I'm in the WaMu Theater inside the Qwest Event Center. Michelle Obama is the headliner at a lunch fundraiser for Gov. Chris Gregoire.

It cost $200 per person to get in. There are seats for 1,600. (You do the math, though the campaign is hoping people will give more than the minimum.)

More when the action starts.

Former Gov. Gary Locke is the first speaker. He was a Clinton supporter during the primaries. He says there are more than 1,600 people here.

Locke said:

Gov. Chris Gregoire has been an awesome governor.

I wonder if Gregoire regrets any of those not-so-awesome things she has said about the Locke years.

Gregoire and her daughter, Michelle, are on stage. Gregoire is showing the crowd a small, electronic counter:

It tells us how long before George W. Bush leaves office.

Gregoire, who has backed Obama since February, said she wanted to give a big thanks to Hillary Clinton for running for president, and for now backing Barack Obama.