May 2, 2008 2:51 PM
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Guam Takes Its Turn Tomorrow
Political watchers may be focused on next Tuesday's primaries in North Carolina and Indiana, but those states aren't next in line on the nominating calendar. That designation falls to the territory of Guam, where four delegates are up for grabs in caucuses tomorrow.
And in a tight Democratic nomination battle in which every delegate counts, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are not ignoring the oft-overlooked territory, which is about 20 hours from Washington D.C. by plane but just a few hours from Japan.
Both are engaging in local advertising in an effort to win over the 3,000-plus people expected to caucus in Guam, though neither candidate has campaigned there in person. Clinton, the Wall Street Journal notes, is reminding residents of her many visits to the island in the 1990s, while Obama is referencing his childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia.
"I learned firsthand about the unique issues facing Pacific island communities," Obama said in a letter published in the territory's newspapers. He has also said that local contractors should do much of the construction work for US military forces – the island houses a major naval base.
Guam residents are U.S. citizens, but they cannot vote in the general election. Clinton has suggested that needs to be changed.
"Guam deserves equity, rights and privileges that go with voting and equity in certain programs like education and healthcare. We want to work for empowerment and self-determination," she said.
And in a tight Democratic nomination battle in which every delegate counts, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are not ignoring the oft-overlooked territory, which is about 20 hours from Washington D.C. by plane but just a few hours from Japan.
Both are engaging in local advertising in an effort to win over the 3,000-plus people expected to caucus in Guam, though neither candidate has campaigned there in person. Clinton, the Wall Street Journal notes, is reminding residents of her many visits to the island in the 1990s, while Obama is referencing his childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia.
"I learned firsthand about the unique issues facing Pacific island communities," Obama said in a letter published in the territory's newspapers. He has also said that local contractors should do much of the construction work for US military forces – the island houses a major naval base.
Guam residents are U.S. citizens, but they cannot vote in the general election. Clinton has suggested that needs to be changed.
"Guam deserves equity, rights and privileges that go with voting and equity in certain programs like education and healthcare. We want to work for empowerment and self-determination," she said.
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Brian Montopoli Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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