Democrats choose delegates

By Brad Shannon | The Olympian • Published May 20, 2008

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Thurston County is sending an unusually large number of delegates to the Democratic National Convention in August, including well-known former Army chaplain James Yee, who is pledged to Sen. Barack Obama.

Yee found himself speaking unexpectedly in counterpoint to another celebrity, actor Ted Danson of "Cheers" fame, a backer of Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Danson dropped in at the last minute at the behest of Clinton's state campaign to give a speech, but Obama's people were in greater numbers, including Yee.

Of the 10 delegates and two alternates allocated directly to the Denver convention from the 9th and 3rd congressional districts, six are from Thurston County, and two-thirds favor Obama. Additional at-large delegates will be chosen at the Democrats' state convention June 13 to 15 in Spokane.

"We are way better represented than we have (been) in recent history," said Debby Pattin, a Democratic Party officer who organized the Obama campaign in Thurston County. "I think it's because we work like dogs."

Zach Smith said Clinton's state campaign didn't let anyone know Danson was coming.

"What Danson said basically is experience is really important, and that whoever is elected is going to have a world of difficulties on their hands," Smith said. "He thought Clinton was the best candidate to take care of that, but he really emphasized that it is important for Democrats to come together and unify … that was the main part of his message."

The 3rd District delegates include Pattin, who is pledged to Obama, and former state Democratic Party Chairman Paul Berendt, a Clinton delegate. Stewart Henderson is an alternate for Obama. From the 9th District are Zach Smith, a former supporter of John Edwards who is now pledged to Clinton; Yee; and Natalie Stevens, an alternate for Obama.

Yee is a Muslim who was jailed amid suspicions he was acting as a spy at the U.S.-run detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 2003. An investigation cleared him of all charges, and he won an honorable discharge, although he said he's still trying to get back all of the materials taken from him during his arrest.