
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, September 21, 2008

Northern Virginia Republicans held an ethnic unity rally yesterday at Edison High School in Alexandria, featuring former U.S. senator George Allen among the speakers. The event attracted several hundred supporters and a handful of vocal critics.

Allen discussed what he considered the pillars of a free society. "Freedom of religion, freedom of expression, private ownership of property and the rule of law: They're our God-given rights and protected. And, in fact, my friends, that's what unifies all of us here," he said to cheers.

Allen, who is also a former governor, compared the immigrant experience to growing up in a "football family, where you have a level playing field and you didn't care . . . what their ethnicity was, where they were from, their race. It didn't matter, as long as they could help that team win. And all of you all here are part of Team Virginia or Team America."

When he first reached the podium to speak, Allen was greeted by a shrieking whistle and two women screaming: "George Allen is a racist! Shame on the Republican Party for having him speak!"

The outburst referred to remarks by Allen in his 2006 reelection campaign against James Webb, in which he used a slur to refer to one of Webb's campaign volunteers, a college student of Indian descent.

Never breaking his smile, Allen raised his arms to quell ensuing boos and chants from the audience as the women were escorted out.

The rally was an attempt by Republicans to increase their appeal with the region's large minority population. Ethnic dance troupes performed, then members of the Vietnamese, Filipino, Chinese and Korean communities, among others, introduced GOP officials. Organizers had predicted a turnout of 1,000. It was closer to 500, said Jim Hyland, chairman of the Fairfax County Republican Committee.

Other speakers included former Virginia governor James S. Gilmore III, Rep. Frank R. Wolf, Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez, congressional candidates Mark W. Ellmore and Keith S. Fimian, and Joe McCain, brother of presidential candidate and Sen. John McCain (Ariz.).

The demonstrators -- Victoria Leavelle, 29, who is black, and Nancy Hwa, 45, who is of Chinese descent -- are Democrats. They continued to protest outside the school.

"When I found out that Allen was speaking at a rally specifically directed toward people of color, I was pretty appalled," said Hwa, accompanied by several other protesters outside.

Others, such as Kishan K. Putta, founder and national director of Indians for McCain, disagreed. "George Allen is here today," Putta, 34, said. "Actions speak louder than words."

As Republicans held their rally, officials supporting Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) fanned out across Virginia to generate enthusiasm for the Democrat's presidential campaign in the six weeks before the Nov. 4 election.

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.), Obama's running mate, spent his second consecutive day campaigning in the state. Biden, who spoke in Loudoun County on Friday, joined Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) in southwestern Virginia yesterday. They attended a United Mine Workers union fish fry in Russell County, in the heart of Virginia's coal country.

But many of Obama's Virginia events yesterday were aimed at reaching out to women.

Susan Eisenhower, a Republican and granddaughter of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, spoke at a Women for Obama tea at a private home in McLean. She was accompanied by Kaine's wife, Anne Holton.

Eisenhower told the audience that she decided to endorse Obama during the primaries because he has the "intelligence and temperament" to bring people together. In an interview after the event, she made a pitch for other Republican women to get behind Obama, noting the upheaval on Wall Street last week.

"This is the first open election with no heir apparent since 1952, when my grandfather was on the ballot," Eisenhower said. "This gives the country an opportunity to think outside of party lines. This country is facing some issues of such fundamental importance as our standing in the world and on our own prosperity, so we have to think as Americans first."

Several surrogates, including former secretary of state Madeleine K. Albright and former national security adviser Richard A. Clarke, were to appear at town hall meetings across Virginia yesterday focusing on national security.

Staff writer Tim Craig contributed to this report.