Obama on Campaign Trail: Doughnuts and Democrats in Seattle

Maybe Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have more in common than we thought. The pre-heart-condition Clinton loved junk food and was known to duck into doughnut shops while campaigning to meet and greet and sample the wares. On Thursday in Seattle, that's exactly what President Obama did in an unscheduled stop at Top Pot Doughnuts, a few blocks from his downtown hotel.

Obama showed up at 9:15 a.m. with Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), his security detail and aides, and of course the press corps. "Let's see what we got here," he said approaching the counter. "Are we buying a dozen -- a couple dozen?" He purchased 24, telling the clerk, "Whatever you recommend."

Then it was time for hand-shaking with adult customers, bantering with kids and showcasing the candidate, Murray -- once known as the "mom in tennis shoes" -- who is in a tough re-election fight against Republican Dino Rossi. "Everybody needs to remember to vote" on Nov. 2, he told his fellow doughnut lovers.

Before he left for a private event and a rally for Murray at the University of Washington, the president decided to sample one of the store's large designer doughnuts (Top Pot also offers Ovaltine latte.) "This is outstanding," he said. "You can't eat this every day." Some people do, an employee informed Obama, who responded, "Oh really?" He stuffed some bills into the tip jar and was out the door by 9:30 a.m.