RICHMOND, Va. -- Sarah Palin completed a swing through the South in the battleground state of Virginia, rallying supporters late Saturday with a pointed attack on what she called the far-left policies of Barack Obama.
"Barack Obama is for bigger government and he's going to raise your taxes," the Republican vice presidential candidate told an enthusiastic crowd of thousands gathered on a high school football field.
"Our opponent's plan is for more and bigger government. Too often government is the problem, not the solution," Palin said to cheers arising from a sea of red, white and blue pompons at a rally that had the flavor of a Friday night game.
Making her fourth stop in Virginia since becoming John McCain's running mate, Palin and the other candidates have become regular visitors as both campaigns seek to make history -- for the Democrats, seeking to break a 44-year GOP run on presidential elections in Virginia, and for the Republicans keeping that streak going.
Recent polls show Obama with a slight edge.
Palin stood in the middle of the Deep Run High School football field and repeated familiar themes of the campaign, often to the chants of her ardent supporters. One held a sign that read "Phil the Bricklayer" and supporters repeatedly interrupted her 30-minute address with chants of "Drill, baby, drill" and "Palin, Palin, Palin."
"Virginia, the time for choosing is near," Palin said three days before Election Day. "Are you ready to make John McCain the next president of the United States?"
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Palin warned of a Democratic "monopoly of power" if Obama is elected and mentioned Democratic congressional leaders to jeers from the crowd.
She railed against what she called Obama's "phony" tax plan and credited Joe the Plumber -- the Ohio tradesman who engaged Obama at a campaign stop -- for pressing the Democrat on taxes.
"He wasn't afraid to call him out on it," Palin said. "He succeeded where the rest of us failed."
Palin asked the crowd, "If you want to work hard and not dash your children's dreams, can we count on your vote, Virginia?"
