Kerry makes Seattle stop

Kayla Webley
2004-05-27
The Daily

Thousands trekked through the morning rain to the Seattle waterfront yesterday to show support for the presumed Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, junior senator from Massachusetts.

Kerry, during his three-day trip through Oregon and Washington, unveiled his energy policy, which seeks to end dependence on foreign oil. Kerry also directed blame at Bush for the current record-high gas prices, saying the president has not lifted a finger to lower the prices.

The Kerry campaign gave out more than 4,000 tickets to the event and the line of people attending stretched several blocks along Alaskan Way leading up to Pier 62.

Pier 62 is an empty wooden pier restored by the city and best known as the venue for the Summer Nights at the Pier concert series.

Kerry offered his solution to high gas prices: an increase in federally funded energy research, including hybrid automobiles, rather than the president's suggestion of drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge.

"There is no possible way for America to drill its way out of this predicament. We have to invent our way out of this predicament, and we need a president who understands this," said Kerry.

Rep. Jay Inslee, D-1st District, approved Kerry's plan to break what Inslee called the "Bush-Cheney axis of foreign-oil dependence." The congressman said that resources, including those at the UW, can help develop an energy solution.

"Kerry understands that we can't depend on last century's technology. We need to use our new can-do attitude, the technological genius that you find at UW ... the graduates in physics, chemistry, math and aeronautics, those are the people who are going to help develop a new energy future for this country," he said. "But they need a president who will lead and I think Kerry is the guy for the job."

Inslee also discussed the importance of Kerry's education policy in relation to the UW.

"Kerry intuitively understands the importance of higher education ... if you see what is happening now people are losing access to higher education. Tuitions are skyrocketing we haven't kept pace with financial assistance," he said. "Kerry is a guy who will put education of people at the UW ahead of tax cuts for the rich."

Rep. Jim McDermott, D-7th District, was also at the event as a way to throw his support behind a candidate he hopes can usurp Bush.

"We have to get rid of George Bush. George Bush is going to leave nothing of the American dream for ordinary people if we let him in for four more years," McDermott said.

In addition to speaking on jobs, taxes and national security, Kerry also touched on health care. He promised to offer universal health care, not keep it exclusive to those who can afford it.

UW senior Yashodhra Raje, an intern with Kerry's local state-coordinated campaign, came out to support Kerry's health-care policy.

"I am a big fan of health care and I don't think what George Bush is doing with health care is the best thing that this country needs," she said. "I just want Kerry to take it all the way."

Actor Sean Astin, best known for his role as Rudy and as Samwise Gamgee in Lord of the Rings, joined Kerry onstage as a volunteer for the campaign, showing his excitement for Kerry's policies on foreign policy, education and the environment.