"Gov. Chris Gregoire's whereabouts are unknown" (from the AP, via the P-I):
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Gov. Chris Gregoire is out of state, but her office won't say where she is.Gregoire was set to be the keynote speaker Tuesday at a pre-legislative session forum sponsored by The Associated Press, but her office canceled Monday afternoon. Legislative director Marty Brown will stand in for Gregoire at the forum.
Spokesman Pearse Edwards said that Gregoire will be making an announcement Tuesday morning, and that no further information would be released before then.
Commerce anyone? The slot needs to be filled. Obama needs another west of the Mississippi figure in the Cabinet. And are there a lot of other plausible reasons for this sort of mysterious absence with total lack of information from the Governor's office? Maybe, but they're very few and exceptionally far between.
Related consideration: if Gregoire were named Cabinet secretary, it would be the final nail in the coffin of Obama's anti-free trade rhetoric from the Democratic primaries.
Finally: if Gregoire receives a federal appointment it would be a H-U-G-E wildcard in Evergreen State politics. A quick search yields the notion of Lt. Gov. Owen taking the reins until an appropriate special election.
But it's all a very big if...
UPDATE: Joe Turner at the TNT says it's more likely to be a big announcement about federal money for the Viaduct rather than Commerce. If that's true, I say "boo, hiss" to the Gregoire staff. Such a reality by no means merits the zip for information public posture they adopted.
The damn thing is, his source could be telling the actual truth, or they could be outright lying as cover for a very close hold announcement (not exactly an unheard of tactic).
UPDATE II: Marc Ambinder cites Obama sources as shooting down the Gregoire to Commerce rumor.
Truth or subterfuge? I'm open to either.
Tuesday AM UPDATE: The Hill notes "Gregoire has reserved satellite television time at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, according to a top aide to a member of the Washington congressional delegation."
Well, if it isn't a Cabinet appointment, it better be good.
7:40 am UPDATE: It's Iraq, with security requirements logically necessitating the otherwise peculiar lack of even indirect information from Gregoire's staff.
Posted by Eric Earling at January 05, 2009 05:55 PM | Email ThisI would love to find a commerce secretary that does not believe in the horrible intrepration of the commerce clause that allows the fed to do about 20 times more than it should.
Not sure there are many politicians that agree. well except Ron Paul.
Posted by: Lysander on January 5, 2009 05:43 PMAnyhow, Who woulda thunk Brad Owens would be Gov?
I can't imagine why he'd pick her though. If he wanted a west side guy, Gary Locke would be a MUCH better choice. I don't always agree with him, but he's nowhere near Gregoire's level of incompetence.
Posted by: cliff on January 5, 2009 05:48 PMPardon my french, but that's bullshit.
A governor of a state can't just take off and play peek-a-boo.
Posted by: jimg on January 5, 2009 06:42 PMLet's not complain when she is off creating havoc somewhere else.
Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on January 5, 2009 06:46 PMNow that Eric broke the story (or at least the pointer), it's possible: The new cabinet has Clinton and Solis, but is still probably considered a bit ''deficient'' in the number of women at the official Secretary level by the politically correctas (not counting ''cabinet-level'' appointments).
And cliff makes a valid point @ #2:
Having lead this state into not just a pot-hole but a bomb-crater of a deficit by gratuitous over-spending when times were relatively good, maybe this is the Gov's chance to get out of Dodge before there is budget blood on the floor in Olympia.
Besides Eric's info on Lt. Gov Brad Owen stepping in as Gov (don't think there is any doubt about that; and I can think of a lot of (D)s who would be a whole lot worse than the current Lt. Gov.):
Any informed comment on requirements or options for a special election for Gov, if the current Gov does end up getting out of Dodge ??..
I did a little more quick searching, and the only thing that popped up right away was:
RCW 42.12.040(1): Vacancy in partisan elective office -- Successor elected -- When.
1st part of Section (1) seems to apply to the Gov; i.e.:
''(1) If a vacancy occurs in any partisan elective office in the executive or legislative branches of state government or in any partisan county elective office before the eleventh Tuesday prior to the primary for the next general election following the occurrence of the vacancy, a successor shall be elected to that office at that general election.''
The above seems to indicate that Lt. Gov. Owen would serve as Gov until a successor is elected in the 2009 general election, if Gregoire goes east. But I didn't find anything already in the RCWs that lays out options or requiements for a special election for Gov. that would apply to the current hypothesis.
The tribes go to (the other) Washington!
Posted by: Andy on January 5, 2009 07:04 PMI've got a real problem with the governor of a state just taking off and her office stonewalling any attempts to find out where she is.
Posted by: jimg on January 5, 2009 07:09 PMEither way, it is a cheap ploy for publicity, and should be beneath the dignity of a governor.
Posted by: janet s on January 5, 2009 07:51 PM''Gov. Christine Gregoire is out of state, but her office won't say where she is or what's she doing -- other than to say she's not going to work for President-elect Obama.''
MAYBE that at least partially quells the speculation along one path.
''Gov. Christine Gregoire is out of state, but her office won't say where she is or what's she doing -- other than to say she's not going to work for President-elect Obama.''
MAYBE that at least partially quells the speculation along one path.
Where's the Governor?
Helping Al Franken with the recount?
Posted by: Joe Band Member on January 5, 2009 08:08 PMbut...again I say...short-minded WA lemming voters will forget after the next Dancing w/ the Stars show...another bailout, anyone?
maybe we can do something meaningful like banning trans-fats and posting calories on menus...
dang--The Reasonable Man is dead! or is he-she?
Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on January 5, 2009 08:58 PM"she's not going to work for President-elect Obama"
That's the easiest plausible deniability one can put out there. She could be going to work for someone that works for Barry.
Or she could be getting more work done on her sex-change operation.
Posted by: Dave on January 5, 2009 10:01 PMWe can only hope.
Posted by: janet s on January 5, 2009 10:54 PMAuditor Sonntag becomes "governor" in Gregoire's absence until Monday
Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on January 5, 2009 11:22 PMOR (if it's not about her health, perhaps) she just went to Washington DC to quickly sidle up with Patty and Maria and LOBBY (beg, plead, cry like a girl) for the job and wasn't asked to do anything!! Euuuuw!! A groveller! Distasteful.
Posted by: Cryptometaphor on January 6, 2009 05:04 AMGregoire's Cuts Mirror Rossi's (link clickety-pops)
Posted by: Cryptometaphor on January 6, 2009 05:07 AMGov. Chris Gregoire in Iraq visiting troops
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Gov. Chris Gregoire is in Iraq this week meeting with local troops.
Gregoire left Sunday with a delegation including Govs. John Corzine of New Jersey and Rick Perry of Texas.
Gregoire had abruptly canceled a speech set for Tuesday at a pre-legislative session forum sponsored by The Associated Press. Her office canceled on Monday and refused to say where she was other than out of state.
Gregoire says her visit was sparked by a promise she made at a farewell ceremony for the Washington Army National Guard troops in Yakima as they left to Iraq in August.
Posted by: Glenno on January 6, 2009 07:03 AMNow the secrecy makes sense. People need to give her a break.
Posted by: DJ on January 6, 2009 07:03 AMI don't see how the viaduct would fit that criteria, excepting as how they are Democrats changing the rules as they go along. The viaduct is 5-10 years from construction. The environmental is a good five years to complete (unless the Democrats create a so-called emergency and bypass environmental rules).
Posted by: swatter on January 6, 2009 07:08 AMBummer, I was hoping she'd just go away.
Posted by: Boxxerace on January 6, 2009 07:12 AMEpic fail, duffer! You could have kept the charade up forever!
He couldn't wait to tell us, not even fifteen minutes after what I just bet was the office's press embargo (8am Eastern) on her whereabouts.
Way to go, duffer! Nice job on the trolling. That explains your lack of presence prior to the 2008 elections...now we'll have to figure out what pseudonym you'll use next.
Posted by: Cryptometaphor on January 6, 2009 07:38 AMNow it is okay to visit the troops? After they won? Sorry, chump, Palin beat you by a year.
Posted by: swatter on January 6, 2009 09:30 AMNeed some ice?
Posted by: Medic/Vet on January 6, 2009 09:52 AMHow was the San Diego diving?
Posted by: Duffman on January 6, 2009 10:01 AMAnd who never adequately did anything else, which is probably why GWB moved him up to Transportation in 2001. That was my first big clue that GWB was a 'Crat sleeper cell awakened to kill conservatism.
Posted by: Infantastate Commerce on January 6, 2009 11:46 AMyes--good thing--she should visit troops--even in econ hard times--i'd rather spend that on her trip for troops than on illegal alien freebie health plans, healthy & able beggar bum freebies and tuition for illegals;
but--maybe a visit to a bunch of local/regional VA hospitals with injured troops here would also work too; or just drop in on a WA vet widow's widower's family for support & dinner; why now? anyway, good to honor our REAL heroes ! huzzah!