Connect with us

Seattle, WA

Vice President Kamala Harris headlines two Seattle fundraising events for Biden Victory Fund

Published

on

Vice President Kamala Harris headlines two Seattle fundraising events for Biden Victory Fund


It has­n’t been a month since Pres­i­dent Biden head­lined two fundrais­ing recep­tions in the Seat­tle area and already Vice Pres­i­dent Kamala Har­ris has done the same. 

Mon­ey is the moth­er’s milk of pol­i­tics, the say­ing goes, and pres­i­den­tial cam­paigns in this day and age demand a lot of it. Accord­ing­ly, the entire pur­pose of Har­ris’ quick trip up from Cal­i­for­nia to the Pacif­ic North­west was fundrais­ing. She stepped off Air Force Two, zipped over to West Seat­tle for one recep­tion, then prompt­ly left for a sec­ond in down­town Seat­tle, then swift­ly returned to Boe­ing Field for a flight back to California.

Unlike their pre­de­ces­sors, the Biden-Har­ris admin­is­tra­tion allows the press to send a rep­re­sen­ta­tive to these closed-door cam­paign fundrais­ing events. For this trip, The Seat­tle Times’ Claire With­y­combe was tasked with send­ing reg­u­lar updates (known in media par­lance as pool reports) to the White House press corps. 

In her first dis­patch, she described the scene where she await­ed Har­ris’ arrival: “The home where the fundrais­er is being held is on a qui­et street in West Seat­tle. The VP’s vis­it has gen­er­at­ed some excite­ment among the neigh­bors, but as of 3 PM, there were no crowds on the near­by block. Guests are stand­ing and chat­ting in the back­yard of the home, which has an impres­sive, panoram­ic view of Puget Sound. A few boats are glid­ing through the water. Guests stand near cock­tail height tables cov­ered in pale green table­cloths. I am in the garage, where cater­ing staff are prepar­ing and send­ing out an array of savory appe­tiz­ers, includ­ing crab cakes, short­rib and hon­eyed feta toast.”

Advertisement

At 4:02 PM, with motor­cy­cles rum­bling, Har­ris’ motor­cade pulled up at the home of Melis­sa and Peter Evans, to cheers from the neigh­bors. Har­ris waved to them on her way into the fundrais­er. About a half hour lat­er, she began her observ­able remarks.

Har­ris told the small gath­er­ing of donors that the stakes of the elec­tion are high and momen­tum is on the Biden campaign’s side.

“In this re-elect, lis­ten, guys, we’re gonna win,” Har­ris said. “We may have bloody knuck­les when it’s over, but we’re gonna win and our coun­try is worth fight­ing for.”

Har­ris added that this piv­otal 2024 pres­i­den­tial elec­tion is not about what team you’re root­ing for but “what kind of coun­try we want to live in.”

“We believe in the promise of Amer­i­ca,” she said. “And we know that in order for us to achieve that promise and make it real we have to fight for it.”

Advertisement

Har­ris empha­sized that the out­come of the elec­tion will impact peo­ple around the world. She warned that if Trump is elect­ed and Con­gress passed a nation­al abor­tion ban, Trump would sign it, where­as Biden would veto a nation­al ban. She tout­ed the Biden admin­is­tra­tion’s work to cap insulin costs for seniors and called the con­trast between the pri­or regime and the Biden admin­is­tra­tion “extreme.”

Har­ris’ remarks last­ed for a lit­tle less than thir­teen minutes.

Not long after that, around 5 PM, the motor­cade was rolling again. Peo­ple lined the blocks near the fundrais­er, hold­ing cell phones and waving.

With roads closed to accom­mo­date the motor­cade, the trip down­town took less than twen­ty min­utes, about the same length of time that the trip to West Seat­tle took. For­tu­nate­ly for Seat­tle Mariners fans attend­ing the sec­ond to last game of the home­s­tand, first pitch had already been thrown an hour before­hand and the Mariners were on their way to a 9–0 vic­to­ry over the Los Ange­les Angels of Anaheim. 

Har­ris’ entourage pulled up to the West­in around 5:16 PM. 

Advertisement

Har­ris’ observ­able remarks began around 5:40 PM. She spoke from a podi­um with Amer­i­can and Wash­ing­ton State flags behind her. Her audi­ence for this sec­ond Vic­to­ry Fund recep­tion num­bered about one hun­dred and twen­ty peo­ple.

The Vice Pres­i­dent repeat­ed sev­er­al of the same com­ments from ear­li­er in the day at the Evans­es’ home about the high stakes of the elec­tion, oth­er coun­tries look­ing to the Unit­ed States as a role mod­el, the neces­si­ty of defend­ing repro­duc­tive rights, and cap­ping the costs of insulin for seniors. 

But at this recep­tion she also dis­cussed the Biden administration’s work on the econ­o­my, cit­ing “his­toric” low employ­ment and new man­u­fac­tur­ing jobs.

She char­ac­ter­ized the choice as super clear, declar­ing that many things in the world and in the coun­try are “com­plex and nuanced” but Novem­ber of ‘24 is “bina­ry.”

“There’s two choic­es. And let’s be clear, if you pull up the split screen, what we’re look­ing at,” Har­ris said. “On one side, you’ve got a for­mer pres­i­dent who open­ly prais­es dic­ta­tors and said he’d be a dic­ta­tor on day one, who has essen­tial­ly said he will weaponize the Depart­ment of Jus­tice against his ene­mies, polit­i­cal ene­mies, who has open­ly talked about how proud he is of what he did in undo­ing the pro­tec­tions of Roe v. Wade.”

Advertisement

“On the oth­er side, you have Joe Biden and our admin­is­tra­tion, which has done trans­for­ma­tive work, which the his­to­ry books, if not the pun­dit­ry right now, will show has been his­toric in terms of what we have done to strength­en and grow the Amer­i­can econ­o­my and invest in the future of our nation.”

The Vice Pres­i­dent also addressed the issue of med­ical debt, say­ing that it affects so many peo­ple and it’s usu­al­ly incurred because of a med­ical emergency.

“What we are say­ing that med­ical debt can­not be used in your cred­it score,” she said.

Har­ris’ remarks were inter­rupt­ed on two sep­a­rate occa­sions by pro­test­ers opposed to Israel’s mil­i­tary oper­a­tions in the Gaza Strip. 

The first, in a red shirt, stood up and yelled what sound­ed to With­y­combe like “Chil­dren are being buried in Rafah,” then was escort­ed out of the room.

Advertisement

“I appre­ci­ate your right to express what is right­ly a con­cern… we are work­ing to end this war as soon as pos­si­ble. Thank you, thank you, thank you,” said Harris. 

After the pro­test­er left, she said: “And that’s why we’re fight­ing for our democ­ra­cy. That’s exact­ly why we’re fight­ing for our democracy.”

Soon after, a sec­ond pro­tes­tor stood up and said: “Vice Pres­i­dent, when will you stop send­ing weapons to Israel?”

“Thank you, I’m talk­ing now,” Har­ris said as the pro­tes­tor kept try­ing to interrupt.

“You can stop this geno­cide Vice Pres­i­dent, you can stop this geno­cide,” the pro­tes­tor assert­ed. They were also removed from the reception.

Advertisement

The Vice Pres­i­den­t’s remarks last­ed around nine­teen min­utes and con­clud­ed at 6 PM.

Har­ris returned to Boe­ing Field short­ly there­after, con­clud­ing her trip to Seattle. 



Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Seattle, WA

Seattle leaders mark 100 days until FIFA World Cup with artwork, security plans

Published

on

Seattle leaders mark 100 days until FIFA World Cup with artwork, security plans


The countdown to the FIFA World Cup hit a milestone Tuesday, approximately 100 days from the start of the global soccer tournament, which is being played this time in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Seattle is one of 16 host cities for the tournament, with the first game at Lumen Field scheduled for June 15.

Seattle-area hosts could net $3,800 as Airbnb eyes home sharing for FIFA World Cup fans

City leaders at a press conference on Tuesday described specific changes underway to welcome an estimated 750,000 people during the six matches, from adding new artwork in downtown to bolstering security.

Advertisement

“Our aim is actually to revitalize, reinvigorate, rejuvenate the downtown core,” Seattle World Cup Organizing Committee CEO Peter Tomozawa stated.

People who take a trip through downtown Seattle will see that part of that work has started in anticipation of the World Cup, with 53 colorful paintings on the columns of the monorail, showcasing the flags of the countries of the competing teams.

“In just 100 days, people will come back to Seattle and will be using the system to travel back and forth to various events related to [the] FIFA World Cup,” Seattle Monorail Services Megan Ching said.

“The visitors who are coming here for the World Cup are already booking their trips: where to stay, how to get around and what to explore,” added Jorge Gotuzzo with Visit Seattle.

Darkalinos restaurant hopes the events planned for Pioneer Square will convince new customers to return beyond the tournament.

Advertisement

“The summer season is what keeps us going,” General Manager Crystal Hernandez told KOMO News. “We’re going to have a beer garden in the plaza. There will be some live music outside.”

Behind the scenes, work continues to plan for crowd control and security. That means round table meetings and partnerships at the international, federal, state and local levels.

Iran’s participation in Seattle World Cup match up in the air following US strikes

“We’ve been working on the security plan for over three years,” Tomozawa explained. “We hired former SPD Chief John Diaz to design the plan and I have to say this is one of our highest priorities, for sure.”

Downtown Seattle Association President and CEO Jon Scholes adds that businesses are eager to build on the success of the recent Seahawks Super Bowl parade. He said there will be watch parties for the matches at Westlake, Pacific Place and along the waterfront.

Advertisement

“Seattle’s a big event town, and we can do it well and produce a lot of joy for hundreds of thousands of people,” Scholes stated.

The World Cup Organizing Committee mentioned Seattle’s walkability makes it a great location for the tournament. It’s why they also announced a new walking path to connect multiple neighborhoods that will stay beyond the summer.

Seattle to host 4 free FIFA World Cup 2026 fan celebration venues starting June 11

It’s called the Unity Loop, runs about four-and-a-quarter miles and will connect the stadiums, waterfront, Seattle Center, Westlake and the CID, but no specifics were provided.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Seattle, WA

Seattle police arrest man accused of throwing rocks at cars and buses, injuring two

Published

on

Seattle police arrest man accused of throwing rocks at cars and buses, injuring two


A 36-year-old man was arrested after Seattle police say he threw rocks at passing cars in South Seattle early Tuesday, shattering a truck window and injuring a couple in their 50s.

Patrol officers responded at 12 a.m. to reports of a man hurling rocks near Rainier Avenue South and South Henderson Street.

SEE ALSO | 3 hurt after late-night crash sends car into north Seattle auto parts store

Police said they found the couple with facial injuries after their truck window shattered. Firefighters treated both victims at the scene, and the couple then drove to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

Advertisement

Officers found the suspect nearby and arrested him. According to the police report, the man made “multiple threats to shoot officers in the head and kick and punch officers before and after being placed into custody.”

Police also spoke with a King County Metro transit supervisor who reported that two Metro coaches had damage to their windshields and route destination signs after being struck by rocks. Police said no drivers or passengers were hurt.

More witnesses also told police they saw the suspect throwing rocks at moving vehicles.

Police said the suspect is a convicted felon and was booked into the King County Jail for investigation of assault, malicious mischief, and property destruction. Detectives in the General Investigations Unit are assigned to the case.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Seattle, WA

Joey Daccord makes 35 saves as Seattle Kraken earn 2-1 win over Hurricanes

Published

on

Joey Daccord makes 35 saves as Seattle Kraken earn 2-1 win over Hurricanes


SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – MARCH 02: Andrei Svechnikov #37 of the Carolina Hurricanes shoots the puck during the second period of a game against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on March 02, 2026 in Seattle, Washington.  (Christopher Mast / NHLI / Getty Images)

Joey Daccord made 35 saves and the Seattle Kraken survived a 6-on-4 penalty kill for the final 90 seconds for a 2-1 victory over the East’s top team in the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night.

Kaapo Kakko and Ben Meyers each scored in the second period for the Kraken as they managed to beat a Hurricanes team that has the second-best record in the NHL, trailing only the Colorado Avalanche. The Kraken are now in a playoff spot by five points as they hold the No. 3 seed in the Pacific Division with 22 games to play.

Advertisement

Nikolaj Ehlers scored the only goal of the night for the Hurricanes late in the second period, but Seattle was able to withstand Carolina’s offensive push in the final period to secure a second straight victory.

The Hurricanes are always a high-volume shooting team and Daccord faced plenty of chances. Carolina had 83 shot attempts to just 31 for the Kraken. Shots on goal were 36-15 in favor of the Hurricanes as well, but scoring chances were just 20-13 in Carolina’s favor as Seattle did a good job limiting the danger of the shots sent at Daccord.

Advertisement

It was an eventful but scoreless first period between the two teams, with Carolina owning a 13-7 edge in shots. All three goals would come in the second.

Adam Larsson – who assisted on both goals for Seattle – deflected an Alexander Nikishin into the neutral zone to start a two-on-one rush chance for Kakko with Berkly Catton in support as Kakko ripped a shot through the armpit of Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen for a 1-0 lead.

Kakko said he wanted to make the pass to Catton, but the lane was covered by Shane Ghostisbehere, so he elected to shoot.

Advertisement

The Kraken earned a power play chance three minutes later on a tripping call against Eric Robinson. Carolina completely neutered the man-advantage for the first 90 seconds before the Kraken appeared to extend the lead.

With 15 seconds left on the power play, the Kraken rushed into the Hurricanes’ zone with Kakko finding a streaking Jaden Schwartz open on the back door for an easy finish behind Andersen. However, Carolina successfully challenged the goal for a missed offsides on Shane Wright that wiped out the goal.

Advertisement

But the Kraken still managed to extend the lead soon after.

Jacob Melanson continues to be a spark plug for Seattle and helped restore the momentum immediately after the disallowed goal. On the shift coming out of the power play, Melanson delivered a big hit and connected with Adam Larsson on a breakout pass that sparked a rush. Ben Meyers crashed toward the net and was able to finish off his own rebound on a pass from Freddy Gaudreau to officially make it a 2-0 lead.

Melanson didn’t even get an assist out of the sequence, but was a big part of creating a goal for Seattle.

Advertisement

After being extremely sharp defensively all night, Carolina finally pounced on an opportunity the Kraken were unable to turn away. Vince Dunn was just unable to control a loose puck in front of Seattle’s net as it landed on the stick of Nikolaj Ehlers instead, who snapped a shot past Daccord to make it a 2-1 game with 90 seconds left in the second period.

The Hurricanes took 32 shots in the third period as they attempted to find a tying goal, but only nine made it to Daccord, and he stopped them all. 

Advertisement

Eeli Tolvanen was called for Seattle’s first and only penalty of the night – a holding call after breaking his stick – with 90 seconds left to play. With Andersen on the bench for a six-on-four chance for Carolina, Daccord stopped all three shots he faced to close out the win for Seattle.

The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.

MORE KRAKEN NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE

Advertisement

Jordan Eberle scores twice as Seattle Kraken roll to 5-1 win over Canucks

Dylan Holloway scores hat trick as Seattle Kraken lose 5-1 to Blues

Seattle Kraken flounder to 4-1 loss to Stars in return from Olympics break

Advertisement

Seattle Kraken reach two-year extensions with Ben Meyers, Ryan Winterton

Shane Wright scores twice as Seattle Kraken beat Kings 4-2

Advertisement

To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.

Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.

Seattle KrakenSportsNHL
Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending