As Biden arrives in Seattle, campaign donors await — as do protesters

President Joe Biden arrived in downtown Seattle for a campaign fundraiser late Friday afternoon, after his motorcade made a quick trip up Interstate 5 from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Among the dignitaries on the Sea-Tac tarmac to greet the president: Gov. Jay Inslee and Trudi Inslee; U.S. Reps. Suzan DelBene and Pramila Jayapal; Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and wife Joanne Harrell, who both recently attended a state dinner at the White House for the prime minister of Japan; and King County Executive Dow Constantine. Inslee got the first handshake as Biden made his way down the line, but Biden may have spent the most time saying hello to Constantine’s young daughter, Sabrina.

As much as the officials wanted a moment to chat with the president, they wanted their selfies, with several raising their phones and Biden stopping to accommodate.

Interstate 5 northbound shut down before Biden arrived, part of the usual security protocol for presidential visits. Biden left Sea-Tac a bit after 5 p.m., and the motorcade made its way downtown within 20 minutes or so.

The closure of I-5 and some downtown streets slowed drivers and transit. I-5 reopened just before 5:30 p.m., around the time Biden arrived in the Fifth Avenue and Columbia Street area for the fundraising event. King County Metro Transit rerouted a few bus lines, and Sound Transit alerted riders to some potential light rail 1 Line delays.

Near the downtown Lotte Hotel Seattle, the site of the fundraiser, a group of protesters gathered to call for a cease-fire in the war in Gaza and for the U.S. to stop military aid to Israel.

About 100 people were protesting near Fourth Avenue and Columbia Street as of 5:30 p.m. By a little after 6 p.m., fewer than a dozen remained.

The Friday reception was to benefit the Biden Victory Fund, with tickets starting at $500 per person, according to an invitation. A second fundraiser took place Saturday morning in Medina before Biden departed from Sea-Tac in the afternoon.

Biden’s visit followed a swing through the San Francisco Bay Area for two fundraisers there.