Yesterday, most of our day was spent at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, downtown Portland.  I knew that there would be tons of people there, based on the fact that John Kerry’s last appearance in May filled the area in and around Pioneer Courthouse Square.  Yesterday, people indeed showed their Democratic support.  30,000 people filled the park, while another 20,000 or so filled the streets, bridges, and parking structures around the area.  It was truly unbelieveable.

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Photo courtesy of the Kerry Campaign Blog

John Kerry spent the evening riding his bike around downtown Portland, giving his secret service men tremendous headaches.  He even got a flat and changed the tire in the street.  Senator Kerry also shopped in a few places, dropping, of course, into the Columbia Sportswear store (remember that Randy and Mary?).  People on the streets that actually noticed his presence were so ecstatic to meet him, some even jumped around on the street sidewalks!  He really seemed at home amongst the outdoorsy, friendly people of Portland.  Today, before leaving, he is going windsurfing down the Columbia River gorge.

President Bush was also in town.  He attended two meetings.  One was on the Columbia waterfront at the port where he said the government would pay to dig the river three feet deeper to allow for larger ships to travel in and out of Portland.  Then he spoke at an invitation only rally (a “Small Business Summit”) in Beaverton where he talked about how John Kerry was going to tax the people (I wonder if all these people ranked in the top two percent of wage earners?) and that he is weak on defense, all the while not really offering up any good news of his own.  He doesn’t have any of that.

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