Gov. Freudenthal endorses Sen. Obama

It's not exactly breaking news, but Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president. Freudenthal is a Democrat, one of a long line of Dem govs in this Republican-dominated state, our only statewide elected official with a "D" by his name. The blue-and-white bumper stickers for his 2006 reelection campaign read "Gov Dave." Chalk that up to his long last name which would gobble up valuable truck bumper space. It's also folksier, an even more valuable commodity in Wyoming.

Gov Dave said that he talked with both Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton during their March swings through the state. He was impressed with Obama's grasp of energy and environmental issues. He has witheld his endorsement as a superdelegate for what he said was a lack of attention to Western issues by the candidates.

There's a bigger issue at stake, as the Governor said at yesterday's news conference:

"The overriding consideration is my belief that Senator Obama constitutes the one candidate in the race who possesses the skills the take this country away from the sort of vicious partisanship and anger that characterizes everything that goes on in Washington, D.C., and has led to essentially a paralysis in this country."

He's the third of five Wyoming superdelegates to declare for Obama.