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libertangoI got to shake Howard Dean's hand tonight.
It was a Washington State Democrats fund-raiser, hosted by Kay Bullitt in the yard of her Capitol Hill house, with former Governor Mike Lowry as MC.
Dean wasn't actually expected to show up. He'd been billed for the event, but then switched to a different one downtown with Nancy Pelosi. Both Ulrika and I thought it was fairly classy for him to put in a brief appearance after all.
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No actual picture of when I shook hands with Dean, but here's a selection of what I got:
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Also present was Ron Sims. Sims is currently the King County Executive, and is a candidate for Governor. Here we see him doing some hand jive (Sims is on the left):
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A fairly cool night. I got to shake hands with Dean as he was leaving, working a reception line. I told him I'd been a precinct delegate for him, and managed to get a few extra seconds of reaction time, and what seemed like heartfelt gratitude. (Apparently Washington sent more Dean delegates than Vermont, his home state, to the Democratic National Convention.)
Lowry has an old tradition of doing fundraisers around a cajun shrimp theme, but hasn't done one for a while, it seems. Good to see the tradition back, if only for a night. (Reportedly this is the last time the Bullitt manse will be open to the public.)
And, carrying through on a theme one keeps hearing: Turnout was outstanding. They'd expected 600.
They got 800.
It should tell you something about how big the "yard" was that 800 people fit in it fairly comfortably.
It was a Washington State Democrats fund-raiser, hosted by Kay Bullitt in the yard of her Capitol Hill house, with former Governor Mike Lowry as MC.
Dean wasn't actually expected to show up. He'd been billed for the event, but then switched to a different one downtown with Nancy Pelosi. Both Ulrika and I thought it was fairly classy for him to put in a brief appearance after all.
*^*
No actual picture of when I shook hands with Dean, but here's a selection of what I got:
*^*
Also present was Ron Sims. Sims is currently the King County Executive, and is a candidate for Governor. Here we see him doing some hand jive (Sims is on the left):
A fairly cool night. I got to shake hands with Dean as he was leaving, working a reception line. I told him I'd been a precinct delegate for him, and managed to get a few extra seconds of reaction time, and what seemed like heartfelt gratitude. (Apparently Washington sent more Dean delegates than Vermont, his home state, to the Democratic National Convention.)
Lowry has an old tradition of doing fundraisers around a cajun shrimp theme, but hasn't done one for a while, it seems. Good to see the tradition back, if only for a night. (Reportedly this is the last time the Bullitt manse will be open to the public.)
And, carrying through on a theme one keeps hearing: Turnout was outstanding. They'd expected 600.
They got 800.
It should tell you something about how big the "yard" was that 800 people fit in it fairly comfortably.
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Date: 2004-09-01 02:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-01 12:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-01 07:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-01 12:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-01 09:34 am (UTC)Are you supporting Sims? I'm having trouble making up my mind on that one.
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Date: 2004-09-01 12:24 pm (UTC)Ron, Ron, Ron. I'll tell you, I just don't know, either. That picture isn't meant as an endorsement, he was just there and I took it because I recognized him fast enough. The photojournalist wannabe in me (who still has good instincts, looking at this batch).
On the one hand, I admire the chutzpah of his tax reform proposal. I think Washington state would be well served by a progressive income tax, rather than a regressive sales tax, and lopping (I think) 6 points off the sales tax would be good. (That would make sales tax 2.8% in King County.) I'm not so sure about eliminating the Business and Occupation Tax, since the main objection to it is that it's on business income, not profits... bitch, whine, moan, go the corporate types, but I've been holding for a while now that if corporations are to be considered "persons" under the law, then they should be taxed on income at the personal rate. :) Still... You'd think repealing the B&O Tax would appeal to the Free Lunch Republicans, which is probably why Sims put it in there. So, a mixed bag, sure, but overall I think the proposal is good.
On the other hand, Sims couldn't be bothered to come out to our legislative district caucus -- he was about the only state-wide candidate who didn't. Gregoire gives great stump. :) "Electability" has been a mantra for Democrats this election, and I think Gregoire does well in a campaign. And the out-of-the-blue allegations against her of racism just give me the heebie-jeebies, especially since it was for joining a sorority that while it may have been white-only at the time (35-ish years ago), Gregoire appealed to the national organization to reverse that policy.
So, I dunno. I'm still on the fence, basically, and I'm not sure where I'll tumble.
Candidates I do definitely support include Ross Hunter for State Legislature (which is in my district, so probably not applicable to you), and Laura Ruderman for Secretary of State. Ruderman just wowed us at the LD caucus -- she's young, and you're going to be hearing more of her in the future, win, lose, or draw.
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Date: 2004-09-05 01:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-05 01:57 am (UTC)