Joel Connelly (Strange Bedfellows, Seattle P-I political blog): Seattle attorney David McDonald was too tired to sleep last weekend after working with fellow members of the Democratic Rules Committee to settle the battle over seating of the Florida and Michigan delegations.
He spent a few hours sightseeing in Washington, D.C., several hours in the air thinking, and decided to endorse Barack Obama.
"The sticking block for me was waiting until the rules committee issues were decided," McDonald said.
Obama was picking off "superdelegates," McDonald included, and by day's end stood just little more than 40 short of the 2,118 he needs to claim the Democratic presidential nomination.
A few leaders of Hillary Clinton's campaign - ex-Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa, and former Democratic Chairman Don Fowler - made public statements Monday that they expect Obama to be the Democratic nominee.
The Montana and South Dakota primaries will allocate just 31 delegates, meaning that "superdelegates" must put Obama over the top.
McDonald has served for years as attorney for the state Democratic Party, and as a peacemaker in the party. He calmed down angry Jerry Brown supporters in 1992, after the party's proportional representation rules gave Bill Clinton an extra delegate in the 7th District.
He predicted that state Democrats will come together after the months-long battle between the "Gentleman from Illinois" and "Gentle Lady from New York."
"Washington voters are intelligent enough to see the huge gap between Bush and McCain, and Obama and Clinton. It's (unity) a challenge, but not as difficult as some might think."
At the start of a conversation, however, McDonald indicated that Obama-Clinton divisions are still felt at the K & L Gates law firm where he practices.
"People here are partly for Obama, and partly for Clinton, so I am not sure they want to hear me," he said. "Let me close the door."
Barack Obama
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