Democratic Bash at the Westin
We were shut out of Gary Locke's private dinner at Palace Kitchen, where we were informed by Locke's curt campaign manager, DeLee Shoemaker, "This is a private party for his substantial labor and business supporters." A peek through the window revealed a crowd of 70-year-old white guys.
Luckily, we were more welcome at the Westin, where the ballroom was packed with hundreds of Al Gore, Gary Locke, and Maria Cantwell supporters with baggy khakis and teary eyes. It was an emotional scene as Gore rose and fell in the national polls, and the North Sound Singers, a group of old folks from a senior center in Edmonds, croaked out hymns that gave the place a sinking-of-the-Titanic feel. A man dressed in a clown suit (he said he was a "balloon artist") declared himself a big-time Gore supporter. "In as much as clowns are working people, they are interested in supporting Gore as much as anybody," went his beguiling party line. When Gore took a nose dive early in the evening, a panic broke out among the crowd. Gore supporters smoked and talked on cell phones at the same time, screaming things like "Oh my God, you're kidding!" (which is just what we said when we saw the food table at the Westin, which featured nachos, yellow cheese dip, and a make-your-own sandwich spread, heavy on the bologna--unequivocally an unwise choice).
It was declared early on that Locke would whup the conservative butt of John Carlson, whom Locke's deputy communications director, Peter McGraw, called "just an obnoxious KVI guy." After spewing accolades about Locke, the collegiate-looking McGraw noticed on the television that Hillary Clinton had triumphed in the New York U.S. Senate race. "She's fucking awful," he said. "I hate her."
Cantwell supporters, many of them young women, were enthusiastic early on, gushing out adjectives like "wonderful person," "appreciative," and "touchable" (?!) to describe millionaire Maria. Jean Godden, columnist for The Seattle Times, said she thought Cantwell would win because "all the young voters going to the polls to vote for Nader will vote for Cantwell. There is a desire for fresh faces." (Not to mention the desire for "touchable" public officials.)
Republicans at the Bellevue Hyatt
GOPers of all stripes (well, mostly the white, middle-aged stripe) filled the many floors of the swanky Bellevue Hyatt, where anxiety over local races was largely eclipsed by the battle for the White House--as well as uppity indignation over the media's misidentification of the state of Florida as a Gore win. "All four networks went ahead and called Gore for Florida. That was irresponsible," fumed Sean O'Donnell, who closed by predicting, "The story tomorrow is gonna be you guys"--"you guys" being the assholes of the "liberal media." (Hey, is it our fault those Depends-wearing geezers in Florida can't count?) Speaking of losers, John Carlson's followers mulled gloomily around their room bedecked with sad red, white, and blue balloons and a bar boasting $3 sodas (stale pretzels were free). Carlson himself was nowhere to be seen, but I-695 goober Tim Eyman did his best to keep spirits high, staggering around like a drunken frat boy, hollering, "Pass the wine; pass the cups!" Elsewhere, the much happier Gorton and Bush camps assuaged their tension by gloating endlessly over the media's Florida flub, and lashing out at the down-for-the-count Dems. Asked about his disdain for Democrats, 25-year-old Bonney Lake resident Corey Brown said, "They ain't right. They're pro-abortion and anti-Second Amendment. That shit just don't fly." Brown's eloquence was matched by 24-year-old Sumner resident Rick Peloquin, who said he cast his vote for Slade Gorton because "I just go for what my aunt and uncle tell me." For entertainment, revelers were treated to a few words from everyone's favorite fey Republican, Rob McKenna, and a loud, embittered speech from Washington state Senator Don Benton, who offered this gem of Republican strategy: "In the end, we're going to win, because we're in the right!" As of press time, national media was declaring Bush our new president, proving that voters are actually inSANE.
Greens at the Speakeasy
At the Speakeasy in Belltown, over 100 youngish Green Party supporters gathered to watch their candidates lose, lose, lose. But the Green campaigns were never about winning; they were about making a showing, even a showing of losers. Very little mention was made of Sir Nader in the national presidential coverage--an omission that drew boos from the traditionally loving Greenies. Nader's Washington state fundraiser, Jim Goettler, ran around with a mop of gray hair and a phone headset. "This is WTO with a yard sign," he said. "It's taking a lot of anger we saw on the streets, passion we saw on the streets, and putting it into the electorate." The place was laden with munchies (carrots, pretzels, breads, olives) and beer and wine, and there was a lot of talk about "the movement" and "the fascist political system." Let's hope this movement doesn't disappear like a cloud of pot smoke.
Joe Szwaja showed up at about 7:30 p.m. in a nice suit, saying that if he can get support in the double digits and break the record for the Green Party in a Congressional race, he will have done his job. "We're going to get a lot of ideas now about how to organize people," he said. "Most people didn't even know what the Green Party was until a few months ago. I think what Nader has done is really wonderful, regardless of the percentages."
When it's announced that Gore is up in the polls, the crowd howls with joy. At least until an earnest young man with dark curly hair stood up and yelled, "Hey! The Gore party is down the street!" Everyone shut up, and followed the Green Che Guevara in a chant of "Nader, Nader, Nader, Nader!"
Monorail Supporters at the Virginia Inn
By all accounts, this party sucked ass. In a room not even close to full, a bunch of Naderites and Greenies (including one barefoot woman) mixed with a handful of monorail die-hards (including handsome Grant Cogswell and kooky Peter Sherwin) and a slew of oblivious diners who just wanted to enjoy their drinks and quiche. While the party started out on a confident high note, things soon got messy as poll results brought alternating doom and glory. As of 9:00 p.m., no city council members had managed to drag their asses to the bash, which was instead overrun by patchouli-stinking hippies from the nearby Speakeasy Nader gathering. As of 11:30 p.m., the initiative looked like it would pass. Phew.
Bus Drivers in a Room
About 60 anti-I-745 bus drivers huddled in this campaign-headquarters hovel on Dexter Avenue downtown. A handwritten sign on the wall with an inspirational message described the seven C's (clear, concise, connected, contrasting, credible, consistent, and compelling). Standing in front of one of the two junky TVs was 51-year-old Jack Buchans, who's been driving Metro buses for 10 years. He said diverting transportation funds to road-building could wreck him. "I'm a bus driver," he said. "I could lose my job." Don't worry Jack, Tim Eyman's brainchild appears to have been aborted.
