In Seattle, King Trumps a President When It Comes to Salmon

SEATTLE -- It took President Barack Obama 6,955 words to share his vision for the future of America. He told us, "This is our generation's Sputnik moment," and spoke of jobs, heroes and the "need to celebrate winners of science fair" and to "reward good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones."

But here at Seattle's Pike Place Market today, among the ice-filled bins holding an array of clear-eyed fish, the chatter among fishmongers and shoppers who saw the State of the Union speech was all about the 34 words Obama uttered halfway through his 71-minute address:

"The Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they're in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them when they're in salt water," he said, pausing as an experienced performer does, then quipped. "And I hear it gets even more complicated once they're smoked."

Salmon for sale at Pike Place fish market in Seattle

Andrew Schneider for AOL News

Salmon for sale are displayed at Pike Place fish market in Seattle.

The president hit a popular note with his reference to salmon, which are said to occupy more menu space throughout North America than any other fin fish.

But in the Pacific Northwest, adoration of salmon has almost a religious zeal.

"Why does the president even care about salmon? It's just a fish," asked a visitor at the market who said he was from Iowa.

Shaking a huge shovel of ice over the neat rows of king, coho and sockeye salmon, the tourist-savvy fishmonger snapped, "And a Ferrari is just a car."

The offended visitor made some reference to Iowa being the state with the first presidential caucus and mumbled that he doubted that the parade of would-be White House contenders would be discussing fish.

A few yards down the crowded aisle at Pure Food Fish Market, another fish merchant was adjusting his display of alder-smoked salmon and trying to explain to two visiting Korean businessmen that salmon deserved presidential attention.

"They're almost magical" and are born in fresh water, spend their lives in the ocean, then run a gauntlet of rocks, dams and rapids to their birthplace to spawn and soon after die.

He had their attention until he said the "country would be a better place" if the president would just outlaw farm-raised salmon.

That alone might help Obama get the votes of fishers, foodies, great chefs and environmentalists.

But the the fish seller knows the reality of salmon politics:

"That will never happen," he added.