Democrats choose delegates

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.

For Obama

Yee was elected Saturday at the 9th District convention at North Thurston High School, one of nine congressional caucuses Democrats had throughout the state.

"I came out and basically reiterated that Sen. Obama is really the only candidate that consistently campaigns on rejecting torture without exception, on closing Guantanamo Bay, restoring habeas (corpus) and adhering to the Geneva Conventions," Yee said Monday.

He added that he sees himself as "living proof that civil liberties have been eroded since 9/11" because of what he calls "fear-mongering politics" led by conservatives.

Smith gave credit to the county party's organization, led by Chairman John Cusick, for getting so many county delegates this year.

"Thurston County has a strong message in the peace movement. Now we're going to carry that message forward to the national convention, to let people know how important it is that we get out of Iraq and look at some of our priorities at home," Smith said.

Democrats in all nine Washington districts also brought precinct committee officers together. The PCOs voted to nominate candidates for Congress. In the 9th District, they approved Rep. Adam Smith, D-Tacoma.

Third District precinct officers who met in Napavine gave strong support to U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, D-Vancouver, nominating him by a 59-24 vote over self- described peace candidate Cheryl Crist. Baird voted against the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2002, but last year drew criticism from some peace advocates because he said the United States owes it to Iraq to provide stability for a longer period of time while its young government jells.

Republicans have a simpler process and will select their national at-large and congressional district delegates May 29 to 31 at their state convention, also in Spokane, Thurston County Republican Party Chairman Dan Cathers said.