Since taking office, President Barack Obama has traveled the globe and trekked to quite a few states.
Not Washington, not yet. He hasn’t been here since he rocked Seattle’s KeyArena as a candidate two years ago this month.
Isn’t it time for a return visit? If not now, when?
Frankly, the Wizard of D.C. and his schedulers feel little compulsion to pencil this state into the tour schedule, so if you’re waiting with bated breath, exhale.
Washington offers much to see at some point but nothing urgent requiring he come right now. Consider these reasons why there’s no immediate need:
57.5: That’s the percent of votes he won statewide in 2008, painting Washington with a deeper shade of blue than most other states. It gives Obama confidence he has enough support here to protect against political injury from his tumbling approval ratings.
Murray: After Massachusetts, Obama will be more aggressive in the fight to preserve Democrats’ control of Congress. He’ll go where he needs to go to help those in need of help saving their seats. For now, Sen. Patty Murray is not on the endangered list. If things change, Obama will hop a plane real fast.
Locke: With former Gov. Gary Locke serving as Commerce secretary, the conduit of information from this Washington to the other Washington is pretty solid. When Obama isn’t sure which Starbucks frappuccino his daughters might like, he knows who to ask. Need news on Boeing, Microsoft or Ichiro, it’s the same number. So when the Evergreen State sneezes, Locke will likely be handed a Kleenex by Obama.
Sims: The president’s oratorical soul mate is Ron Sims, former King County executive and now deputy secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. When they’re not testing lines for a speech, Sims can share the needs of urbanites in Seattle, farmers in the Spokane Valley and college students at Central Washington University.
Kerlikowske: From community policing to countering border terrorism, Obama can learn how it’s done in Washington, again without burning air fuel. Former Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske can pop over and give him the scoop.
Gregoire: Not many governors get invited to talk climate change and energy policy with the president; Gov. Chris Gregoire is one who did. Then he appointed her to lead a national panel of governors on homeland security. That was all this month. On Obama’s radar, Gregoire is a visible blip.
Further amplifying Washington’s voice in the nation’s capital are the likes of Rep. Norm Dicks, whose got a hand in how Obama spends dollars on defense, and Reps. Jay Inslee and Rick Larsen, whom he can dial up for a little hoops.
Though Obama is showing no signs of hurrying here, there are a couple possibilities worth him considering for a visit soon.
His presence at Fort Lewis to welcome troops home from Iraq as the pullout gains steam this summer is a moment the nation will watch.
Or maybe he’ll be on hand when Boeing delivers its first 787 Dreamliner for commercial use.
Certainly he’ll be here in 2012 for the same reason that brought him here two years ago.
Political reporter Jerry Cornfield’s blog, The Petri Dish, is at www.heraldnet.com. Contact him at 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
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