Joe Biden’s Seattle Visit Was So Predictable

At present I discovered: Seattle presidential visits will be unhappy.

No, I wasn’t born yesterday, and naturally I anticipated Joe Biden to stroll instantly into the ready arms of big-tech donors upon arrival. He did the identical the final time he discovered himself right here, in late 2019, simply earlier than all hell broke free.

However the political institution’s East Coast residency isn’t extra depressingly clear than when a president pays us the consideration of a short and unremarkable go to to our nook of the nation. Or, as Biden affectionately referred to it on Friday, “out right here” and “Silicon Valley.”

Seattle media completely hyped Biden’s fly-in from Portland—no Amtrak, Joe?—for Earth Day, with The Seattle Occasions giving it the rolling replace remedy. Nobody was anticipating Biden to hit up the Crescent Lounge Dua Lipa–model, however would it not have harm to take a detour or two from the rostrum, or at the least stick round some time, like presidential stopovers of yore?

As an alternative, from practically the second Air Power One touched down at Sea-Tac Thursday night, Biden’s go to stayed monotonously on-script. As he descended the steps of Air Power One, a storm cloud hovered overhead. Then it began pouring like film administrators assume it pours in Seattle. “Excellent,” a reporter muttered earlier than going dwell outdoors the Westin downtown, the place folks lined barricades earlier than dropping curiosity in glimpsing whether or not the president would tip the bellhop.

The world, simply outdoors Seattle Met’s workplaces, was noticeably tidier on Thursday, resulting in extra discourse about downtown. On adjoining streets, visitors very predictably snarled.

In the meantime, 46’s motorcade took a cruise through the Arboretum. The president attended a political fundraiser within the neighborhood hosted by Microsoft statesman Brad Smith on the residence of one other Microsoftie, Mary Snapp, on the Lake Washington waterfront. There Biden gave a midterms rah-rah, touting infrastructure initiatives and denouncing a Republican anti-LGBTQ invoice earlier than calling it an evening.

The morning was even much less fascinating. No speech from a balcony. No High Pot Doughnuts pickup. Not even a salmon toss. A late arrival at Seward Park for an Earth Day–themed handle supplied a fleeting second of titillation—and a few “where’s Dad?” despair from our local Democratic delegation—earlier than the president launched into acquainted speaking factors (energized youth, Scranton, “Mr. Amtrak”) and a few geographical fake pas (“up in Colorado,” the aforementioned Silicon Valley facepalm).

Ultimately, he acquired right down to the enterprise of signing an government order to guard old-growth forests at a desk plunked down on the asphalt of a park entry street. He let mayor Bruce Harrell maintain his pen afterward.

Subsequent it was on to Inexperienced River Faculty in Auburn. Biden praised senator Patty Murray, who’s up for reelection this fall, and governor Jay Inslee, whom he known as the “the environmental governor of the nation,” earlier than delving into the distressing nitty-gritty of exorbitant prescription drug prices. His voice rose markedly when speaking about mother and father who can’t afford insurance coverage to cowl their household’s wants. “How do you have a look at your baby?” Biden mentioned, slamming a fist.

It was maybe the one memorable second from an in any other case forgettable journey. By 3:30pm on Friday, the president was again within the air, seen solely by a choose few throughout his lower than 24 hours in Washington state.

He might’ve at the least made plans for a return journey. If he spent extra time right here, he’d know you’ll be able to at all times cancel them later.