Marilyn Governor West Moore was taken aback when he learned that he wasn't on President

Donald Trump's invite list for the White House's annual meeting for governors.

A historically bipartisan event.

As a leading figure in the Democratic Party, a larger question looms, though, for more. How does he think his party can prove to voters that they've figured out a way forward

heading into this year's midterm elections?

Hello, and welcome to USA Today's The Excerpt.

I'm USA Today White House correspondent Francesca Chambers.

Today's Thursday, February 19, 26. And joining me now is Maryland Governor Westmore.

Governor Moore, thank you so much for being here. It's great to be with Francesca. Thank you.

I wanted to start with your dispute with President Donald Trump. He said this week that the polluted spill in the Potomac River is your fault.

And you should call and ask for his help if you need it, have you?

So what the president is talking about is a break in a D.C. pipe that took place on federal land. How Maryland gets caught up in this,

I have no idea. That is just some very creative facts from the presidents of the United States.

The reason that we were involved starting in early January when this first happened was because

we heard from our neighbors about this break and I wanted

to make sure that there was no contagion that hit the state of Maryland and I believe in helping your

neighbors. And so that's why our Maryland apartment of the environment were shown with the first

boots on the ground that they've been testing water quality, that they have assisted Washington, D.C.

in their request of being

able to address the issue of the spillage and why it's now been over a week since that issue

of the spillage has now been solved.

And now the problem is solved.

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