Yet no sign of Chicago cops cracking heads...
"The whole world is watching! The whole world is watching!" --Republican protesters, upon learning that CSPAN would be covering the inauguration of Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire
Eye On Olympia
THURSDAY, JAN. 13, 2005
And grant them, oh God, the will to speak plainly...
"As each senator takes an oath of service, grant, oh God, them vision -- a vision of sound fiscal discipline where budget deficits are filled and spending bills are prudent. Grant them wisdom, power and intellect to defend our constitution and to serve their constituents…
FRIDAY, JAN. 7, 2005
Taking a breather...
"I think I'll stay away from politics and commentary for a while. I may be unreachable." -- Gov. Gary Locke, joking when reporters asked how to contact him once he leaves office. He said he intends to take a month or so off, then take…
A familiar name arrives in the capitol...
Two campaigns for the state legislature couldn't quite do it, but it turns out that Spokane schools veteran Laurie Dolan is going to make it to Olympia after all.Gov.-Elect Christine Gregoire on Friday morning named Dolan director of the governor's Executive Policy Office. That means…
THURSDAY, JAN. 6, 2005
Two elections, apparently...
It's now as if there were two elections for governor (not counts, of which there were three, but two actual elections).Here's what we mean: Democrats, Secretary of State Sam Reed and apparently most state auditors describe an election with a few minor errors, but no…
MONDAY, JAN. 3, 2005
Their man in Olympia...
The Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce has hired an Olympia veteran, Jim Hedrick, to be Spokane's voice in the capitol.Lobbying's not new for Hedrick, who was the "director of legislative affairs" -- essentially a lobbyist -- for the state's budget office. Chamber priorities this session…
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 29, 2004
Announcement pending...
Dino Rossi has scheduled a press conference tonight, shortly before the 6 o'clock TV news...
TUESDAY, DEC. 28, 2004
All over but the shouting?
Maybe not. The state Republican Party has filed a massive public-records request with King County election officials. The party, it's attorney says, is concerned about possible "irregularities, errors or perhaps worse in the conduct of this election...So that we may begin gathering information to allow…
FRIDAY, DEC. 17, 2004
And Spokane's in...
Spokane County just reported the results of its hand-count. Gregoire gained 8 votes, Rossi gained 15, and Bennett gained 3.So as the state waits for King County to report its results, Rossi has gained a net 8 votes more than Gregoire.
Counting down...
With 37 of 39 counties reporting -- that's everyone but King and Spokane counties, here's how the recount has changed things so far:-Christine Gregoire's gained 553 more votes.-Dino Rossi's gained 554.(Libertarian Ruth Bennett picked up 31.)
TUESDAY, DEC. 14, 2004
Supremes say `no' to the Democrats...
The state Supreme Court this morning unanimously rejected Democrats' appeal to reconsider thousands of ballots that had early been ruled invalid."No right is more precious in a free country than that of having a voice in the election of those who make the laws under…
FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2004
Grant County adds 52 more ballots...
Although Grant County hasn't reported its results yet -- and probably won't until Tuesday -- County Auditor Bill Varney says that 52 more ballots have turned up than in either of the earlier machine counts.How'd that happen? Nobody's quite sure. They were apparently absentee ballots,…
THURSDAY, DEC. 9, 2004
Hand-counting turns up more votes...
The hand count in Mason county has turned up extra votes that the counting machines did not catch earlier.The results: 9 more votes for Christine Gregoire, 12 more for Dino Rossi and 2 less for Libertarian Ruth Bennett.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 8, 2004
Breaking news: Court hearing set in gov's recount case...
The state Supreme Court has scheduled arguments in the case for Monday at 1:30 p.m., according to court staff.At issue is whether to reconsider thousands of ballots that county election officials had previously ruled invalid, often because the signature on the voter registration form didn't…
FRIDAY, DEC. 3, 2004
This hurts, but keeps us humble...
Much as we hate to, we have to bow to a Seattle Times' scoop this morning: Christine Gregoire, 42 votes behind in the governor's race after a count and a recount, told the Times' David Postman that if Democrats can't raise enough money to pay…
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 17, 2004
Hit "refresh" early and often...
Track the governor's race live on the Secretary of State's website: click here .It will be updated frequently throughout the day.
TUESDAY, NOV. 16, 2004
No word on whether "Battle Hymn of the Republic" was playing softly in the background...
State Democratic Party Chairman Paul Berendt announced last week that the party was taking King County to court over election procedures. "We have one objective," Berendt said. "Count every vote."Every vote, that is, so long as it's a vote for his candidate in the still-razor-thin…
MONDAY, NOV. 15, 2004
Speaking of blogs...
"Everyone with a computer is a statistician, and everyone with a mouth is a pundit." -- Gregoire campaign consultant Christian Sinderman
TUESDAY, NOV. 9, 2004
Okay, so we're `sleepy,' -- but we kick Tacoma's behind...
Time magazine's take on Spokane and its free downtown wireless computer network: click here
THURSDAY, NOV. 4, 2004
Or maybe Tom Waits...
At the Democrats' Election Night party in Seattle, the music consisted of "recognizable jazz standards and patriotic songs with a jazz twist" -- Alexander's Ragtime Band, Amazing Grace, Camptown Races, The Caissons Go Rolling Along and, surprisingly, Dixie.(At the Republican Party, they were busy chanting…
MONDAY, NOV. 1, 2004
Republicans, Democrats, and Craigs...
Bone, Boydston, Brown, Diamond, Gookin, Haines, Hughes, Judd, Moore and Warrick. Nope, not a law firm. Those are the 10 people who have declared themselves in Washington as write-in candidates for president.About half are Washingtonians. Lawson Mitchell Bone hails from Tennesee; Father J. Boydston from…
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 27, 2004
Going man-to-man with a cardboard cutout of Elvis...
"I personally think he's a gutless weasel." --- Initiative promoter Tim Eyman, trying to goad Mark Ufkes into a debate. Ufkes, who works for Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, had reportedly offered an anytime-anywhere "smackdown" debate over Eyman's Initiative 892. The measure would allow businesses…
FRIDAY, OCT. 22, 2004
We always take everything with a grain of salt -- but we're running out of salt...
With less than two weeks to go before Election Day, we're now getting a new political email every four minutes. An increasing percentage -- no surprise -- are of the don't-believe-everything-you-read variety.Case in point: Gubernatorial candidate Christine Gregoire's campaign today issued this summary of a…
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 20, 2004
We pause to consider North Carolina...
Even this year, it's rare to see a political ad with a disclaimer like this one: "Dancing man not actually Gov. Easley."The ad in question is from the Republican Governors' Association . Scroll down to get to the North Carolina video.
MONDAY, OCT. 18, 2004
The ghost of Reagan...
"Dino, there you go again..." -Gubernatorial candidate Christine Gregoire, borrowing a debate line made famous during a Carter-Reagan debate in 1980. She was responding to candidate Dino Rossi's charges that she's done a poor job of defending the state against lawsuits.
Short takes and breaking news from the Washington Legislature and the state capital.