The question isn't if Barack Obama is ready, Michelle Obama said. "The question is if we're ready," she said.Change happens from the bottom up, she said."It is not just about getting someone new sitting in the Oval Office," she said. "We've had that."Michelle Obama said…
Michelle Obama said her husband always chooses principle over power."Barack could have been a CEO, but he wanted to be a community organizer," she said.She noted that he was the first African American president of the Havard Law Review."To whom much is given much is…
Michelle Obama noted that her husband's mom was an 18-year white woman when Barack Obama was born."Now you know she was a dreamer," she said.She noted that her husband's family history, including his Kansan grandparents and the other side of his family, who are from…
Big applause line:"I will remember coming to spokane, driving down the streets and seeing there's a lot of work to be done here."She might have meant infrastructure, the crowd probably was thinking of snow removal
Here's Michelle Obama's first hint of criticism of Clinton (or, really, the Clintons):"It has gotten progressively worse for regular folks through Republican and Democratic administrations," she said.
Michelle Obama said the cost of college has become too high."We just paid off our educational debt three years ago," Obama said. "I'm still waiting for Barack's trust fund."She joked that she thought that maybe he had one since it was recently revealed that he…
Michelle Obama talked about her parents, who sent two kids to Princeton.Most folks are like her parents: "They don't want much," she said.But they want to be able to make a decent living and they want they're kids to have access to quality schools, she…
Hillary Clinton explains her health care plan:Open up the Congressional Health plan to let people who don't have insurance or don't like their insurance get coverage."If it's good enough for Congress, it's good enough for the American people."Regulate insurance companies differently, get rid of exclusions…
Clips from the stump speech that get a hand:"This election's going to be between more of the same and a new path."Blasts McCain for saying the nation could have troops in Iraq for 100 years.Calls for creating new jobs with "clean energy," and a "Strategic…
State Sen. Chris Marr pointed to his election in 2006 to a seat that had been dominated by Republicans that change already is happening in Spokane.He said he endorsed Obama more than a year ago because "he emodied the politics of possiblity, not the politics…
To the strains of "Takin' Care of Business" accompanied by Rep. Jay Inslee and Sen. Maria Cantwell.Inslee points out he used to represent part of Eastern Washington, and wants to get something off his chest. Not ready to elect a woman president? he asks. It…
In case no one's been paying attention to the 2008 presidential race, Michelle Obama will be standing in front of a banner that says "Change we can believe in." The word change is bigger than the Fox theater lettering in front.And the word "change" is…
The crowd at the West Central Community Center was just told Hillary Clinton's plane has landed in Spokane and she'll arrive in about 15 minutes.
Gov. Chris Gregoire, the most recent high-profile Obama endorser, warmed up today's Seattle crowd for Barrack Obama.In Spokane, state Sen. Chris Marr will get the honors for the Michelle Obama rally.AFTER THE FACT UPDATE: Marr actually introduced state Sen. Lisa Brown, who welcomed Obama to…
Clinton is now set to arrive about 3:30 or 3:45 p.m. Organizers at the center are encouraging people to move around and relax. They are playing music, including "I'm a Believer" by The Monkees, "Takin' Care of Business" and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" by…
City Council President Joe Shogan will attend the Clinton event, said city spokeswoman Marlene Feist.Feist earlier said Mayor Mary Verner would attend the Michelle Obama rally.
Organizers stopped letting people in the community center at 2:15 p.m. The last person in was Joanne Bailey, a part-time nurse and retired teacher. "I just feel very fortunate," she said.Bailey waited outside for one hour and 45 minutes. "I thought that would be plenty…
The overflow location is the Girl Scouts office at 1404 N. Ash St., about three blocks from the West Central Community Center. Spokane Fire Chief Bobby Williams says the community center has a capacity of 675 people. “There’s more out there than that,” Williams said.…
Spokane Mayor Mary Verner plans to attend today's rally with Michelle Obama, but that shouldn't be seen as an endorsement, said city spokeswoman Marlene Feist.Verner received invitations from the Clinton and Obama campaigns to attend their Friday afternoon events, Feist said. Michelle Obama's event fit…
Gov. Chris Gregoire held her endorsement cards close to the vest as long as possible, but this morning was time to show 'em.She's endorsing Barack Obama for president while both Democratic presidential candidates are in the state campaigning.More than just a boost before Saturday's caucuses,…
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