Phony WA "Governor" Sworn in

Do you think Washington State Republican legislators are handling this properly? They didn't storm out of the chamber in a huff, which was smart.

On the other hand, they don't want to appear too accepting of Christine Gregoire while court challenges of the stolen election progress.

What's the right mix so that you are standing firm but not pouting or whining? There isn't exactly a playbook to work from here.



(Seattle Times)

OLYMPIA – Christine Gregoire became the state's 22nd governor today with a call for unity, but Republican legislators were a brooding presence during her 45-minute inaugural address.

They barely acknowledged her entrance and exit, and most greeted her applause lines with silence.

"I figured they'd walk out," said former Democratic Gov. Booth Gardner, who contrasted the cool reception to friendlier ones he received as governor. "I was thinking she was hoping they wouldn't walk out."

Gregoire forged ahead with an upbeat speech about her plans, and asking Republicans to put the hard feelings behind.

"I believe the voters have given all of us a mandate — a mandate to overcome our differences, and to solve problems," she said to a standing ovation — from Democrats.

GOP lawmakers were bitter that Democrats defeated their efforts to delay yesterday's swearing-in by two weeks, to give courts time to consider a challenge by Republican Dino Rossi, who lost to Gregoire by 129 votes in a hand recount in one of the closest statewide races in U.S. history.

"The message is, we should have not rushed," said Sen. Jerome Delvin, R-Richland, one of several lawmakers wearing orange ribbons as a sign of support for Rossi. "Maybe we'll have to do this all over again."

Sen. Dan Swecker, R-Rochester, took it a step further, skipping the swearing-in ceremony, which he called "adding insult to injury."