WA Democrats call for unity

Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., were supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton, but they told the Washington state Democratic convention their party has to now unify behind presumptive presidential candidate Barack Obama.

"This has been a history - and a her-story - changing election," Murray said on Saturday.

Cantwell told 1,300 delegates to "put our shoulders to the wheel" for the fall presidential election.

"I do want to see a strong Democratic woman in the White House," Cantwell said. "That's why I'm so glad Michelle Obama will be the next first lady."

The state Democrats spent much of the day listening to their party's elected officials and candidates deliver a message with a theme: The last eight years under George Bush as president have been bad and four more years under presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain would be bad, too.

"It's time for a president who gets it," Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar told the cheering crowd. Klobuchar was a last-minute addition to the state convention agenda.

Cantwell added, "If you want to change the agenda, change who's in charge."

First-time delegates Ron and Carolyn Gooley, a husband and wife from Cheney, wore "grandparents for Obama" buttons and sat in the front row for much of the afternoon.

They said they were drawn to the precinct caucuses by Obama, whom Ron Gooley described as "a breath of fresh air."

But some Clinton supporters from King and Snohomish counties said they were unhappy.

"We're ignored," said Rebecca Maryatt of Seattle. "I've heard many die-hard Democrats say they're going to vote for McCain."

Michael John O'Connor, a Snohomish County delegate, said except for Murray's praise of Clinton, there was hardly any mention during the convention of the Clinton's accomplishments.

Gov. Chris Gregoire accused Republican challenger Dino Rossi of misrepresenting himself as an Olympia outside who will bring change to state government.

"What's the difference between my opponent and George W. Bush?" Gregoire asked. "Absolutely nothing.

Gregoire said electing Rossi would equate to extending Bush's presidency and called Rossi's transportation plan, unveiled last month, grounded in fantasy. She said she'd worked over the past four years to improve the state's transportation system beyond the neglected system she had inherited.

The biggest endorsement decisions were in the races for state treasurer and for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, a nonpartisan post.

For treasurer, former state forecaster Chang Mook Sohn is running against Jim McIntire, both Democrats. The delegation opted to endorse McIntire by nearly a 9-1 margin.

For state superintendent, the party will endorse Randy Dorn, who is running against three-term incumbent Terry Bergeson. Dorn is executive director of the Public School Employees of Washington, which represents about 26,000 school workers who are not teachers. He's also a former legislator, teacher and Eatonville High School principal.

The Washington Education Association is trying to oust Bergeson, a former WEA president, for the second time because of her support of the WASL.

The three-day state convention ended on Sunday. The party will hold its national convention in August in Denver.

State Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, said Denver was going to be "one of those conventions that go down in history" because Obama will be nominated as the Democratic candidate for president.

"This will be the first African American of either party to be nominated as president," Murray said.