Gov. Gregoire chides Bush in radio speech

OLYMPIA, Wash. — America's newest governor, Democrat Christine Gregoire of Washington, chided President Bush today for shortchanging the states and urged the former Texas governor to remember their financial needs.

The Democratic Governors' Association picked Gregoire to respond to President Bush's weekly radio address to the nation. She took office on Jan. 12 after winning by just 129 votes out of 2.9 million cast. Her Republican rival wants the courts to overturn the election and order a revote.

Gregoire wished Bush well as he enters his second term, but then lit into him. Many of the states' gravest problems are a shared responsibility with Washington, D.C., but the federal government continues to let down the statehouses, she said.

"Too often, the states feel the federal partnership is more promise than reality," she said in the speech text.

Gregoire cited homeland security, transportation, health care and education as areas where federal mandates are heaped on the states without a corresponding flow of money and help.

In the war on terror, she said, "Candidly, there is too much talk and too little action coming out of Washington, D.C.

"The federal government is imposing new security requirements on our cities and counties, without providing the necessary financial assistance to local law enforcement — cops and firefighters whose resources are already stretched too thin."

She complained that Congress has been unable to pass a highway appropriations bill at a time when the states are desperate for jobs and for better roads.

Health care costs are strangling states like Washington, she said, adding: "This is not the time for the administration to abandon its responsibility to address the health care crisis facing our nation. We must forge a renewed partnership to address this issue."

On schools, Gregoire said Bush's No Child Left Behind program has laudable goals, but has never been adequately funded. "We must do better for our children," she said.

"The states are on the front lines" and need federal reinforcements, Gregoire said.

"I urge President Bush to use his new term to open the doors to the states and form lasting partnerships which will help us make our people safer, bolster our economy and improve the future for all our children," she added.