Bransition Update -- Vive la France

Tracking your governor-elect, from vote to oath.

EUROPEAN VACATION -- Terry Branstad and his wife Chris jetted to the old continent today for a 10-day excursion to France:

Branstad communications director Tim Albrecht says Branstad promised his wife a trip to France as a “much-deserved vacation following a very busy campaign.” The couple will be in France for 10 days, with a river cruise and stops in Paris and Normandy on their travel itinerary.

Way to make us all look bad, Terry. Now all of our wives will be expecting fancy French vacations. Okoboji wasn't good enough?

The couple will be on holiday sans the usual escorting State Trooper who watches over governors and governors-in-waiting. These kids hardly need a chaperon. Although it might have been nice to have someone along to carry all the baguettes and wheels of brie.

Some left-bankers around these parts might be saying, "Sacre Bleu! (Or is it Maytag Bleu?) Can you imagine the howling if a newly elected Democratic governor had gone straight to France? The right-bankers would be all, ' Be sure not to get any of that frilly French socialism in your chardonnay!'"

But that's just the fermented and aged sour grapes talking. with complex floral notes and a hint of blackberry.

To the victor goes the vacation. Deal, Dems.

And there are very good reasons for TB to go to France.

Branstad, who is starting a fifth term, probably wants to see how the Fifth Republic is working out. He can promote Iowa's growing wine industry to those snooty sipping Frenchies. And, frankly, it's about time somebody went over to get to the bottom of what "Des Moines" really means.

And he can price guillotines. There are, after all, some staff changes and budget cuts that have to be made.

So, Lafayette, Terry and Chris are here. I hope they have a great time.