Be warned. I left around 4:20 p.m. before Cantwell even made an appearance. I had a faucet cover to buy, otherwise I probably would have stuck around longer.
I got to the Olympia Center a bit early, waiting around for folks to show up, I was mostly curious to see people mill around before the event.
I was sitting down, underneath the “Salmon Run” statues, a local Democrat I know came up to me. “I’m not happy, we shouldn’t be doing this,” he said. Turns out he had been recruited as a “bouncer” to make sure no one came into the event with any hand-made or McGavick signs. I agreed with him, but there didn’t end up being much of a chance of that happening.
I guess they still think keeping folks with competing large print words out of their events is a good idea.
The only non-Democratic folks that came around that I could see where a nice slug of Green Party members carrying those nice small Aaron Dixon signs. After milling around the lobby talking to a handful of interested folks, they politely ditched their signs before they went inside.
Before I went inside, I knocked my head accidentally on the legendary Wishupona Fish statue. Ouch, I was showing a fellow Young Dem who I hadn’t seen in awhile pictures of my son on my cell phone and I got excited. Ouch.
Also, I chatted with a Black Hills High School student out in the lobby who was there to see her sister. She said she liked government, but not politics. She takes part in a club/class at her school were she helps write mock legislation, and she hates politics. Likes the practice of participation, but hates how the campaigns tear each other down.
I got into the event, listened to Rep. Sam Hunt, Thurston County Commissioner Bob Macleod and state Sen. Karen Frasier, and then I took off. Oh yeah, I also met Particle Man from Washblog. And, its true what they say: the water got him instead. Particle Man.
UPDATE: In the comments, Particle Man picks up where I left off and the Olympian covers the event.
Well,I saw you duck out and thought to myself, he’s going to miss the show.
So, I will pick up where you left off. First, I also noticed a respectful pod of Dixon supporters, who could have easily come in the side or back door with signs but chose not to.
Gov Chris, after a long standing ovation, gave a rousing ad libbed speech and introduced Sen Patty who was not at her best. Patty introduced Sen Cantwell who was firing on all cylinders, talked quite a bit about the strong partnership between the three and about the many successes this had produced. The event left everyone pumped for the GOTV drive ahead and generated a clear sense of pride in the officials we have elected.
Oh and about my fight with water, all I want to do is defeat In Charge Of The Entire Universe Man.