SEN. BARACK OBAMA: "Well, part of it is that. Obviously we have a terrific group of surrogates in Hawaii; my sister, Neil Abercrombie, others that are working actively in Hawaii. We've put a terrific grassroots organization on the ground and the fact is that there some other places like Wisconsin where we're a little further behind and we have to make sure we're focusing our energies on those places where we need to do some catch up work. So it's not that I'm taking Hawaii for granted. It's just that relative to where we are at here in Wisconsin, we thought that is was important for me to be here. I promise you if I had a choice of being in 80 degree weather right now or 10 degree weather, which is what it was today here in Wisconsin, I think you know which I'd choose."

KGMB9'S STACY LOE: "As you know Sen. Daniel Inouye, who is backing Hillary Clinton, said in an interview quote 'he went to school in Hawaii. But he went to Punahou and that was not a school for the impoverished....' Now he suggests that going to an elite private school means that you are somehow a disconnect from the average Hawaii resident and American. What do you say about that?"

OBAMA: "Well you know I think that Daniel Inouye knows better than that. I went to Punahou on scholarship. I grew up in my grandmother's apartment because I was raised by a single mom. We were on food stamps for a time while I was in Hawaii and grew up in a two bedroom apartment. My grandmother still lives there… and so you know I struggled just like a lot of kids struggle. I had love and I had an education, but I didn’t have a lot of money. And I wasn't living in wealthy neighborhoods in Honolulu. So I think Danny I understand is poorer than Sen. Clinton. But he knows better than that and he should focus on how we can come together to solve the problems of Hawaii and throughout the country."

LOE: "What would you say to anyone here in Hawaii who is on the fence between you and Sen. Clinton?"

OBAMA: "Well I think what I would say is that what we need is to come together Democrats, independents and even some disillusioned Republicans need to come together to solve our problems; provide healthcare that everybody can use it provide additional assistance for students who are struggling to pay for their college educations, to start moving toward energy independence, to bring this war in Iraq to a close… a war that I've always opposed from the start and Sen. Clinton supported. And so we need somebody who can bring the people together. I think part of what I learned growing up in Hawaii was how to bridge differences between different groups. That's part of why we’ve had so much success here. And obviously there’s nobody who would ever be in the White House who would have more regard for Hawaii than someone who grew up there and still has a sister, a brother-in-law, a niece and grandma that still lives there. I will be appreciated in understanding the issues facing Hawaii in a way that I think Sen. Clinton ever could."

LOE: "On that note, when will we see you in Hawaii again?"

OBAMA: "Well I hope that if we get this nomination, that I can take the girls out this Christmas. This past Christmas was the first Christmas that I had not been to Hawaii visit my tutu in 25 years. I know what we're missing and I need a dose of some beach time at Sandy's."

LOE: "Thank you senator and good luck in your campaign."

Click here to see Part I of our interview with Sen. Obama

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