Kerry’s Everett plans firm up

EVERETT – Sen. John Kerry is coming to Washington for more M and M – message and money.

From Friday evening through Saturday afternoon, the Demo- cratic presidential candidate will deliver the former and gather the latter in his drive to defeat President Bush in Washington state and unseat him from the White House.

Everett, his first stop, is the “message event.” At 5 p.m. Friday in the downtown Everett Events Center, Kerry will lay out his blueprint for the economy with a handpicked audience of union members and their families and local Democratic elected officials. It will be in the conference center, which has a seating capacity of 800.

Kerry will focus on creating jobs, ending outsourcing and expanding health care for workers, while criticizing Bush administration policies he says have caused a loss of high-paying jobs and a decline of health care options for families nationwide.

“Everett is an important place,” said J.B. Tengco, Kerry’s campaign spokesman in Seattle. “It is home to a broad cross section of the folks that are being impacted by the economy and the current administration’s policies.”

Bush supporters will be on hand to greet Kerry. “We have some things lined up for his visit,” said Leah Yoon, a spokeswoman for the Republicans’ Victory 2004 Campaign. “There is no better place than this state to highlight how President Bush’s tax policies have benefited working families and businesses.”

She said nearly one-third of the 32,000 jobs created nationwide in July were created in Washington.

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., who represents Everett and the northwest corner of the state, wants Kerry to address the specific concerns of Snohomish County residents.

Boeing’s fight for a “level playing field” with government-subsidized Airbus is one, Larsen said. Appointing people to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to ensure that “just and reasonable” electricity rates are assessed under the Northwest Power Act is another. Larsen also hopes Kerry will express support for those in the military.

Kerry’s visit is one of his final days of campaigning before ceding the limelight to President Bush and the Republican National Convention. The four-day event begins Monday in New York City. Bush will address the convention Sept. 2, and is expected to outline his agenda for a second term.

In anticipation of Kerry’s Everett arrival, preparations are consuming the time and energies of many people. Security is a top concern.

Everett police and the Secret Service are coordinating how law enforcement will be deployed in and around the center.

A “substantial number” of Everett police will be on duty to provide security and crowd control during the visit, Everett police Sgt. Boyd Bryant said.

“Anytime a presidential candidate or the president visits, it becomes a serious security matter for law enforcement regionally,” he said. “There’s a substantial amount of planning involved, and a lot of manpower. The national elections involve a lot of emotion.”

Some overtime expense is expected because of the short notice, Bryant said. The city will likely be responsible for the bill, but he did not have an estimate Wednesday of the potential overtime cost.

The Washington State Patrol is working on how best to move Kerry’s motorcade smoothly to the city in the middle of the rush hour.

The Secret Service won’t disclose what route Kerry will take to get to Everett on Friday, but the State Patrol is prepared if the motorcade opts for I-5.

Troopers would do a “rolling slowdown,” stopping traffic to allow the motorcade to enter I-5, and any shutdowns would be minimal, Trooper Lance Ramsay said.

“Traffic will be moving, but it will be slower than normal,” he added.

Following the Everett event, Kerry will travel to the Westin Hotel in Seattle for a private fund-raiser for the Democratic National Committee. On Saturday, he will head to the Tacoma Dome for a public rally. The gates there open at 9:30 a.m.

Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.