Lynch Will Name Senate Appointment at 4:30

um (0.00 / 0)

look for a job, do some work, eat lunch, and appreciate my freedom...

Without deviation from the norm, 'progress' is not possible.

~Frank Zappa

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by: JonnyBBad @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 11:52:00 AM CST

found one (0.00 / 0)

a real growth opportunity
PAXIL SALESMAN

Without deviation from the norm, 'progress' is not possible.

~Frank Zappa

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by: JonnyBBad @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 12:06:06 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Coverage (0.00 / 0)

I wonder if the national media will run it live on CNN or MSNBC

-President, College Democrats of New Hampshire

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by: sdoyle @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 11:55:43 AM CST

Crossing my fingers for (4.00 / 2)

Bob Clegg or Jennifer Horn.

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by: fontasj @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 11:57:40 AM CST

Poetic justice (4.00 / 3)

Wouldn't it be great if the Democrats blocked Gregg's nomination.  Then Gregg would be out as Senator as well.

Oh, somedays I wish we could just adopt the Republican mindset. I think they have more fun than we do.  

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by: Pacific Blue @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 12:37:17 PM CST

C'mon. (0.00 / 0)

You're acting like he's not a good fit for Commerce.

It's not like he once voted to abolish it or anything.

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by: Dean Barker @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 13:09:41 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Already pondered that... (0.00 / 0)

... over here.

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by: Tim C. @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 13:16:08 PM CST

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Nice idea, but... (0.00 / 0)

Senators usually don't resign as Senators until the other job is in the bag, meaning the confirmation is final.  Obama himself was an exception, but he apparently figured he could do without a pay check for a couple of months.

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by: daveMB @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 13:18:07 PM CST

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Feingold on "the deal" (0.00 / 0)

Politics may be the art of deal-making, but in this case, where the State of N.H. will be represented by an unelected member of the minority party who will be dead last in US Senate seniority, I agree with Senator Feingold:

One Democratic senator complained Tuesday about the deal made between Republican New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg and the Democratic governor naming his replacement in the Senate, calling it "alarmingly undemocratic."

Sen. Russ Feingold D-Wis., adding that he thinks Gregg, President Obama's choice for commerce secretary, is "well qualified" for the post but "the apparent behind-the-scenes deal-making that went on to determine who will fill Sen. Gregg's vacancy is alarmingly undemocratic.

"Once again, Americans will be represented in the Senate for nearly two years by someone they had no hand in electing," Feingold said.

More here: http://www.foxnews.com/politic...  

President, NH Young Democrats

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by: Garth Corriveau @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 13:54:55 PM CST

So now pay to play politics comes to NH (0.00 / 0)

Gregg took the Commerce position after he forged a deal where he got control over his successor.  

Lynch basically sold his decision making autonomy to Gregg as part of a backroom deal?

So why are we so upset with Blago?  

 

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by: Pacific Blue @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 14:23:07 PM CST

This is the sort of bogus comparison (4.00 / 3)

that devalues real discussion of issues.

"Basically sold" except that, he didn't actually get anything in return. Other than there being no sale involved, yeah, it was basically sold.

Sheesh.

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by: elwood @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 14:37:32 PM CST

[ Parent ]

You didn't really mean that did you? (4.00 / 3)

I am sure you didn't mean to compare former Governor Blagovich's quest for personal financial gain for a senate appointment and Governor Lynch's decision to respect President Obama's request to apppoint Senator Gregg to his cabinet to help with the president's effort to dig America out of this economic catastrophe.

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by: Ray Buckley @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 14:45:59 PM CST

[ Parent ]

That's pushing it too far, though. (4.00 / 1)

1. The White House denies there was a request to Lynch.

2. Nobody has given any reason why the Judd Gregg we all know here will be any help in the Cabinet. Mr. No Minimum Wage, No Children's Healthcare, many of us believe, will be a disaster inside the administration.

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by: elwood @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 14:51:25 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I think the reference isn't (4.00 / 2)

to gains, but to the dealing involved with the appointment to the seat.

It has already been made clear that Gregg's condition for accepting Obama's nomination was that NH's Senate seat go to a Republican.

This isn't Gregg's seat, it's New Hampshire's. John Lynch was overwhelmingly elected governor. According to state law, for better or worse, Governor Lynch is to decide who is appointed. He should appoint who he thinks is best, not to the dictates of the outgoing office holder.

As far as Blago goes, he was all sound and fury. Whether it signified selling the seat is unclear. In the end it seems he didn't receive any payoff for appointing Burris.

But to me, any quid pro quo involving a US Senate appointment is unacceptable.

Obama lost Richardson and Daschle. I don't think it would be that horrible if he lost Gregg under these circumstances.

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by: jbd @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 15:07:29 PM CST

[ Parent ]

You got my point exactly. (0.00 / 0)

Quid pro quo is exactly what was going on here. The Senate seat of NH should not be up for being part of some deal. Obama doesn't own this seat and neither does Lynch or Gregg.  The people of NH own the seat and right now the people of NH have turned this State completely blue.

What is even more disturbing is the amount of effort rank and file Democrats put into campaigning to get our people into a position of power. It took months of hard effort to get Obama, Hodes, Shaheen, Carol-Shea Porter, and Lynch elected not to mention the Statehouse. Wasn't the idea to get a Democratic majority in the Congress?  Isn't that why we all were out their banging on doors?  Yet, Lynch, now having the power to even further the cause of Democrats just deals away a US Senate seat. The message seems to be, "work hard to get me elected but don't ask me to work for you. Yes, you helped us win so we got what we want. Don't expect us to give you what you want." Does anyone even have a clue as to why that would upset many Democrats?    

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by: Pacific Blue @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 17:25:19 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Make everybody wait (0.00 / 0)

Why couldn't Lynch at least take some time over this so that we might kid ourselves into thinking that he really was searching for the best candidate.

So Gregg not only told him he had to choose a Republican he also told him who to choose.

I'm also at a loss why State Democratic Party notables are so sanguine about this (at least some of them.

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by: cjfb @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 15:07:34 PM CST

Please back away from this rhetoric (4.00 / 1)

There is a big difference between:
1) "John, I need Judd Gregg"
2) "John, I need Judd Gregg no matter what."

I am concerned that a crumb trail is being laid  so that Lynch proxies can later employ the Nuremburg defense.  Gibbs has explicitly denied that the WH is using what some may call, undue influence.

I can fully appreciate a run of nativism, but let's not get carried away.

We will know what John Lynch decided to do, soon enough.

The giant checks its pockets.

Regrets? None!  

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 15:22:54 PM CST

CNN (0.00 / 0)

is saying Lynch appointed Bonnie Newman.  

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by: susanthe @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 15:26:23 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Jack, i think you need to add a third choice: (4.00 / 4)

1)"John I need Judd Gregg and if in the bargain we also get a more progressive senator, albeit a Republican, so much the better."

This is pretty clearly the thinking going on here and I fail to see what is so terrible about it. It isn't of course guaranteed, but little in life is.
I am more than willing to trust Obama and Lynch on this. When you elect people, you sometimes have to give them a little space to work in.

There will be plenty of time to form the circular firing squad if it doesnt work out.

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  

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by: Paul Twomey @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 15:45:31 PM CST

[ Parent ]

We DON'T get a more progressive Senator (4.00 / 1)

We get a stealth Senator who headed the BIA.

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by: elwood @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 15:47:12 PM CST

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yep (4.00 / 1)

we're not really  losing Judd at all. He's taking his desire to privatize Social Security to the Commerce Committee. AND, on top of that, we got a brand new GOP senator, in a state that was turning blue.

NH just got hosed, big time.  

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by: susanthe @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 15:56:39 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Well i've been told she is pro-choice (0.00 / 0)

if true, that alone would presumably make her more progressive to most denizens of BH. Perhaps you will be pleasantly surprised in other areas as well.

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  

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by: Paul Twomey @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 16:40:30 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Oh, a pig in a poke (0.00 / 0)

may always turn out to be a good deal.

But to say, based on what we know today, that we got a more progressive Senator is unfounded.

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by: elwood @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 17:28:23 PM CST

[ Parent ]

fair enough, we'll see how it turns out. (0.00 / 0)

maybe there's blue ribbon in that poke.

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  

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by: Paul Twomey @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 17:44:32 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Always (0.00 / 0)

There will be plenty of time to form the circular firing squad if it doesnt work out.

Always time for that.

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by: JimC @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 16:01:36 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Crap. (0.00 / 0)

Nothing against Bonnie personally at all, but from a partisan perspective I would wish that Governor Lynch were being a bit less profusely supportive in the announcement, just in case she does change her mind about running again...

IT for John Lynch '04 and NHDP '08 - I'm liking my track record so far!

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Feb 03, 2009 at 15:38:18 PM CST