Crowds gathered in Belltown in downtown Seattle 10 minutes ago as Barack Obama entered TOP POT Donuts and bought a few dozen donuts . . .
Ten minutes ago there were office buildings emptying all around the intersection of 5th Avenue and Blanchard Avenue in Belltown in downtown Seattle, as President Obama stopped his motorcade and entered a Seattle landmark, TOP POT DONUTS, to buy a couple of dozen donuts for his staff. The caravan consisted of approx twenty vans and armoured limousines, twenty police motorcycles, and a slew of Secret Service agents all over the streets when the limo pulled up to TOP POT. Crowds were gathering at every corner, mostly young people and federal workers like myself.
Barack emerged from the store and immediately approached one of the crowds and started shaking hands and cheering them on. A homeless guy who normally sells REAL CHANGE newspapers told me Barack shook his hand and spoke to him for a moment, AFTER a Secret Service agent told the man to drop his newspapers so that both of his hands could be seen. Three or four of our staff actually got to shake his hand, perhaps photos will follow later in this diary.
Not sure but I thought I saw Axelrod in a van maybe three vehicles behind the Presidential limo.
There was this electricity in the air, really incredible. Crowd was growing like crazy, everyone cheering. Barack seems upbeat, very much Presidential. He is on his way to a rally at the Univ of Washington with Senator Patty Murray later on this afternoon.
It was really great seeing President Obama. I've worked hard for him and the Democratic Party here in the Pacific Northwest.
YES WE CAN!
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