Michelle Obama raises 320K for Gregoire

A fundraising lunch held yesterday by Michelle Obama on behalf of Governor Chris Gregoire (D-Olympia) raised at least $320,000 for the governor's campaign against Dino Rossi, the Seattle Post Intelligencer reported. Added to the figures from the Gregoire campaign's latest filings, the boost would bring the governor's current cash on hand to approximately $4.54 million.

Obama told the crowd of 1,600 that the tight race, a re-match of 2004's close election, was not necessary given Gregoire's record.

"What are you all thinking? This should be over." the P-I quoted Obama as saying. “Don't change a thing, it's not broken”

Gregoire in turn heaped praise on Obama's husband.

"Imagine the possibilities if we had a true partner in the other Washington," the P-I reported Gregoire telling the crowd. "Imagine what we can do with a partnership with Barack Obama."

Yet even before the guests at the event had even touched their grilled chicken salad and strawberry parfait, the Washington Republican Party had a response. In a video the party posted on YouTube Thursday, “a few Washingtonians” were shown responding to Michelle Obama's often quoted remark that her husband's campaign made her proud to be American for the first time in her life.

“I'm proud to be an American because I live in the land of the free and the home of the brave,” said Lori Sotelo, King County Republican Party Chairwoman.