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Friday, September 23, 2011

Politics Preparing to Greet Obama in Seattle

Posted by Eli Sanders on Fri, Sep 23, 2011 at 6:00 AM

Don't fret if you haven't heard that President Obama is going to be in town this Sunday. He'll only be here for a couple of hours anyway, and all he's doing is two private fundraising events—one in Medina and one at the Paramount.

But that doesn't mean local interest groups aren't trying hard to get his attention. Take, for example, the indefatigable Steve Breaux of WashPIRG, who's welcoming Obama to town with a report on Washington State's busted bridges and declaring: "President Obama’s call to repair our infrastructure is on target." (Breaux just wants the president to target more of Washington's bridges for repair.)

And then there's the people at Save Our Wild Salmon, who have some things to say about how federal funding for more projects like the Elwha River restoration can help "recapture thousands of long-term jobs and generate billions of dollars in economic activity." They'll be trying to catch Obama's eye with the help of this fish on wheels:

Welcome to Seattle, Mr. President!

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Here's a little more critical perspective of the president's visit than the waterboy's:

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitic…

Posted by Ya Sure Ya Betcha on September 23, 2011 at 6:27 AM

I think that fist in that photo is positioned under on of our structurally deficient bridges

The Indefatigable Steve Breaux
Washington Public Interest Research Group

Posted by WashPIRG - Breaux on September 23, 2011 at 7:38 AM

@2 "fish" that is

Posted by WashPIRG - Breaux on September 23, 2011 at 7:39 AM

@1, Perspectives are like assholes...everybodys got one.

Posted by zombie eyes on September 23, 2011 at 8:33 AM

it was fun.

By the way, the South Korean market dropped a lot over the last few days, so the visit by their President and the upcoming G-20 action is way more important than any silly Santorum-filled debates were.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on September 23, 2011 at 10:38 AM

Connolly's vying for the title of Seattle's Top Curmudgeon.

If Obama combined this fundraising trip with a public event, Joel would be complaining that he was using the people's money to pay for a campaign visit. By not mixing campaigning with presidenting, he's making the separation between the two crystal-clear, as well as making the accounting of what OFA has to pay the United States of America for use of airplanes, hotels, security, etc. much easier to figure out.

Posted by N in Seattle

on September 23, 2011 at 11:20 AM

The main result of Obama coming to Seattle will be traffic congestion.

Posted by Weekilter on September 23, 2011 at 12:22 PM

@7 - Ah crap, you're right. I walk right in front of the Westin to get to work. That's going to be a fun day.

Posted by MacCrocodile

on September 23, 2011 at 2:49 PM

that fish is clearly supporting the snake river, not the elwha.

Posted by treefort on September 23, 2011 at 6:53 PM

Geez, Eli. Are you in the President's retinue or something? Oh, wait. Of course you are.

Hope you show up at 11 to see some of the other "interest groups." The ones that have a (sometimes personal) interest in Obama's torture, droning, proposed slashing of working class benefits, etc. etc.

Posted by Linda J on September 24, 2011 at 5:46 PM