Mystery solved: Gov. Gregoire visiting troops in Iraq

Gov. Christine Gregoire is in Iraq visiting Washington Army National Guard troops with a delegation including Governors John Corzine, D-New Jersey, and Rick Perry, R-Texas.

"In August, I had the honor of participating in the farewell ceremony for the Washington Army National Guard troops in Yakima as they left to serve Operation Iraqi Freedom. I promised I would visit them," Gregoire said in a statement released this morning.

The announcement of her whereabouts capped a day of wild speculation about where she is and what she's doing.

In a conference call from Baghdad today, Gregoire told reporters that she had only just learned of the speculation her absence prompted, and that she ran for re-election last year because she wanted to be governor: "I made it clear early on I would not accept an appointment."

"I'm sorry to say I've been on a flight since Sunday, and I'm really not aware of any inconvenience or problems this has caused," she added.

In Iraq, Gregoire and the delegation met with U.S. service members, senior military and public officials. She had lunch with one National Guard unit, had dinner with another, and held a town-hall-style meeting with a third, she said.

"Every one of these individuals, I want you to know, could not be more proud," she said. "The morale is high."

There are about 2,500 members of the Washington National Guard.

Rumors about Gregoire's whereabouts started after her office called The Associated Press on Monday afternoon to cancel her planned speech today at a pre-legislative session forum sponsored by the news agency.

Her office said Gregoire was out of state, but would not say where or why — other than to say she wasn't going to work for President-elect Obama.

Gregoire's mysterious absence left local political blogs buzzing with speculation that she was in Washington, D.C., preparing to accept a job with the Obama administration.

Gregoire was spotted on a plane flying to D.C. on Sunday morning. But she left D.C. on Monday bound for Iraq.

Marty Brown, Gregoire's legislative liaison, said the governor's trip had nothing to do with a job in the new administration but it did not quell speculation.

Brown will stand in for Gregoire at the pre-legislative forum.

Portions of the report came from The Associated Press