Dems storm into Cheney country

Wyoming takes national spotlight with caucus today

By David Montero, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Originally published 09:21 p.m., March 7, 2008
Updated 10:32 p.m., March 7, 2008

Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND

AFP/Getty Images

Sen. Barack Obama addresses a rally at the University of Wyoming in Laramie on Friday evening.

Most everyone here in this tiny oil town knows who the political celebrity is.

Natrona County High School named its football field after him. The federal building in downtown bears his name, too.

"His old high school buddies are all over the place," confirmed resident Katy Cushing. "A lot of people seem to know him."

Even Bill Luckett, spokesman for the Wyoming Democratic Party, called Dick Cheney "a rock star."

Without a doubt, this is Dick Cheney country. The vice president and former congressman from the state chose Wyoming to be the first place to make public comments after he accidentally shot a hunting buddy in 2006. He lovingly called the state home in an address to both houses of the Wyoming legislature.

But for at least the past couple of days, Cheney might have a little trouble recognizing the place. After all, the state has caucus fever - Democrat-style. So much so, the Republican presidential nemesis named Clinton has traipsed all over like he owned the place or something. Riverton. Rock Springs. Laramie.

Not just former President Clinton, either.

His wife was in Cheyenne on Friday afternoon and then in Casper that night. Also showing up in Cheney's backyard was Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, who used the vice president as a punch line early in the campaign when it was revealed the two were distantly, distantly related.

Every delegate counts

For those keeping score, that's three Democrat heavyweights fighting over 18 delegates - 12 pledged and six unpledged delegates in today's caucus.

In the national picture, Wyoming looked like a blip on the primary calendar earlier this year. But with Sen. Hillary Clinton's wins in Ohio and Texas this week, both campaigns have taken the every-delegate-counts strategy to new heights - zeroing in on Wyoming and Mississippi next week before the big fish - Pennsylvania - April 22.

Currently, according to the Web site Real Clear Politics, Obama holds a delegate lead of 1,581 to 1,460 - a race so tight that a lot has been made of the possibility of a split convention in Denver in August.

"It's great, isn't it?" Nina Beach said, holding her 1-month-old baby, Creighton, in a sling adorned with an Obama '08 sticker at that candidate's rally Friday afternoon. "In my 18 years as a registered voter, I've never seen anything like this."

Beach is an unabashed Obama supporter. She even changed her party registration this year so she could caucus for him. Beach was unaffiliated before becoming a Democrat.

Political gods smiling

Wyoming has a little more than 218,000 registered voters. Only 59,130 are Democrats. Luckett said to not jump to the conclusion that what has transpired over the past three days reflects a different political trajectory for the state. He also said to not expect the eventual nominee after being crowned in Denver in August will be making return trips to Wyoming.

"My inclination is to say there probably won't be a visit after this," he said. "What is happening now is part of a long process. But it's a start."

That's what former Democratic Gov. Mike Sullivan said, too.

A Hillary Clinton supporter, Sullivan walked around the gym at Casper College, chatting up the candidate and beaming with pride about his party's high profile this week.

"Circumstances and events sometimes dictate the political gods smile," he said. "And the political gods are smiling on Wyoming this week."

Clinton was about an hour late for her rally in front of 800 at the gym. The crowd, which waited in line outside in bitter cold weather, didn't seem to mind, though. They'd periodically wave blue Hillary placards, let out a cheer when someone would go on stage to check the microphone or mingle with other supporters to discuss how great it all was.

Just like at the Obama rally at the Casper Recreation Center earlier in the day.

Exciting time

With about 1,200 packed into the gym there, Obama made a few references to "the Cowboy state" and praised the milk shakes at Johnny J's.

He also acknowledged the redness of the state, but offered hope for Democrats, saying he's already had some Wyoming Republicans come up to him, shake his hand and whisper that they're supporting him. Obama said he thanked them for their support - with a caveat.

"I whisper back," he said.

Greg Williams, a 30-year-old black man, came to see Obama and said he was impressed with what he read about the Illinois senator. But to see him say the same stuff in person? Priceless.

"I think it's great to have the chance," he said. "I wouldn't miss this."

National Democratic leaders and Wyoming don't rub shoulders too often. Sullivan said he remembered endorsing President Bill Clinton in front of a crowd of 40 in 1991 - a year before he was elected president.

But he said before he won the election in 1992, Clinton came to Wyoming and spoke before about 5,000 people. That was the last time a Democratic presidential candidate stepped foot in the state.

Still, the candidates were talking like they knew the state.

Clinton waxed on about energy, talking about how "the wind energy produced in Wyoming could power the state of California." Obama earlier in the day talked energy, too.

Other themes were broader. Health care. Cost for college tuition. The recession.

Luckett said the week has been unlike anything he's ever seen.

The spotlight has been more than glaring. He's been fielding calls from all over the world. He said Japan, Spain and France have all been trying to get information about the state.

"I've been working 12-hour days with the phone ringing off the hook," he said. "I don't think I'll sleep until Saturday night."

And, by most accounts, Cheney will get his state back. For now.