Sen. Murray calls jobs and health care key

By DOUG ESSER
The Associated Press

KEN LAMBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES Anne Wetmore of Pacific, a U.S. Department of Labor official, visits with Prize, a llama, at the King County Labor Council picnic at Woodland Park yesterday. The llama is owned by Dick Davidson of Arlington.

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"Everyone today is concerned about our security, and we need to be strong abroad. But in order to be strong abroad, we need to be strong at home," the two-term senator told a news conference at the King County Labor Council picnic at Woodland Park.

"We need to make sure our families have accessible, affordable health care. We need to make sure our families have jobs."

Murray said 200,000 families in Washington are out of work and almost 15 percent of state families don't have health insurance.

"We're here on Labor Day to tell families across the state and across the country that we want to get our country back on track to have the right priorities here at home so that our families have the security and we can feel strong once again," she said. "That's what this election is about."

Murray, a Democrat, is running for her third term this fall.

Hundreds of union members and supporters gathered for the picnic, which featured music, barbecue and political candidates.

Washington State Labor Council President Rick Bender said President Bush has a dismal record on jobs and health care.

"What wage increases we do get are being eaten by health-care costs," he said, saying later that the economy and health insurance should be the key issues in the national election.

"We're hoping the debate will get off the war on terrorism and the Iraq situation and start to focus on our economy, the jobs and health care — things that people are struggling with every day."

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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