2008 Presidential Campaign

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama created a minor media storm, very minor compared to Rev. Wright for instance, on Sunday in Pendleton, Oregon when he confessed at a campaign question and answer session that he was unaware of the problem with the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Cleaning up Hanford, which has required billions of dollars in federal funding and whose nuclear waste has the potential to dramatically impact the region if it escapes, is one of America's premier environmental issues.

A few days later, Washington Republicans continue to attempt to make Obama's foible a campaign issue here in the state. On Tuesday Washington State Republican Party Chair Luke Esser wrote a letter to supporters attempting to raise money on the issue.

Politics, especially when it comes to environmental issues, often crosses political boundaries. Such was the case Sunday in Pendleton, Ore. At a rally there, Barack Obama was asked about his policy regarding the Hanford Nuclear Reservation cleanup. Obama was stumped.

"Here's something that you will rarely hear from a politician, and that is that I'm not familiar with the Hanford site, so I don't know exactly what's going on there," he answered. "Now, having said that, I promise you I'll learn about it by the time I leave here on the ride back to the airport."

U.S. Sen. John McCain: Photo by Getty ImagesPresidential candidate John McCain (R-Ariz.), the presumptive Republican nominee, is expected to come to Seattle in two weeks for a global warming event in what will be his first visit to the state since the Feb. 9 caucuses when he visited the Seattle Westin on a routine campaign stop.

The Democrats are already baring their teeth in advance of his visit, having sent out a press release this week highlighting what they say is his prominent role in Boeing's recent loss of a multi-billion dollar Air Force contract. State Chair Dwight Pelz even warned McCain not to come around here after that sour deal.

It turns out that the Democrats may have their hands full with candidate McCain this summer. The McCain campaign has recently said that they plan to seriously pursue Western states this election, notably the three West Coast states of California, Oregon and Washington.