McCain talks about environment, raises funds in Eastside visit Tuesday

Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, brought his campaign to the Eastside Tuesday with a fundraiser in Bellevue and participation in a roundtable discussion in North Bend on global climate change.

At the roundtable discussion, the Arizona senator asked for input from environmental stewards, the president of REI, an Eagle Scout, a bank president, an organic farmer and others at the Cedar River Watershed Education Center, located on the edge of Seattle’s main drinking water source.

High gas prices hurting average Americans’ pocketbooks, combined with national security issues stemming from buying “more than $400 billion a year of imported oil from countries that don’t like us very much,” should “spark in this nation an incredible impetus for us to sit together, Republican and Democrat, environmentalist and business and banker, and retailer,” to tackle environmental issues, McCain said.

He spoke briefly about his “cap and trade” system proposal that would provide incentives for businesses to limit their carbon emissions in an effort to slow global warming.

The senator praised the cooperation of various governments that maintained high quality drinking water and green lands in the Puget Sound area.

“I promise not to do anything that would obviously affect this tremendous role model, of state, local and federal government working together to provide clean drinking water, and pristine area of this beautiful state,” he said.

Later in Bellevue, McCain participated in a $33,100 a plate “Victory Dinner” at Daniel’s Broiler. Guests in attendance included Sen. Slade Gordon and 19 other prominent local business people.

Outside the dinner at the Grand Hyatt Regency, demonstrators ranged from an Obama supporter to a group protesting his stance on women’s rights.

Inside, the atmosphere was much more cordial.

“We were thrilled and honored to host John McCain and his group for such a special evening, said Daniel’s Broiler Bellevue General Manager Bob Cramer. “There was an excitement in the air from both staff and guests.”