 President Barack Obama with Sen. Patty Murray, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, and others at Seattle’s Grand Central Bakery (Photo from whitehouse.gov) |
Since he started working for Obama, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke’s wish was to bring the president of the United States to his hometown. Last week, Locke got his wish.
It was a historical moment not only for Washington state but for the Asian community as well. The former governor flew home with the president on Air Force One.
When Locke was sworn in last year at the White House, he told the Northwest Asian Weekly that he wanted to bring the president to Seattle. But the president’s schedule was so packed, he was not hopeful. At first, he thought of bringing the president to celebrate former governor Albert Rosellini’s 100th birthday. The president was unable to attend. So Locke returned by himself. An opportunity came when Sen. Patty Murray was running a tight race against Dino Rossi in her re-election campaign.
Locke might be the commerce secretary for the nation, but his heart remains with our state. He works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that Obama will not forget us. Remember that he was the one who brought Chinese President Hu Jintao to us in 2006. ♦