Barack Obama campaign

opening office Thursday
By Scott Nicholson
nicholson@wataugademocrat.com

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The Barack Obama campaign is setting up shop in Boone.

With North Carolina's May 6 primary expected to become a key battleground for the Democratic presidential nomination, the Obama For America campaign is opening an office at the intersection of King and Straight streets.

The office is having an official public kickoff with an open house on Thursday, April 3, at 6:30 p.m.
The Obama campaign opened 13 offices in North Carolina on Saturday, and both Sen. Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton have been making recent campaign appearances in the state. Clinton attended a private fundraiser in Blowing Rock last year.

The Washington Post reported that all seven N.C. Democratic congressional members will come out in support of Obama, but the Obama campaign is publicly not conceding that it has locked up the state's May 6 primary.

Obama has a 21-point lead in North Carolina, according to Public Policy Polling, and is gaining ground among white voters. However, the polls also suggest that about half of all voters are open to changing their votes and support before the primaries and General Election, making the state loom large when historically the nominations are usually settled by the time North Carolina's primaries roll around.

CBS-TV has been negotiating to sponsor a debate in the state and both camps have been wooing former senator and presidential candidate John Edwards, who might be in the mix as a vice-presidential running mate.

The Obama campaign is pursuing a second King Street location but has made no official announcements.