This is a governor's moment. Alone on the podium, before 180 lawmakers, TV cameras, radio microphones and newspaper bloggers. It's a "glorious moment" former Gov. Madeleine Kunin once said. At best, the State of the State speech offers ideas that capture the imagination of Vermonters across the state. At the least, it tells lawmakers just exactly what the governor is going to fight for this year.



So who writes the State of the State? Kunin, a talented writer, penned her own. Gov. Howard Dean -- NOT a gifted writer -- also laid down the first draft of his speeches, according to people who should know. (Which may explain why so many of them read like laundry lists).



(Update from the lobby -- the bat has been captured. According to reporter-on-the-spot Louis Porter, "there was a lot of squeaking.")



Gov. Jim Douglas, according to his spokesman Jason Gibbs, follows a more complicated procedure. In Douglas' case, it takes a whole government to write a speech -- though Douglas decides the priorities he'll discuss and sets the tone.

The process began more than a month ago, when the governor met with his senior staff to create an outline. Then departments of state government were asked to provide details on the programs in the outline. After more meetings, Gibbs assembled a draft. "Then the governor takes this policy-driven draft and rewrites it in his own language," Gibbs said. After more drafts, the speech ran to 5,000 words -- about 40 minutes. Too long, advisers said. Gibbs was trying to cut 500 to 600 words this morning. The governor, he said, will still be tweaking the speech minutes before he enters the House chamber.
-- Candace Page