Scanning the old RSS reader and the impressive amount of speculation by both dirty hippie leftist bloggers and traditional media types, I vote for the sensible speculation of Joe Turner at Political Buzz, who wonders if this is all about Viaduct money and then adds:
It could be broader than that. Democratic governors are set to meet again with Obama this week about the stimulus package. Gregoire has been active in pushing for a large boost to state’s with shovel-ready projects but there is no word as to whether she will be part of any meeting
It is awfully hard to imagine Gregoire departing so soon after an election victory that ratifies the rather solid job she does as governor, although I’d imagine she’d be a fine Commerce Secretary as well.
Turner’s theory seems a lot more plausible to me. The Obama team started rolling out more information about the stimulus proposal today, so it makes sense.
I guess we’ll find out tomorrow, which is a bajillion million thousand years in blog time.
I hope she’s just dialing for dollars. I don’t see anyone that I’d want to replace Gregoire that wouldn’t be missed where they’re at. Although, I’m sure there’s a few young wanna be radicals (but not so radical that mommy and daddy stop sending checks) at Evergreen that wouldn’t mind seeing Les Purse move a long.
Purse has done a fab job revamping and reinvigorating Evergreen, would be our first black governor and plays a mean guitar.
Hmm… Maybe I’ve changed my mind while writing this…
Yeah, chasing infrastructure dollars is plausible. Gregoire is the type who would be out front on that. She led the tobacco litigation that ultimately brought $4.2 billion to our state.
The viaduct is not “shovel ready”.
The north and south ends of the viaduct are shovel ready. The money is budgeted and construction is set to begin soon. Perhaps she’s getting a boatload of federal money for that, which will free up state money for a tunnel in the middle?
2. Roger Rabbit spews:
Yeah, chasing infrastructure dollars is plausible. Gregoire is the type who would be out front on that. She led the tobacco litigation that ultimately brought $4.2 billion to our state.
I hear Dino Rossi is “shovel ready.”
DL–
Ummmm, why is Gregoire’s Budget proposal precisely what Rossi discussed and Gregoire railed against during the campaign???
Just askin’
Seems like she is a bit….disingenuous.
Iraq looks better to her these days than Olympia!
Oh God no! Please don’t leave! I don’t want Owen as our Governor for 4 years!