A PENDING TOBACCO DEAL, THANKS TO THE `TIGER LADY'

AT about nine o'clock on Friday night in New York, Washington Attorney
General Christine Gregoire laughed at the suggestion of a latte and
admitted that home couldn't sound much sweeter after five solid months
of negotiations with tobacco companies.

Make that nearly two years. Since early 1997, Gregoire has been one of
the lead negotiators and voices of reason against the tobacco
industry, first with the sweeping national settlement that died in
Congress, and now with a $200 billion settlement that up to 46 states
could sign this week.

It's impossible to know the terms or shape of a pending settlement
without Gregoire's influence. But her steadfast leadership and her
colleagues' descriptions suggest a far different outcome without her:

- -- Gregoire helped write some of the most sweeping regulations in the
settlement, paying relentless attention to details and
consequences.

- -- One colleague described her as "the tiger lady." Many have chimed
in separately to portray both the lady (dignified, poised) and the
tiger (tenacious, tough). In such a politically charged atmosphere,
one person's calming strength can keep talks from devolving into war.

After twice negotiating for more money and restrictions than ever
thought possible, Gregoire and the other attorneys general have
weathered criticism from national public-health advocates that they
didn't go far enough.

Today, Washington is on the cusp of receiving $4 billion over the next
25 years. That is money hard fought between red-eye flights and missed
soccer games, between personal sacrifices the public or media will
never know. It can't bring back the people who have died from
tobacco-related illnesses, but it could significantly foster public
health in Washington - that is, if the Legislature will let it.

If and when the ink starts to dry on a multistate settlement, the
attention turns to states, which must manage this money wisely, and to
Congress, which must strengthen the Food and Drug Administration's
authority to regulate nicotine.

"Our work," Gregoire said, "has just begun."

Checked-by: Patrick Henry