Strike a pose, Governor Doyle!

Okay, we all know that it is crunch time. Basically Governor Doyle, himself, has not bothered to be involved.

The rumor traveling around yesterday about our absentee governor, appear to be true.

Now the Governor has run off to Washington, DC.

Apparently, the budget does not mean that much to our governor.

Gov. Jim Doyle left this afternoon for Washington, D.C., where he is scheduled to meet with U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, and U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Milwaukee, to talk about federal re-authorization of the SCHIP program.

Traveling with Doyle, spokesman Matt Canter said the governor has been in touch with budget negotiators throughout the day. "SCHIP re-authorization is an enormous federal issue right now, and Wisconsin has a critical stake in the program," Canter said.

He also defended Doyle against charges by some Republicans that he has been absent in budget negotiations. Doyle hasn't sat down at the bargaining table since Monday morning, but top aides like Deputy Chief of Staff Katie Boyce, Budget Director Dave Schmiedicke and DOA Executive Assistant Pat Henderson have been on hand.

"The governor has been at times there in person and has been available and accessible around the clock to both sides," said Canter. "He has been fully engaged around the clock about what's going on at the table. It's the Legislature's job to pass a budget, and to date, the Legislature has failed to do the job. He has made himself, his entire administration and his home available to legislators to come to agreement and get the job done. The expectation is that this happens now." Canter sounded a positive note on the budget negotiations. "There are new ideas, and that's progress," he said.

Doyle will return from D.C. tomorrow. The SCHIP re-authorization passed the House yesterday and is expected to pass the Senate later in the week. President Bush is expected to veto the bill.

These are the same people that have been representing the Governor during budget negotiations for the last three months, that has gotten us nowhere.

Doyle got his picture taken for the media, then he left.

The idea that Governor Doyle was going to try and break the budget log jam is a joke. His only interest in this budget is to get pretty pictures taken for the media! This is a crock!

I see Jessica McBride got the same information that I did.

Strike a pose, Governor Doyle!