Gov. Chris Gregoire, who was supposed to be giving a pre-session talk to capitol reporters in Olympia tomorrow, is somewhere, but not here. She's cancelled, and is out of state. Her office won't say where.

This, coming on the heels of Gregoire friend Bill Richardson bowing out of his new gig as Secretary of Commerce, has prompted some interesting speculation about whether Gregoire might be in the other Washington auditioning for a role in the Obama administration.

Fueling the speculation: the fact that Gregoire's office, which tends to hold its announcements at the capitol-press-friendly times of 10 a.m. or so, plans a major announcement tomorrow at 8 a.m. or earlier. (Hello, D.C....)

The Stranger's been working overtime on this today. (And here.) But despite its not-safe-for-work ruminations about what type of governor we'd have if Lt. Gov. Brad Owen ascended to the job -- "less qualified to be lieutenant governor than an empty bag of chips...a one-eyed dog, and a man without a website" -- it sounds like Gregoire's not going to be moving out of the governor's mansion anytime soon.

Stay tuned.

Update: In an effort to flush the governor out, The Stranger has started a Where's-Waldo online poll about where the state's executive is. Currently leading the voting: "Brokering truce in Seattle hiphop wars from undisclosed location."

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