Sen. John Kerry’s plane landed at 5:15 p.m. Friday at Paine Field and he spent time on the tarmac talking with several local senators and members of Veterans for Kerry as the presidential candidate made his swing through Washington.
Kerry pumped palms and posed for a group photo before boarding an SUV and heading to the Everett Events Center downtown.
All lanes of I-5 were closed off about 5:20 p.m. to make way for the rolling motorcade.
One person who greeted Kerry when he landed was Sandy Brentlinger of Olympia. Her husband died of bone cancer in 1994 from, she believes, the effects of Agent Orange. Her husband was in Vietnam and Brentlinger was hoping to hand Sen. Kerry a letter asking him to make changes in veterans benefits.
This is a big day for Everett, she said. Lets hope the next time he comes to Everett he has a new title.
At the Everett Events Center, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray greeted the crowd, made up of Boeing employees and others, went at 6:50 p.m., saying I havent seen this many excited people since the 7E7 was announced.
The spirited group whooped and hollered as Murray continued, saying 69 days from now, I need your help. Lets go out and make it happen.
Murray dismissed herself and promised to return with a very important person. With that, people started chanting Kerry, Kerry, and then the crowd did the wave and the Bruce Springsteen song Born to Run, got the crowd roaring and to their feet.
Kerry entered, swung through the crowd, took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. Murray told him John we are going to deliver the state of Washington to you so you can become the next president of the United States.
Then Kerry spoke:
I came here because Im going to bring you jobs and health care and protect the envirnment, Kerry said. But I cannot make the rain go away, sorry folks.
Then he paused and said, Theres a dark cloud hanging over Washington, D.C. too.
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