The Fargo (ND) Forum reports this morning that Sen. Barack Obama granted the local paper a 7 minute and 17 second interview. Yes, Senator, we're counting. The Democratic candidate made most news in North Dakota talking about Iraq, but the Forum wanted to know about North Dakota. (Obama in Fargo above.)

Obama said he thought he had a chance to win the state because people are "frustrated with rising gas prices, lack of affordable health care, lack of affordable college. They are worried about job loss and a slowing economy, and so they want to move in a new direction." He said he was a "strong supporter of the Second Amendment," although he was for "common sense gun laws." He supports biofuels, "something John McCain opposed but is very important to the people here in North Dakota."

Will he be back to Fargo in October? Hard to tell, the Senator said. "I think there's a lot of excitement here in North Dakota around this campaign, and in the fall, I think we may surprise a lot of people. This thing, is, I believe, going to stay very close." Time's up.