That's what a man says after he was arrested for making a death threat against Governor Christine Gregoire.

In an exclusive interview at his home in Wapato, Jeffery Martelli shook his head and said, "It's been pretty rough. It's been pretty rough."

Martelli builds model boats to soothe his nerves. He's needed a lot of that over the last couple weeks.

Martelli was arrested for threatening to kill Governor Christine Gregoire and her children.

But he says he made the comment only to his therapist, and just to make a point about abortion.

"There was not a threat there," Martelli insists. "This doctor has interjected all this and blown it way out of proportion. What was mentioned was Christine Gregoire's name and abortion."

The therapist reported it to the State Patrol, which saw it as more than a political statement.

It quickly withheld the governor's schedule from the public to make it harder for people to know where she'll be and when.

Emotions are still running high in the contested governor's election.

Governor Gregoire addressed the threat last week, saying non-violent protesters are not the problem.

"Not those people who are actively engaged in the system," she said. "That's not the issue. It's others out there and I'm not going to deny I haven't received one real death threat at this point. But I'm not going to be deterred by any of that."

Martelli insists it was not a real threat.

"All this extra security for Christine Gregoire and then my name in there," he says. "I don't appreciate that. And, I just want to set the record straight."

Martelli will get that chance in court.

He's scheduled to go to trial for threatening the Governor on March 14. Meantime, he's free on $10,000 bail.