Gov. John Lynch reports Democratic presidential nominee to be Barack Obama is four square behind retaining New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary.

    Lynch said he spoke with the Illinois senator by telephone last week to offer his support.

    “I can tell you Senator Obama said to me on the phone that he is very supportive of New Hampshire continuing its position in the national primary tradition,” Lynch told reporters.

    Lynch and his wife, Susan, will join Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton for their unity rally in Unity Friday.  After their remarks, the two former adversaries will also be privately meeting with activists at the elementary school site.

    Clinton narrowly won NH’s primary but Obama said his showing was better than anyone would had thought possible before he had decisively won the Iowa caucus event five days earlier.

      The Unity event is open to the public who can only gain access by riding shuttle buses either from Sunapee or Claremont.

    Michelle Obama continues her roundtable discussions with women in Manchester today hosted by Senate Democratic candidate Jeanne Shaheen.

    One of Mrs. Obama’s first such events was in New Hampshire during the primary campaign.

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