Still no word from the Pentagon as to which way the tanker deal will fall - but Gov. Chris Gregoire already is putting the Air Force on notice about the political repercussions, should the generals opt for anything other than the KC-767.

"If we don't win, then I think there'll be a lot of questions asked about why in the world would Boeing, with that work force, that expertise, that experience, that history - how could they not have gotten this?" Gregoire said following a meeting with the state's Congressional delegation. "My sense is there'll be a lot of questions raised and then we'll get into the protest."

Gregoire then went on to say she thinks Boeing's the logical choice: "I just think we win if it's done absolutely without politics."

Yes, Governor, if only we could keep the politicians out of it . . .

Anyway, a reliable insider tells me we'll likely have an announcement this afternoon (West Coast time) - probably just a half-hour or so after the first shift ends at Boeing's Everett plant. That should give everyone on the 767 line time to run over to their favorite south Everett watering hole to watch the announcement on TV over a cold one.

That's about the only insider information it seems anyone has - the buzz inside the Beltway is that the Pentagon is being unusually tight-lipped about what was discussed at Monday's big meeting where the decision between Boeing KC-767s and EADS/Northrop Gruman KC-30s was made.

"They all have their poker faces on," someone described as a "senior Air Force official" told Reuters.

One thing to note: Gregoire says the tanker deal would bring "9,000 new jobs to Everett over a 20-year span." I think we should interpret that as meaning 450 new jobs that will be sustained each year for 20 years, rather than thinking Boeing's going to rush out to hire 9,000 new workers as soon as the ink is dry.

That's just a guess - Boeing simply doesn't disclose how many people work on each airplane program - but from my experience on the factory floor, following production on the 767 line itself, I can tell you there's no way Boeing's going to need to hire 9,000 people to produce 14 'Six-Sevens a year.