West Seattle, Washington

12 Thursday

40℉

WEST SEATTLE WEEKEND SCENE: ‘Trump Baby’ balloon in The Junction

August 23, 2020 1:09 pm
|      104 COMMENTS
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(Texted photo)

Thanks for the tips and pics. This inflatable caricature of the President just might be the biggest political prop to appear in The Junction since the giant toilet that one group brought some years back. Local real-estate agent Christian Castro tells WSB he just bought the “Trump Baby” balloon and plans to tour it around West Seattle between now and Election Day, to remind people to vote. Today he’s on the KeyBank corner in The Junction and says he’s planning to be there until the nearby Farmers’ Market wraps up at 2 pm, and will be back next week.

(WSB photo)

The first “Trump Baby” balloon sighting was in London two years ago, and others have turned up since then. Castro says it took some work to procure – he tracked it down by first finding the people who flew the one in London; they referred him to the balloon’s creator, who in turn pointed him to the manufacturer. He says he has an accessory on order – a sign with a QR code that’ll take you to a voter-registration page, which he notes is safer in these pandemic days than setting up a table with paper documents. (Registration info is here.)

Share This

104 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE WEEKEND SCENE: 'Trump Baby' balloon in The Junction"

  • Lisa D August 23, 2020 (1:32 pm)

    Well I was undecided but seeing that cute balloon tipped the balance for me: I’m Voting Trump!

    • ARPigeonPoint August 23, 2020 (2:21 pm)

      Yeah, you weren’t undecided at all. 

      • mok4315 August 23, 2020 (3:33 pm)

        I’m undecided because I hate both parties and candidates, but it’s immature crap like this that pushes me more towards the Republican Party. 

        • Lisa August 23, 2020 (4:12 pm)

          @MOK4315 – LOL, “immature crap like this.” Have you SEEN and HEARD what the president has done over the past few years? This country is very much doomed if you and others think this is bad but you can support an idiot that advocates for injecting disinfectant to rid yourself of a virus. And that’s just one example of immature crap by someone who is supposed to be leading this country.

          • mok4315 August 23, 2020 (7:01 pm)

            Yep, have SEEN and HEARD. And if it wasn’t clear in my last post, I’m not a Trump supporter. But if people in the Democratic Party stoop as low as Trump, I’m not their supporter either. You can be immature too, that’s your right. You do you. I just don’t think it’s enough to fight immaturity with immaturity. You’ve got to stand apart from it, too. You’ve got to be different from it. 

          • oh deer August 23, 2020 (8:22 pm)

            Some might think your choosing to vote for Trump just because a few people chose to do this, is immature.

            It’s also not right to vote immaturely because of other people being immature about an immature president.

            How about just vote for the leader that is better for our entire country, the world, our planet, and future.

          • JeffK August 24, 2020 (9:03 am)

            MOK4315 – so a baby balloon is equivalent to 175,000 dead of Covid via Trump’s lame response, pandering to the Russians, separating and caging children at the border, etc., etc. etc.   Just wow.

        • Just wondering August 23, 2020 (4:24 pm)

          But lying, bullying and slandering is ok?  How sad for you.

        • NoGoCharley August 23, 2020 (4:32 pm)

          Maybe that’s the plan? The site mentioned seems odd to me upon review, and for their introduction they bring something like the Trump baby blimp to alienate a percentage of the folks who would frequent their website? That is not a sound business strategy. Either way, I see no reason to support the site <ever…as in ‘you got my one view…congrats’>, the person(s) behind it, what they are trying to accomplish (???), and the almost assured accompanying drama. No thanks. Oh…and I am not at all a Trump supporter by the way. I just call crap as crap when I see it. Please don’t let this keep you from voting for the candidate of your choice. Our system works better if we all participate.

          • Debbie Murphy August 23, 2020 (8:24 pm)

            But Joe stays decent – vote for Joe!!!  Take care my old hometown and neighborhood!

        • 4 August 23, 2020 (8:30 pm)

          @mok4315, so you expect no more from your president than you do from the regular folk you pass on a daily basis. Says a lot about what you think is needed to serve such office. Or maybe you didn’t realize it is a service, to the people…

          • mok4315 August 23, 2020 (10:43 pm)

            I don’t understand if you guys are not reading my comments or misunderstanding them. I never once mentioned voting for Trump (or Biden). Just said I thought they were both horrible candidates. As parties go, however, I said I was starting to lean more to the right, precisely because of immature actions coming from the left. For a party that prides itself on being more just and tolerant (and mature) than the right, it sure has a funny way of showing it. Scroll down to the comments at the bottom. Sure are a lot of people fat-shaming Trump. If you’re going to critique him, do so on policy. There’s a lot of material there. Don’t go for cheap shots and attack his appearance. I thought we got past that already. Or is there some double standard we should just accept because it’s coming from the left?And don’t get me wrong, I know both parties are filled with hypocrisies. I just think a lot of Democrats (though not all) have a difficult time realizing it. 

          • WTF August 24, 2020 (7:53 am)

            Wow! Our democracy is at risk and people are tit-for-tatting over a balloon. A BALLOON!

        • DumpTrump in 2020 August 24, 2020 (11:33 am)

          Perhaps you should consider interpreting and appreciating the fact that the blimp is not much different than the satirical cartoons and caricatures rooted in our country’s history. There is nothing immature about artistic political expression that encompasses far more than its literal interpretation and it challenges the viewer to look a bit deeper at what the message truly is about. Trump has proven that he is an immature adult by his divisive name calling of people who oppose his views, particularly women. So many of Trumps claims have been exposed as nothing more than lies, or proverbial hot air. A child may see the blimp as an orange man in diapers, but those of us who are mature see the blimp as a symbolic representation of the true essence of our failed president.

    • ro August 23, 2020 (3:18 pm)

      me 2 Trump 2020

      • zark00 August 23, 2020 (5:34 pm)

        haha – did you use #metoo on purpose? – I mean the president was, eh hem, “involved” with the metoo movement. As in all the women he’s abused used #metoo to tell their stories of his abuse.  You prob don’t believe the women though right?

    • WSMom August 23, 2020 (3:45 pm)

      Lisa, nobody is undecided at this point. 

      • heartless August 23, 2020 (5:44 pm)

        This.

      • Peter S. August 23, 2020 (8:53 pm)

        @WSMOM:  Not true.  I’m reasonably certain which way I’ll vote, but a major screw-up by my (marginally) preferred candidate could tip the scales the other way. 

    • Judy August 23, 2020 (5:04 pm)

      Biden is too left for my taste, but Trump is too divisive, narcissistic, and misocynistic, basically not a leader.  We have no leader but are a country adrift. My prolife stance isn’t strong enough this time to vote for him.  I’ll take a chance w/Biden to bring us in better standing w/each other and the world, then when Trump tries to get back in after 4 years, he’ll have to run against other truer GOP hopefuls and by then here’s to Trump losing out to another.  Then there is real hope for our country! Go GOP!

    • 98126res August 23, 2020 (6:54 pm)

      100% agree.

    • Richard Maloney August 24, 2020 (6:03 am)

      Ignorance abounds.

  • uncle loco August 23, 2020 (2:00 pm)

    You’d think that everyone would want the election to be as legit as possible considering all of the outrage we’ve seen in the last 3 1/2 years.  Yeah, Trump comes across as a jerk but I find kind of ironic that he’s being portrayed as a crybaby here.

    • Judy August 23, 2020 (5:06 pm)

      He is a crybaby… a whiner and excuse maker!  Far worse than my 4th graders putting people down and calling each other names.

  • Heather August 23, 2020 (2:00 pm)

    I don’t think it has the sneer down quite as sneery as the original. Never Trump!

  • Trump 2020 August 23, 2020 (2:09 pm)

    Same here!!!

  • Linda August 23, 2020 (2:47 pm)

    There is no way I would vote for that whining baby 😂🤣😅

    • ro August 23, 2020 (3:27 pm)

      i said the same about sleeping Joe he was in power for 8 years but did nothing .

      • zark00 August 23, 2020 (5:39 pm)

        lol did nothing – wow – I guess if you mean didn’t triple our deficit you’re right.  That pesky Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act he wrote and pushed into law though – meh – that was nothing.  You’re prob not looking for a law and order type of president eh?

  • Julia August 23, 2020 (2:53 pm)

    Wondering about the sign, says “westseattle.com is a hoax.” Going to the site, claims to be the owner of a balloon like this and is asking for donations. Anyone know about it?

    • WSB August 23, 2020 (3:30 pm)

      That’s a side venture of the balloon owner. He said the “hoax” is his way of spoofing past presidential claims.

      • Michael August 23, 2020 (4:16 pm)

        That’s a really bad way to run a fundraiser.

  • stayfarfromheretrump August 23, 2020 (3:11 pm)

    i can’t wait to see this in person next weekend! so much prefer this version of trump on our peninsula than the real one; of course he wouldn’t dare inconvenience himself with our nonexistent bridge.

  • Joseph August 23, 2020 (3:13 pm)

    I can’t wait to vote for President Trump again! TRUMP 2020.

    • zark00 August 23, 2020 (5:40 pm)

      Why are you voting for him?  Why is he the best candidate?  Is it QAnon?

      • Joseph August 23, 2020 (7:03 pm)

        His tax cuts for everyone, respect for our Constitutional rights, his support of the innocent unborn, his military spending increase, his two Supreme Court appointments, attacking China’s unfair trade practices, support for organized labor, he’s brought thousands of jobs back to the USA from abroad, his support for gun rights, an all-time record Dow Jones and NASDAQ, 100% support of Israel, improved cooperative relations with Japanese and Korean companies, his support for BREXIT, making NATO nations participate more in their own defense, restructing travel from nations who sponsor terrorism, pulling out of the Paris Accord, fighting human trafficking along our southern border, reinstating sanctions on Iran and dismantling that horrific deal, banning incoming travel from China in January to slow COVID-19, making animal abuse a federal felony, etc, etc…

        • WSREZ August 23, 2020 (8:41 pm)

          only had to read the first line of your statement before knowing the rest wasn’t worth reading. constitutional rights. LMAOOOOOO!!! as he unlawfully pepper sprays peaceful protesters for a photo opp.

          • Joseph August 24, 2020 (1:11 am)

            Your admitting to a lack of reading anything you disagree with is evident in your inability to see both sides of an issue. Even Mitt Romney, the ONLY Republican to vote to remove him, has stated publicly that President Trump will be re-elected. His recent Middle-East peace deal should earn him the Nobel Peace Prize. What a difference 4 years has made.

        • zark00 August 23, 2020 (9:21 pm)

          When it comes to wowing workers, Donald Trump is an absolute magician. Through some mysterious sorcery, he has convinced millions of American workers that he is their true friend, fighting hard for them, even though he and his appointees have taken one anti-worker action after another—dozens of them.https://prospect.org/power/worker-s-friend-trump-waged-war-workers/

        • CMT August 23, 2020 (9:54 pm)

          Even if Trump was responsible for the items you list and even assuming those to be worthy goals, at what cost?  The man is morally bankrupt, corrupt and is seeking to become a dictator In plain sight.  Admitting to attempting to cut post office funding to hinder mail in voting that he knows will largely favor Biden, talking about a third term, allowing Russia to manipulate the US, undermining our alliances, the loss of respect for America and trampling on the ideals that stood us apart.  That is not winning.  

        • ataribear August 23, 2020 (10:05 pm)

          Don’t forget the recent progress toward peace in the Middle East!

        • Reno August 24, 2020 (3:46 pm)

          How’d the slowing of Covid work out?

  • Al August 23, 2020 (3:19 pm)

    That balloon is way too flattering of a depiction…

  • Terry Smith August 23, 2020 (3:35 pm)

    Look slimmer than the original. Likely smarter too.

  • GDR August 23, 2020 (3:35 pm)

    For many years my go to was GoodSpaceGuy. But he gone over to the Dark Side, now I don’t now who to vote for. What’s a they to do?

    • WSB August 23, 2020 (3:46 pm)

      Watch this page, where the state should soon list independent/third-party presidential candidates that’ll be on your ballot.
      https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/candidates/

      • Ed August 23, 2020 (5:12 pm)

        I was an independent but where our country is today and down to Biden or Trump this year, not voting for either makes it a wash. … or actually one vote less for the one of the two you would rather “suffer with” if the other wins.

        • uncle loco August 23, 2020 (7:50 pm)

          Meh, Biden will get all of the electoral votes for this state. Not even sure what the purpose is behind this balloon stunt. Kinda funny though.

  • Terry Smith August 23, 2020 (3:37 pm)

    Slimmer than the original. Likely smarter as well.

  • Smittytheclown August 23, 2020 (3:41 pm)

     Cute.  Can’t wait to watch CNN on election night…..

  • Jason August 23, 2020 (3:44 pm)

    I’m worried that this will hurt his feelings TOO badly, you know? 

  • CH August 23, 2020 (4:21 pm)

    I always picture him as a little older, in shorts with suspenders, a propeller beanie, and holding a big old lollipop.   That said, while I didn’t vote for him (or Hillary) in 2016, I will vote Trump this time around… the left is just way too extreme. 

  • Zipda August 23, 2020 (4:26 pm)

    Voting for Trump is voting against your own self interests and health.

  • tl August 23, 2020 (4:27 pm)

    This sure showed Trump HAHA. I’m sure he’s shaking in his boots from a 15 foot tall ballon in *checks* uh West Seattle. A better use of your several thousand dollars would be spent on actually helping disenfranchised voters Christian.

    • Bill August 23, 2020 (6:27 pm)

      What disenfranchised voters? There is absolutely no such thing?  If you have REAL evidence to the contrary — please speak up and SHOW it in full detail with complete explanations of WHY some PARTICULAR person ( NAMES here – NAMES! and specific locations) has been PREVENTED from voting!

      • CAM August 24, 2020 (8:01 am)

        How about all the people in ND prevented from voting if they don’t have a street address which effectively disenfranchised everyone living on a reservation? I don’t have all their names but I’m also sure this comment box wouldn’t accommodate it if I did. 

  • KJ August 23, 2020 (5:07 pm)

    Could you really take four more years of Trump! Think about it?!

  • NOT-FAKE NEWS! August 23, 2020 (5:19 pm)

    You do realize that TRUMP suggested in a national press briefing to take Hydroxychloroquine as a COVID cure without any scientific proof.  He also suggested that infected COVID-19 patients could be injected with disinfectant.  Guess what, that is not FAKE NEWS folks, happened live in the press room at the White House.  Get Educated.

    • ataribear August 23, 2020 (10:02 pm)

      There’s a word for people who took that seriously.  Its “gullible”

      • OneTimeCharley August 23, 2020 (10:39 pm)

         There’s a word for people who took that seriously.  It’s “dead”.

      • oh deer August 24, 2020 (3:43 pm)

        I can think of a few words for a president who would make such suggestions, but let’s start with just one… irresponsible.

  • LT WS Resident August 23, 2020 (6:12 pm)

    Whaat a waste of my mind and energy.  Really, want to POP that stupid balloon.  What nonsense.  

  • WSREZ August 23, 2020 (6:19 pm)

    this is amazing. #BIDEN2020

    • A August 23, 2020 (10:28 pm)

      Be careful what you wish for. Biden sniffs women’s hair, has been accused of sexual assualt, has said many racist things in the past and recently. But worst of all he is showing signs of dementia. There are countless speeches of his where he gets lost during his speech and starts mumbling nonsense including a speech where he said he was running for US Senate instead of for president. A couple days ago he had his wife on tv and he said “I’m Joe bidens husband.” Scary stuff to come out of the mouth of our potential next president. If you vote for Biden I hope you really like Kamala because she will be our next president. Bidens health is not going to allow him to make it four years as our leader

      • Lagartija Nick August 24, 2020 (9:07 am)

        A, let’s break this down. Biden sniffs women’s hair, Trump grabs them by the pussy. Both are gross, but grabbing by the pussy is much worse. Sexual assault? Biden had one accuser, Tara Reade, who has since recanted. Trump has 25 accusations of sexual assault and rape, including teenagers associated with Epstein’s parties. Biden has never had to pay off a porn star, Trump has paid two (that we know of).

        You guys have some nerve calling out Biden’s morality compared to Trump.

        Racism? Biden has made some questionable statements and supported the disastrous crime bill (which btw, passed with overwhelming republican support). Trump pushed the birther nonsense for five years, refused to accept the exoneration of the Central Park 5, called white supremacists “very fine people”, has repeatedly called Mexicans rapists and worse, and so, so, much more.

        You guys have some nerve calling Biden out as a racist compared to Trump.

        Dementia? Biden has struggled with a stutter his entire life and makes the occasional verbal gaffe. Trump speaks at a fourth grade level, can’t form complete sentences, uses the same four adjectives to describe everything, and rambles incoherently every time he speaks contemporaneously. Trump thinks we drink cofveve and eat hamberders. He can’t pronounce Yosemite. Thinks there were airfields during the Revolution and Stephen Douglas is still alive. He wants you to drink bleach and put UV lights up your butt. And on and on and on and on.

        You guys have some nerve comparing Biden’s cognitive abilities to Trump’s. 

        • CMT August 24, 2020 (7:27 pm)

          Agreed Lagartija Nick.

        • ??? August 25, 2020 (7:12 am)

          Sounds very similar to Bill Clinton, minus the blue dress.

  • bender August 23, 2020 (6:45 pm)

    trump 2020! God bless America!

    • Seattlite August 23, 2020 (9:50 pm)

      The USA’s Free Republic will remain under Trump. Biden is following in Bernie’s footsteps and will take away as many rights under the USA’s Constitution as possible one way or another.

      • WSREZ August 24, 2020 (11:04 am)

        Dems dont want to take your rights away, get that in your head already. republicans/right wing always say this, but really all you guys want to do is be greedy and don’t give a rats a** about people who are suffering. Blue = compassion; red = self interest only and being played by the president. there is a reason he ran as republican… 

  • WAP August 23, 2020 (6:58 pm)

    Get educated????  Do the research and quit believing everything on the news!!!  W Seattle, greater city of Seattle, and Wa state are a mess, is that Trump/fed govt fault?   W Seattleites and W Wa in general just keep voting the same way, Lisa  Continuing to represent W Seattle” is just one example….  I’m embarrassed to be a resident of Seattle /W Seattle today.  Ask friends/family that live other places their recent thoughts about Seattle.  Am I part of the silent majority?

    • Haha! August 23, 2020 (7:19 pm)

      There’s some bores in this house!

      • Lowman August 24, 2020 (1:35 am)

        I’m dead 💀

    • SMH August 23, 2020 (7:41 pm)

      Ever notice that the “silent” majority are the ones who can never seem to STFU?

      • KM August 23, 2020 (8:51 pm)

        Or punctuate properly. 

        • WSREZ August 24, 2020 (11:01 am)

          lol IT’S SO TRUE. 

    • Zark00 August 24, 2020 (9:42 am)

      No, you are part of a very loud, very small, very wrong, minority. People who think “Seattle is dying” are the same people gettkng 100% of their “facts” fron propaganda news outlets like Faux News. Seattle is still, with all its issues, wildly more successful and desirable than most American cities. People are still moving here in droves. The economy, even during a pandemic, is rockin. Housing market is exploding. Crime is at an all time low. Seattle is a great city, with great people, and its only getting better. Except the bridge, that part sucks.

  • RJB August 23, 2020 (7:02 pm)

    #bluewave2020

  • Howard August 23, 2020 (7:40 pm)

    Don’t waste your breath trying to help a Trump supporter, they are lost causes. 

    • WSREZ August 23, 2020 (8:43 pm)

      It’s so sad and so true, Howard.

  • CPT August 23, 2020 (8:16 pm)

    Yep. Trump gets my vote 

    • Seattlite August 23, 2020 (9:55 pm)

      MAGA 2020! 

  • Lagartija Nick August 23, 2020 (8:38 pm)

    Gotta love the delicious irony of conservatives responding to a baby Trump balloon by whining like babies. Haven’t you all been telling the rest of us for the last 3 1/2 years to “suck it up!” That balloon represents all of you right now.

  • West Seattle Mad Sci Guy August 23, 2020 (8:46 pm)

    In this thread, a few people posting multiple times under different names.

    • HS August 23, 2020 (10:37 pm)

      It’s been happening quite a bit. Anything remotely political or covid updates. I was debating if it was a bot or just a few people trying to cause discord. 

      • WSB August 23, 2020 (10:46 pm)

        We watch closely for that and while our detectors may not be 100% foolproof, they’re close to it. If you have some actual direct offline proof to the contrary that something’s gotten through, please email us.

    • mok4315 August 23, 2020 (10:48 pm)

      I remember last time someone tried that, WSB called them out.  

  • WSRes August 23, 2020 (9:41 pm)

    You do you, as long as I can do me. God bless America. 

  • A August 23, 2020 (10:18 pm)

    I’m not a fan of Trump but for all of you saying Biden is a good guy and trump isn’t just remember that the things you accuse trump of Biden has been accused of as well. You say trump is a sexual assaulter. Well Biden has recently been accused of sexual assualt(Tara Reade) and Kamala Harris said she believed his accuser. Not to mention the numerous women who said Biden groped them and sniffed their hair.  Trump is accused of being a racist. Well Biden just recently said you ain’t black if you don’t vote for me. Kamala Harris when she was running for president said that Biden was trying to segregate the schools and she wouldn’t have been able to attend the school she wanted to growing up if Biden had his way. Now Kamala eagerly accepted his invite to be his vice president so I guess she conveniently forgot he was a racist and a sex offender. My point is I think both candidates suck and I’m getting tired of the left saying Biden is this great guy and Trump is a piece of crap when they both have a checkered past. Vote for Biden if you wish but don’t think he’s this greatly principled guy that’s going to fix this country

  • aa August 23, 2020 (11:01 pm)

    Trump keeps talking about mail in voter fraud and that he’ll contest it if Biden wins..what I wonder is, is there only fraud if he loses?  Either there’s fraud no matter who wins or there’s no fraud right?Please tell friends and family that an easy way that we can get our ballots through the mail faster is to put a first class stamp on it.  There is a ‘promise ‘ that USPS will move ballots through via first class even with the third class envelope but let’s make sure to the best of our abilities by putting a stamp on it!

  • wscommuter August 24, 2020 (8:27 am)

    I’m shaking my head at the effort of the comments here by anti-Trump folks mostly just because all these inexplicably pro-Trump folks just don’t matter – at all.  WA will vote blue this fall.  Who cares about the people who take the time to bleat “MAGA”?  Their votes are wasted and won’t do the bad man a lick of good.  So let them whine; why take the bait?  

  • Defund Seattle Council August 24, 2020 (9:24 am)

    Trump 2020!! and all other republicans on the ticket this time for Washington…I’m done with the do nothing Democrat’s especially in Seattle who I voted for last time that was a big mistake 

  • Joanne M Simpson August 24, 2020 (10:27 am)

    Bummer I missed it.

  • HD August 24, 2020 (10:39 am)

    If you’re worried about your ballot and the PO, you can drop off your ballot at several locations around the city, including the Library. It never touches the PO’s hands. 

  • Ivan Weiss August 24, 2020 (11:21 am)

    Great clickbait, WSB. Keep up the good work. :-)

  • ARPigeonPoint August 24, 2020 (3:50 pm)

    Honestly, I hope none of you who are voting for Trump, not voting, or voting third party don’t need the social security you’ve been paying into your entire working lives. Personally, I need mine. https://www.ssa.gov/oact/solvency/VanHollenSandersWydenSchumer_20200824.pdf

    • ARPigeonPoint August 24, 2020 (7:56 pm)

      I meant I hope none of you voting for the current regime NEED social security. My bad for not proofing well enough. 

  • ScubaFrog August 24, 2020 (6:27 pm)

    Trump voters’ votes don’t matter in WA.  This state’s going blue.  The harsh reality.

  • Real-ality August 24, 2020 (9:19 pm)

    Wake up WS.  I know it’s hard.  Cuz all you live a quiet and protected lives.  Really.  Get real you think Trump is for you?  

Sorry, comment time is over.