Obama, Clinton Visit Washington State
SEATTLE -- Barack Obama and his wife Michelle will campaign in the state with the biggest delegate prize in tomorrow's contests: Washington State.
Obama expects to do well in the caucuses here because of his ground operation and because of key endorsements. He's been endorsed by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice. Washington's largest labor union, SEIU, which represents over 100,000 workers, has also endorsed Obama.
On the other hand, Hillary Clinton, who is also campaigning in Washington state today, has received the endorsements of Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murry, D-Wash. and former Gov. Gary Locke.
Current Gov. Chris Gregoire has said she will endorse before Washington's caucuses, so look for that announcement very soon.
Obama will tour the McKinstry Company in the morning before hosting a rally in Seattle. Michelle Obama will host a rally in Spokane.
Last night, after Hillary Clinton's campaign urged Obama to participate in a debate a week between now and the March 4 primaries in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont, Obama's camp announced they will participate in two at the end of the month: one in Ohio and Texas. Clinton's folks said she had accepted debates before Tuesday's primaries in D.C., Virginia and Maryland but those were not Obama's list.
Earlier in the day, he explained why he was reluctant to commit to a debate a week saying, "I've got to spend time with voters. We got seven primaries in seven days. You know, Sen. Clinton's better known in a lot of these states. I've got to do more work on the ground. But we'll have more debates."
In addition to Washington State, Democrats will vote or caucus in Louisiana and Nebraska tomorrow, Maine on Sunday and D.C., Virginia and Maryland on Tuesday.