Gov. Gregoire in The Junction: Alaskan Way Viaduct promise

Co-publisher Patrick is just back from Gov. Gregoire‘s whirlwind tour of The Junction. (With her in that photo, State Sen. Joe McDermott at left, State Rep. Sharon Nelson in back, and Skip Dreps, local veterans’ advocate and 34th District Democrats member.) After her group Q/A event at West 5, we got a quick one-on-one exclusive as she headed across the Walk-All-Ways intersection and asked her whether there’s REALLY going to be an Alaskan Way Viaduct (Central Waterfront) decision by the end of the year. She said, “Yes,” repeatedly, then offered some elaboration when we asked if there’s any direction in which she’s leaning – read on for for ~~that video clip~~, and more on this afternoon’s West Seattle campaign stop:

In its next round of meetings starting next month, the Viaduct Stakeholders Advisory Committee is supposed to be reviewing what will be a narrower list of options for the Central Waterfront section’s replacement. But time is growing tight, and we wondered if the governor still expects a decision by the end of the year as previously promised:

(video no longer available due to blip.tv ceasing operations)

Meantime, more photos from her visit – first, the governor talking with Meryl Alcabes at Sleepers in Seattle; second, a photo Meryl just sent us, of the governor with Max Alcabes; third, part of the group that waited to greet the governor at Curious Kidstuff, including Rep. Nelson, County Councilmember Dow Constantine, West 5 proprietor and West Seattle Junction Association (WSB sponsor) board president Dave Montoure, and WSJA executive director Susan Melrose:

And here’s another clip from inside Curious Kidstuff during the governor’s visit – we panned around to see everyone who was there, including some of those mentioned earlier, plus other West Seattle political leaders including City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen and State Rep. Eileen Cody:

(video no longer available due to blip.tv ceasing operations)

After her West Seattle stop, the governor told us she was headed next to McKinstry in Georgetown – which Sen. Barack Obama mentioned in his half-hour-long campaign infomercial last night, having visited the business during a Seattle stop over the summer – you will see the clip if you check out the McKinstry home page. (Disclosure – The Gregoire campaign is a current WSB political advertiser.)

StringCheese October 30, 2008 (6:11 pm)

Wow. Looks like we’re destined to be screwed and left to rot when the viaduct goes down… West Seattle is viable because the Viaduct is such an important corridor! Take it away and put 119,000 cars on surface streets and…

A very sad StringCheese…

HTL October 30, 2008 (6:29 pm)

Her answer was no answer at all. Typical of her “pass the buck”, “kick the can down the road” style of governance, however.

The fact that she was trying to cloud the issue by making it sound like there were some other “I5 to the waterfront” plans on the table (really, how many other options other than the Viaduct are subject to drastic revision in the next 5 years?) indicates that she already knows she is going to anger West Seattle commuters by catering to anti-car extremists, but doesn’t want to say so before the election.

Apropos of which, what the heck is she doing campaigning here five days before the election? West Seattle is solidly (i.e. 75% plus) Democratic. Shouldn’t she be out in some swing precincts courting votes?

ivan October 30, 2008 (8:30 pm)

HTL:

The idea at this late stage of the campaign is to make sure the base turns out. That was the purpose of this short swing through the Junction.

If the base turns out for the Governor, we win. But we never win by taking the base for granted.

Alcina October 30, 2008 (9:00 pm)

I agree with Ivan. Gov. Gregoire is doing precisely what she should be doing. As noted in this Seattle Times article, http://tinyurl.com/67ye6r
Matt Barreto, a political science professor at the University of Washington, stated, “The city is prime Democratic turf, yet she could lose the election here by not motivating her base…..”

Keith October 30, 2008 (9:29 pm)

Check out Dapper Dow!

I missed Gov.oire on her non-shopping spree through the Junction, but I did take some time over lunch at Lee’s to fill out my absentee ballot. I voted for hot & sour soup, seven flavor beef, and Obama.

ivan October 31, 2008 (6:28 am)

The “volunteer who just showed up” in the first picture is Skip Dreps, well-known veterans’ advocate and an active member of the 34th District Democrats.