Governors meet Obama: Hats ready?

by Mark Silva

The nation's governors are not going with "hat in hand'' to President-elect Barack Obama at a special summit in Philadelphia today, says one.

But, yes, they are looking for some money.

As Obama meets with most of the nation's governors today in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, chairman of the National Governors Association, says this is not a question of the governors going begging to the incoming president - "We're not coming with our hat in hand,'' he said today in an interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe.

The governors are seeking is three things, he says:

-- "Help for our citizens,'' with continuing unemployment benefits and food stamps and the like in the midst of continuing layoffs.

-- The production of some new jobs, with a federal road- and bridge-building public works programs.

-- And "some help financially'' for state-supported programs such as Medicaid, which people are turning to for help.

"This economy is causing more people to come to us for safety net programs,'' Rendell said.

So maybe that's not a hat in their hands. More like a wheelbarrow.