Free Republic

OLYMPIA -- Two days after her inauguration, Gov. Christine Gregoire came home from a long day at her new job and decided to relax and order a pizza. But when she picked up the phone and dialed, she found out that when you're the governor, the tough questions never end. Before she ordered, the pizza girl wanted to know: "What's your telephone number?" "I don't know." "What's your address?" "I don't know that either." "Pardon me? What's your name?" "My name is Chris Gregoire -- that's C-H-R-I-S G-R-E-G-O-I-R-E." "And you don't know your address?" "It's the mansion." "What?" "You know,...

Gov.-elect says the voters never got to know herOLYMPIA — After 12 years as attorney general, Christine Gregoire spent more than a year and $6 million to tell voters why she should be their next governor. There was a constant stream of television commercials showing everything from her as a tot on a pony to her position on stem-cell research. But even before the race ended in a dead heat with Republican Dino Rossi, it was clear an important message had been lost. "I don't think in the end voters ever really got to know Chris Gregoire." ... "I'm a...

"This is exactly the kind of issue that I think can be brought up in the contested-election statutes," Reed said. But why did he certify the election if the numbers are in doubt? "What I signed was a certification for the numbers that were submitted to us by the counties," he said. "I am not in a judicial or an investigative role here." The latest questions about King County came after the elections office released on Wednesday a list of all registered voters in the county, broken down by those who voted and those who didn't. The Republican Party, among...

Here is Gov.-elect Christine Gregoire's victory speech, as delivered Thursday in the state Reception Room of the Capitol: Well, an election night without end has concluded. The votes have been counted, the count has been certified and I am honored to stand before you as governor-elect of the great state of Washington. Today could not have happened without the wonderful people who are with me today - the "First Mike" of the state of Washington, my husband Mike, and our two wonderful daughters, Courtney and Michelle, and we're joined by Speaker Frank Chopp today as well. I want to start...