booth gardner - Washington Secretary of State

Booth on Vashon Island in 2006. Photo courtesy Brian Smale.
Chapter 18: The Last Campaign
When Gardner told the audience at the TVW Gala he had “hit the wall” in 2005
it was literally true. He’d been bumping into things. His medications were doing little to
alleviate his symptoms. They were worsening. He’d pop more pills, hoping for some relief,
and become disoriented. He was an accident waiting to happen. One day, he drove alone
to Portland to attend a family event. After dinner, he was tired and excused himself for a
nap, adding that he had a board meeting to attend in Seattle the next day. He wasn’t sure
whether he would leave that night or first thing in the morning. He awoke after midnight
and decided to head home. Hypnotized by the drugs and darkness, he went faster and
faster. Longview’s smokestacks went by in a blur. He zoomed on in a manic daze, sometimes
hitting 120 mph. Luckily, there was little traffic on I-5 at that time of night. He made it to
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