Sausage Links, fancy-pants luncheon edition

The Queen of fist-bumps, New Yorker cover girl Michelle Obama, is in Seattle today to headline a fundraiser for Gov. Chris Gregoire. The event is expected to bring in $400,000 for Gregoire's re-election campaign. Seattle Times chief political reporter David Postman will have live coverage of the event as it develops, while Eli Sanders at The Stranger already has pictures from the WaMu Theater. ...

According to SurveyUSA's latest poll in the Washington state gubernatorial contest, Gregoire still has a slim 3-point advantage over GOP challenger Dino Rossi. ...

Meanwhile, University of Washington professor David Domke, an expert on the intersection of faith and politics, argues in today's edition of The Seattle Times that Republicans could actually lose the votes of many religious Americans to the Democrats. ...

Let's say grace: Former Oregon state Rep. Jackie Taylor — a Democratic leader of the state's north coast and a tribal leader — died Tuesday at the age of 73. ...

Throw a fork in it: Spokane Mayor Mary Verner says "no thank you" to big-box retail. ...

Throw some salt on it: The Washington State board of education wants to make it even harder to graduate high school — but the board can't find the funds to make it happen. ...

Anti-pasta: Chris Gregoire received praise from environmental groups for "standing up for our health, safety and our environment" by raising concerns over plans to build a uranium enrichment plant near Yakima. ...

Mystery meat: Peter Callaghan at the News Tribune reveals the secrets of sick crows, scared government, and the West Nile virus. ...

Light dressing: Two new Rasmussen polls suggest support for offshore drilling is growing in Oregon and Washington. ...

Is this the main course? The Seattle Times' Mike Lindblom reports that neither Gov. Chris Gregoire nor GOP challenger Dino Rossi think light rail is a top campaign issue. Aw, come on, Mike. Just give it a month or two.

Give 'em a stiff drink: Despite cries from Republicans and Democratic Party members about the top-two primaries, the Seattle Times editorial board says it's the voters who are getting stiffed. ...

Stiff competition: The latest polls in Oregon suggest Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Merkley has jumped into the lead in the race against incumbent GOP Sen. Gordon Smith. ...

Choose only one dessert: Smith, meanwhile, has switched aisles yet again — this time siding with Democrats to sponsor legislation repealing the HIV travel ban. ...

Don't forget to tip: Democratic congressional challenger Darcy Burner continues to out-fundraise U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert in the race for Washington's 8th Congressional District. ...

Happy hour's over: The state Liquor Control Board voted unanimously to ban 44 high-test beers and wines associated with chronic public drunkenness from Tacoma's South End and East Side. Looks like public drunks will have to get wasted on plain ol' beer from now on. ...

Hangover: The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission found City Council member Richard McIver violated city ethics codes and fined him $1,000 on Wednesday for awarding a no-bid contract to a company after he vacated at the Virgin Islands condominium of the company's owners. ...

Toilet's in the back: The New York Times reports that while Seattle is flushing its automated toilet idea down the drain, several other cities are about to install the self-cleaning public stalls. ...

Drive home safely: And finally, Boise residents are complaining that Gov. Butch Otter's SUV takes too much space when parked near the city's sidewalks. Meanwhile, Boise parking officials have yet to grant Otter a valid street parking space. ...