Obama vows to fight for middle class in Roanoke appearance Some 3,000 people gathered in downtown Roanoke to hear the president outline his economic policies, present and future. By Mason Adams 981-3253 An enthusiastic crowd cheers for President Barack Obama in Roanoke on Friday night. Dark clouds loomed above the brightly lit bricks of historic Fire Station No. 1 in Roanoke, but the rain held off as President Barack Obama rallied a crowd of energized supporters by casting the fall election as a choice between policies that help the rich and those that help the middle and working classes. More...