Workers here cheer Kerry on economy

By Emily Heffter
Times Snohomish County bureau

JOHN LOK / THE SEATTLE TIMES John Kerry addresses the crowd yesterday at the Everett Events Center.

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EVERETT — Sen. John Kerry seemed mindful of the issues facing a working-class crowd last night at an invitation-only town-hall meeting for union members and local Democratic leaders.

Kerry criticized President Bush for cutting taxes for the rich while middle-class Americans face job losses and rising health-care costs.

"I think Americans deserve an economy where they're not just working for the economy but the economy is working for Americans," he said. People stood and cheered, just as they did when the Democratic presidential candidate addressed health care, national security, education and outsourcing of jobs.

For nearly two hours, Kerry spoke and answered questions in front of about 650 people at the Everett Events Center. Then he went to Seattle for a $1,000-a-plate fund-raiser that brought in more than $1.5 million.

At the Everett event, Boeing workers, government employees and other "real working people," as his campaign dubbed them, seemed elated by Kerry's message of economic revival. He even mentioned Everett's history as a "mill town."

"I thought it was incredibly moving," said Matt Moeller, a Boeing worker who attended the rally with his wife and two children. "It gave me renewed faith in the candidate that we have."

Others said they had expected a wooden, scripted candidate. "It's great to see a sense of humor," said Dale Hodgson.

Kerry rally in Tacoma today The public is invited to get a firsthand look at John Kerry today at a Tacoma Dome rally that will cap Kerry's two-day Puget Sound campaign swing. The rally will be in the dome's Parking Lot B, just off I-5 in Tacoma. Gates are scheduled to open at 9:30 a.m. to allow the crowd to pass through security in time for the event to begin. The free event will be hosted by Garrison Keillor, writer and host of the public-radio show "A Prairie Home Companion." Also on the schedule are former presidential candidate Gen. Wesley Clark, Kerry Vietnam Swift boat buddy Jim Rassman, and the 1950s-'60s rock group The Wailers. For more information, visit www.johnkerry.com/ washington or call the information hotline at 206-331-3859. For security reasons, no bags, outside signs or umbrellas will be allowed.

Today, Kerry will court voters at a planned public rally in the parking lot of the Tacoma Dome, with Washington's own Wailers invited to belt out the state rock song, "Louie Louie," and public-radio personality Garrison Keillor and retired Gen. Wesley Clark also on stage.

Kerry is seen as running strong in Washington state, which hasn't voted for a Republican since Ronald Reagan was re-elected in 1984. The GOP, though, believes victory is possible and is putting a lot of time and money into the state.

A confrontational crowd of about 200 rallied outside the events center before Kerry's appearance. Bush supporters said they wanted to make sure Kerry knew he didn't have Washington state locked up. They constructed a wall of signs to block the view of Kerry supporters from the street, and spats over political issues grew heated.

Everett police arrested one man after he and a political rival got into a scuffle, Sgt. Boyd Bryant said.

Kerry's military record, which has dominated recent news reports, was hardly discussed, but he said he loved being in Everett because it's a Navy town. Kerry served in the Navy during the Vietnam War.

Showcasing his connections with the locals, he mentioned that his campaign plane is a Boeing 757 and said he has been looking for ways to "level the playing field" between Boeing and European competitor Airbus.

Ronnie Behnke of Renton, who has a daughter in college, said she found hope in Kerry's plan to help with tuition.

Kerry went into detail about his plans to lessen the financial hardships of college and of health care. He promised that, if elected, he would propose a bill as soon as he finished taking his oath of office that would ensure that everyone had health care.

"I won't keep you long because I know you have to get to Canada to buy your drugs," he joked. He described Bush's health-care plan as: "Pray you don't get sick."

Kerry also touched on the need for more cooperation with allies in forging the future of Iraq.

"Just saying 'Mission accomplished' doesn't make it accomplished," Kerry said, referring to Bush's May 2003 speech aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, declaring the end of major combat in Iraq. "No one knows that better than the home port of the Lincoln."

At the fund-raiser later at Seattle's Westin Hotel, Kerry received several standing ovations as he assailed Bush's policies on Iraq, the environment, health care, education funding, energy and restrictions on stem-cell research.

"I will be a president who actually believes in science," Kerry told the crowd of about 800, winning the night's most-boisterous applause.

He had used many of the lines before — earlier in Everett, in stump speeches around the country and at the Democratic National Convention. But this crowd of the deep-pocketed devout didn't care, cheering Kerry even as he told them their attendance and financial contributions were just starting points in this hard-fought campaign.

"Coming tonight is not enough. Writing a check is not enough. Making phone calls is not enough ... because we need to reclaim our own democracy."

Emily Heffter: 425-783-0624 or eheffter@seattletimes.com.

Seattle Times staff reporters Beth Kaiman, Rachel Tuinstra and Sara Jean Green contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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