For Gregoire, no Obama post, no viaduct bucks, just an Iraq hello

Gov. Christine Gregoire didn't get a job in President-elect Obama's administration or line up a big federal grant to help replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct, despite rumors to the contrary.

She secretly flew to Iraq to visit troops from the Washington Army National Guard's 81st Brigade, her office announced Tuesday morning, capping a day of wild speculation about where she was and what she was doing.

The rumors started when the Governor's Office called The Associated Press on Monday afternoon to cancel her planned speech Tuesday at a forum sponsored by the news agency. The news service put out a story saying her office wouldn't comment on her location.

That left local blogs speculating she was in Washington, D.C., preparing to accept a job with the Obama administration or lining up money for the viaduct.

The Governor's Office said the U.S. Department of Defense told staffers not to release information until 7 a.m. Seattle time as a standard security precaution. Gregoire went to Iraq with a delegation that included Govs. John Corzine, D-N.J., and Rick Perry, R-Texas.

Department of Defense officials confirmed they told all three governors not to release information until that time.

Gregoire issued a statement Tuesday saying, "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."

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

In Iraq, Gregoire and the delegation met with U.S. service members, senior military and government 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."

About 2,400 members of the 81st Brigade serve in Iraq.

Gregoire was spotted on a plane flying to Washington, D.C., on Sunday, which helped fuel speculation. But she left D.C. on Monday bound for Iraq.

The trip to D.C. cost state taxpayers about $711 for a round-trip airfare and one night in a hotel, according to the Governor's Office. The Department of Defense paid for the trip to Iraq.

Staff reporter Andrew Garber and The Associated Press contributed.