Morning News

From the St. Louis Dispatch:

"You'll see that a vote for John McCain is a vote for George Bush's third term,'' Obama said before about 200 people at Thorngate Ltd., a clothing-manufacturing plant that is one of the few remaining factories in Cape Girardeau.

"Four more years of George Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. ... Four more years of a health care plan that works for the healthy and the wealthy while tens of millions go without care.

... "Four more years of a war that has cost us thousands of lives and a trillion dollars without making us safer, while we run up a mountain of debt that is mortgaging our children's future."

Obama spoke for about an hour, including a question-and-answer session ...

... Thorngate was chosen for Tuesday's stop in part because its 360 employees are union. The audience cheered when Obama pointed out that he was wearing a union-made suit manufactured in the United States.

... Said Cape Girardeau County Democratic Chairwoman Brenda Woemmel: "The mere fact that he came here, to Rush Limbaugh's hometown, says: 'I'm not surrendering any territory, any voter, or assuming that I don't have a chance.'"

Janice Williams, a worker at Thorngate for 13 years, said simply, "I want a change in the White House."

From the Associated Press:

Oregon and Kentucky hold primaries May 20, but Obama is putting nearly all his focus now on November battleground states. On Wednesday, he will campaign in two Michigan areas that are home to many so-called Reagan Democrat, the blue-collar voters ...

Next week he will be in Florida. Florida and Michigan not only are competitive states where McCain will campaign. They also need Obama's close attention to soothe hurt feelings over a scheduling quarrel that led the national Democratic Party to essentially nullify the results of their primaries in January.

Obama could draw bigger, noisier crowds this week by holding rallies in St. Louis and Detroit, his aides noted, but he wants to target swing voters in less heavily Democratic communities.

"He knows he needs to spend more time in places like Cape Girardeau, Hannibal, Poplar Bluff, Springfield, Columbia, and multiply that by 50," said McCaskill, an early endorser. "He has got to make sure that people outside of Democratic strongholds understand he is somebody who loves his country very much and will fight for the middle class."

McCaskill said Obama is "trying to show his belief that there are no red places or blue places or Democratic states or Republican states, there's just a whole lot of America that wants a different set of priorities in the White House."

From the Chicago Tribune:

Excitement over [next] Tuesday's primary echoed everywhere, from the TV ("Oregon could put Obama over the top!"); to the newspapers ("Oregon at Center of Presidential Fight"); to cafes like the little one on High Street where I met Mike, 56, and his friend Steve Christiansen, 60.

"There's a buzz on the street, conversation at work," Mike said. "My kids talk about it at the dinner table. It's been re-energizing for a lot of people in Oregon."

... For once, said Mike, the people of Portland and Eugene and Tillamook and Bend have been able to press primary candidates on such Oregon issues as timber subsidies, water rights, salmon. In the past few weeks, Mike's teenage son got to shake both Democratic candidates' hands. Steve waited eight hours in line to shake Barack Obama's.

... Mike planned to head to Obama headquarters on Willamette Street the next day to pick up canvassing supplies. He hadn't canvassed since 1972.

"To be part of the primary, to be in play has been great," he said. "Great for our family, great for our friends, great for our state."

... I heard that over and over. The interminable primary was giving Oregonians chances they rarely get—to see candidates, to learn campaign skills, to make political alliances, to organize for the fall, to feel part of presidential history.

From the Mail Tribune:

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's presidential bid received an unlikely boost Tuesday in the form of a past Mississippi governor and a former Bill Clinton appointee.

Ray Mabus blew into Medford's Central Library after a 950-mile trek through rural Oregon in support of Obama. The former governor hoped to rally voters for the May 20 Democratic primary.

... Mabus spent the day in North Bend and Roseburg before ending in Medford, where approximately 30 people greeted him. Most wore pins, stickers and T-shirts emblazed with the Illinois senator's face.

Mabus chose to support Obama last April despite his appointment during Bill Clinton's presidency as the United States ambassador to Saudi Arabia. He was the governor of Mississippi from 1988 to 1992.

Mabus spoke informally, suggesting that Obama's campaign shows a lot about his personality.

"If you want to know what kind of president Obama will be, just look at the type of campaign he's run," Mabus said. "He did not go negative."

He then went on to described how people who live in rural areas stand to gain from an Obama presidency. Among other things, Mabus said Obama supports student loan forgiveness to medical students who choose to practice in rural areas.

.... Jacksonville resident Dan Davis announced the creation of a "Veterans for Obama" group during Mabus' speech. Davis was a part of the "Veterans for Kerry" movement in 2004.

"We're just getting our feet on the ground," Davis said. "We feel veterans have a lot at stake in this election. We are concerned by the criminal actions by the current administration in the Iraq war and ignoring veterans when they return home."

From the Native American Times:

The Obama campaign announced today the endorsements of the Crow Nation and the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation. Tribal leaders cited Sen. Obama's commitment to Indian Country and to the issues facing its residents.

"Sen. Obama's leadership qualities and commitment to issues of importance to Indian country distinguish him from his opponents" said Chairman A.T. Stafne of the Ft. Peck Tribes. "Our twelve voting members in the Tribal Council passed this endorsement resolution unanimously. I was personally impressed with his commitment to a true government-to-government relationship and his promise to appoint a Native American policy advisor in his White House. "

"Senator Obama understands the challenges facing Native Americans in Montana," said Crow Nation Chairman Carl Venne. "His record as a US Senator shows that he cares about Indian communities. He respects Indian sovereignty and is a strong advocate for Indian healthcare and education."