Governor shares spotlight

It starts with a few head turns. They glance at her name tag once, twice — maybe three times — before their faces light up.

“You must be (the governor’s) mother,” someone always comments to Mary Gregoire.

Perhaps they’ve forgotten that Gov. Christine Gregoire is married with two daughters. It could be that until 2005, the state’s highest elected office belonged to men.

Whatever the reason, Mary Gregoire is used to the oversight and corrects it smiling.

“I’m her mother-in-law,” she says. “People make the mistake all the time.”

The 87-year-old Everett woman has attended every fundraising event for her daughter-in-law this election season, despite a recent bout with shingles.

“I think I’ll have to slow down here pretty soon,” Mary Gregoire said, laughing. “But it’s fun attending these events and keeping track of the politics.”

While local politicians and Christine Gregoire supporters mingled at Snohomish County Sheriff John Lovick’s Mill Creek home on Tuesday, July 29, Mary Gregoire, and longtime friend Thelma Kane, 85, shared stories about their families and waited patiently for the guest of honor.

Mary Gregoire, a retired elementary school teacher, came to Everett from North Dakota more than 50 years ago to raise her family, including son and Washington’s First Husband, Mike Gregoire.

“I was teaching in Marysville, before the Tulalip Tribe had a school of its own,” she said, shaking her head. “A lot has changed since then … in education we’re always trying to reinvent the wheel.”

Former students — all grown up with children and grandchildren of their own — recognize Mary Gregoire at the grocery store and other settings.

“They stop us in Safeway all the time,” Christine Gregoire said in a short speech before a gallery of Snohomish County Democrats. “They always tell me what an amazing teacher she was.”

The governor made a quiet entry, checking in first with her mother-in-law to enquire about her gown for the 100-year anniversary of the Governor’s Mansion in Olympia later in the week: “I’ve got you a hat, Nanna, that’s almost as big as I am.”

Mary Gregoire’s companion talked politics, while mother- and daughter-in-law checked down their list of commitments.

“As long as Christine’s in the governor’s office I’m not worried about things at home; she’s doing a great job,” Kane said. “I’m much more concerned with this presidential race. I want us to get out of the war, because it’s not doing us any good at all.”

Kane’s concerns were echoed by fellow Democrats.

The campaign signs read “Chistine Gregoire,” but a lot of the stumping went to presidential candidate Barack Obama.

“We need a partner in the White House,” Christine Gregoire said. “Since 2005, we’ve created one of the best early learning programs in the country … we’ve opened the doors to our colleges and universities — charted the course to world-class education. We set a goal that in 2010, all kids in Washington will have health insurance.”

“With a partner in the White House, we’ll see that everyone in the country has health insurance,” the governor said

Health care and job security are among the issues Americans say they’re most concerned about.

Medical assistant Kathy Christensen hears from patients every day about their struggles to pay the bills and feed their families.

“You see it in everything; the cost of food and gas is going up; co-pays for medical services are going up; it’s hitting people hard,” said Christensen, a resident of Silver Lake in South Everett. “At the same time, CEOs and insurance companies are making more money and getting more powerful. I think Christine Gregoire and Barack Obama will make perfect partners.”

The governor made at least a dozen references to Michelle and Barack Obama in her near-20 minute address to supporters.

“When I was growing up we had a first lady who was loved by everyone and inspired people around the world,” Christine Gregoire said. “Her name was Jacqueline Kennedy, and I think Michelle Obama’s going to do the same thing for the world.”

The governor also talked about her family.

She attributed economic growth in Washington to investments in people, education, economic development, social services and law enforcement.

“We invested in our children, in our teachers … Washington’s economy has stayed strong, while states like Michigan are losing hundreds and thousands of jobs,” she said. “We need to continue funding those things that are most important to us. We need to invest in education so excellent teachers like my mother-in-law, Mary Gregoire, will be there for our children in the future.”