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Drudge banners: "IOU" and links to this LA Times story on the budget crisis in California. And the U.S. says North Korea does not appear to be readying a missile launch in this Bloomberg story is also highlighed on Drudge. ... READ MORE

Huffington Post
The Huffington Post banners: "Obama's first major military operation underway in Afghanistan" and links to this AP story. Unemployment to hit a 9.6 percent, a 26 year high, according to this AP report, highlighted on the HuffPo. And Jesse Berney ... READ MORE

HotAir
The Obama administration doesn't see the contradiction between calling for free elections in Honduras and staying out of the election in Iran, writes Allahpundit. And veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas went "nuclear" on the White House for controlling the ... READ MORE

DailyKos
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) wants to president but "she couldn't even get her own campaign's scheduling staff to give her enough time to run," writes Jed Lewison. And South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's (R) recent confessions have set off ... READ MORE

Townhall
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's (R) Republican enemies hope he stays in office, writes Matt Lewis. And, drawing on examples from other countries, Carol Platt Liebau writes what ObamaCare "really means." READ MORE

OpenLeft
Advancing the debate over torture is always going to be difficult, writes Daniel de Groot. And Mike Lux takes a look at the fight over a new Pecora commission. READ MORE

RedState
The press is "finally" calling out the Obama administration for controlling the press, writes Paint it Red. And Moe Lane takes a detailed look at the 2010 election and the ages of several Democratic committee chair people. READ MORE

MyDD
Mitt Romney appears to be urging Republicans to stand up to President Obama, writes Charles Lemos. And Lemos also writes that South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) must think the Associated Press is a "licensed therapist." READ MORE

Powerline
Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) appeared to open the door to the Obama administration making more demands Israel in the peace process while in the country, writes Paul. And new polling shows that support for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is ... READ MORE

Matthew Yglesias
The entire committee system in Congress "leaves a lot to be desired," writes Matthew Yglesias. And Yglesias also points out a general thought among the punditry right now: Congress is asserting its dominance in setting and controlling the agenda, not ... READ MORE

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January 5, 2009

Gov. Gregoire's D.C. Trip Fuels Commerce Speculation

@ 11:46 pm by Hill Staff

Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) canceled a Tuesday lunch appearance with the Associated Press late Monday and two Washington State sources confirmed to The Hill she is in Washington, D.C. The governor's actions over the last 24 hours have triggered a wave of speculation in the Evergreen State that Gregoire could replace New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) as President-elect Obama's Commerce Secretary-designate.

Gregoire was reportedly on a plane Sunday, and multiple sources confirm she was in the nation's capital as late as Monday. A Gregoire spokesman vehemently denied she was set to take a position in Obama's cabinet, and said she was not still in D.C. late Monday night "as far as I know."

Her office refused to confirm Gregoire's whereabouts all day Monday, according to Seattle media outlets. Top Washington state Democrats in D.C. and the Evergreen State said Monday night they had not been informed of any pending appointments.

Local reports said a special press conference has been set for Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. Pacific time for an unspecified announcement, further fueling speculation.

By Monday night, the possibility of Gregoire heading to the other Washington was the subject of rampant rumors in Washington state Democratic political circles.

Gregoire endorsed Obama for the Democratic nomination the day before the Washington caucus in February. Obama defeated Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) in Washington by more than a 2-to-1-margin.

If tapped, she would replace Richardson, who bowed out of the Commerce slot over the weekend amid reports an investigation into a California company that had business in his state.

Should Gregoire accept the Commerce post or any position in the administration, Lt. Gov. Brad Owen (D) would take her place. Gregoire just won a second four-year term, defeating former State Sen. Dino Rossi (R) by six percentage points. In 2004, Gregoire defeated Rossi by a mere 129 votes after several recounts.

UPDATE: 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.

-Reid Wilson

1 Comment »

The Hill welcomes comment from anyone and will almost always post it whether it is favorable or critical, as long as it is substantive and advances debate.
  1. She went to Iraq to visit troops from her home state of Washington.

    Gosh you folks sure can make up stuff.

    Comment by azcowpoke1 — January 6, 2009 @ 11:16 am

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