The Back Story on the Governor's Horseback Ride

NORTH EAST, Maryland - It's a Blue State, to be sure; and a Democratic administration, through and through. But it's not every day that a donkey's invited to Gov. Martin O'Malley's monthly cabinet meeting.

Just 73 miles from Annapolis, O'Malley's "Capital for a Day" stop in rural Cecil County is taking on a whole different feel from the one last month with white-linen tabletops and Italian dining in downtown Rockville.

O'Malley has just begun his cabinet meeting in an open-air barn-like structure with a vinyl roof at Fairwinds Farms. On the way into the barn, the governor and his entourage passed a donkey and bales of hay.

It's the first in a long day of meetings between state and county leaders, including a working lunch for budget officials and Eloise Foster, the governor's budget chief, at Woody's Crab House and a tour for Economic Development Secretary Christian Johansson of a proposed wastewater pipeline.

We'll let you know if there's any news made in the barn.

UPDATE:
About two-thirds of the way through his Cabinet meeting in a Cecil County barn this morning, Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) acknowledged the donkey in the back and playfully asked if there were any horses on the farm.

"Are there any with saddles on?" O'Malley continued, lamenting that he had no boots. "Can I ride with wingtips on?"

As the end of the meeting neared, the governor, sans his suit jacket, refined his instructions: "For those who are looking for the horse, make sure it's a very mellow horse."

One by the name of Ariel was waiting when the more official business wrapped up.