Barack Obama is covering all his bases during his tour of three Western states. He's got patriotism, a Memorial Day event for veterans. He's got cowboys, the location is the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. He's got Hispanic voters, Gov. Bill Richardson introduced him. He even has a nod to the environment: The Organ Mountains loom behind him as birds sing and the New Mexico wind blows.
Obama is signaling, even before the Democratic primary formally wraps up, that he intends to fight this fall for Western states that narrowly went Republican four years ago.
New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado aren't Democratic blue or Republican red. Instead, they're known as purple states. Together, they account for only 19 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House. But those votes could be vital in a close race.
THE DELEGATE COUNT
Barack Obama: 1,978 -- 48 short of clinching the Democratic nomination
Hillary Rodham Clinton: 1,780
THE FINAL PRIMARIES
June 1: Puerto Rico, 55 pledged delegates
June 3: Montana, 16 delegates; South Dakota, 15 delegates
ASSOCIATED PRESS
