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Judd Gregg Withdraws as Commerce Secretary Nominee, Apparently Because of U.S. Census

by: KrisSchultz

Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 16:22:24 PM EST
(Oh my... can things get any more interesting?! - promoted by Mike Hoefer)

I'm watching this on CNN, and it seems that it has to do with the Census, according to John King of CNN.

The Census ought to be apolitical, but it has never been.

According to the WashPost, the Republicans were hammering the Administration on the Census.


They asserted in a letter to the president yesterday that the proposal is an "unprecedented politicization of the Census" that would "open the door to massive waste and abuse in the expenditure of taxpayer funds, billions of which are distributed on the basis of Census data."

Update by Mike: User "InsidetheBox" says in the comments that WMUR has reported the Gregg will not run in 2010

Update by elwood: Confirmed by UL.
KrisSchultz :: Judd Gregg Withdraws as Commerce Secretary Nominee, Apparently Because of U.S. Census
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Judd Gregg Withdraws as Commerce Secretary Nominee, Apparently Because of U.S. Census | 157 comments
I don't buy it. n/t (4.00 / 4)


"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    
Didn't buy what? (0.00 / 0)
The rumor (when it was still a rumor) that he was resigning, or that it was over the census? My first thought was that someone found some really bad dirt on him, but we'll see if something leaks about that.

IT for John Lynch '04 and NHDP '08 - I'm liking my track record so far!
[ Parent ]
Taxes? (4.00 / 1)
Maybe he forgot to pay his taxes on the Powerball winnings, like that Survivor guy.


Be the Change you wish to see in the world (Gandhi)
[ Parent ]
The census n/t (0.00 / 0)


"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    
[ Parent ]
LOL (0.00 / 0)
I wonder how long it's going to take Republicans to catch on that being offered a job is a sucker play.  What a way to defang the opposition!
Watch the Hodesy! n/t (4.00 / 1)


The giant checks its pockets.

Regrets? None!  
Secretary Hodes? (4.00 / 1)
hmmm...

-President, College Democrats of New Hampshire

[ Parent ]
Secretary Bradley or Gephardt or Gore (4.00 / 3)
Let's encourage Barack Obama to do what a few of us were urging during the past two weeks -- GO TO THE BENCH.  We have some great Democrats who can be a great Commerce Secretary/Cabinet Member.  And there are good non-political or egotistical Republicans who will be much better than a Judd Gregg ever could be.
[ Parent ]
Or Senator Hodes (4.00 / 2)
Which we can help make happen now on ActBlue as of this afternoon. Click here.
[ Parent ]
What an arrogant self-centered ... (4.00 / 1)
Now that he's totally embarrassed Governor Lynch. Is he now forced to run for re-election for the sake of his monstrous ego? The ripples begin anew.  
The TWO Big Losers On All This... (0.00 / 0)
...were John Lynch, who was innocently put in the middle of all this.  He didn't deserve that.  And Bonnie Newman, who was brought to the heights by Judd Gregg, then dropped to the dump.  In all good decency, Gregg should still resign and let her fill his seat.  
[ Parent ]
Except... (0.00 / 0)
Now if Judd Gregg resigns, he has less leverage to get a Republican replacement. Since he wouldn't run in 2010 anyhow there's no more argument about how getting him out of the race is a benefit, and since he's not going to the Cabinet there's no more White House cooperation angle to it. While Bonnie Newman would most likely be at least a bit better than Gregg, it's not by enough to be worth letting Gregg's baggage go as well.

IT for John Lynch '04 and NHDP '08 - I'm liking my track record so far!
[ Parent ]
Oh, damn. (4.00 / 2)
I guess the DSCC won't target the seat any more.
You don't think you could make an argument... (4.00 / 2)
that Judd Gregg wanted to be done representing the people of New Hampshire, and the Senate seat is something he doesn't really want to be doing?

He was a good target before this whole nonsense ever started, and I think he's in a worse position to run for reelection now.

I mean, look, this is an increasingly Democratic state, and Gregg has just shown he has no interest in playing ball with the president that New Hampshire voted to send to the White House.  I think this is a net loss for him.

[ Parent ]
Oh, I agree completely. (4.00 / 1)
Some Democratic spinmeisters were trying to sell this baloney earlier.
[ Parent ]
Oh, Snap (4.00 / 1)
I think the DSCC will continue to target NH now since I guess the leader of our country is pretty pissed off at Gregg.

-President, College Democrats of New Hampshire

[ Parent ]
Not running for re-election (4.00 / 1)
It's still an open seat, hence the 2010 scenario hasn't changed, unless Gregg reverses himself on that as well.

IT for John Lynch '04 and NHDP '08 - I'm liking my track record so far!
[ Parent ]
What a croc (0.00 / 0)
I forgot who it was, but shortly before Gregg was nominated, I heard one of the talking heads say Kentucky would be the DSCC's top pick-up target in 2010.  Kentucky.  Really.

Honestly, New Hampshire probably would have been, and probably still will be, the top DSCC pick-up target in 2010, regardless of this whole affair.  How many other seats are Republicans defending in states where no Republican has won a federal election since 2004?

That said, the White House is not having a good month, and I'm sorry to see it get worse.  Really, though I'm sorry that Governor Lynch had to go through this ordeal, which, despite not happening in the end, can only hurt him, even though he didn't ask to be a part of this.  I'm also sypathetic to Bonnie Newman, who got caught up in all of this for nothing.

[ Parent ]
Open Seats (0.00 / 0)
Now that the seat is (probably) open in 2010, absolutely it's the best pick-up out there. But as a general rule, challenges to incumbents are harder than open-seat races, and that looks to be what the DSCC was going off of, no matter how foolish it looks from New Hampshire.

IT for John Lynch '04 and NHDP '08 - I'm liking my track record so far!
[ Parent ]
I'm criticizing talking heads, not DSCC. (0.00 / 0)
I haven't heard them make that mistake.
[ Parent ]
Interesting - (0.00 / 0)
that the GOP is trying to get Bunning to retire in Kentucky, turning it into an open seat.
[ Parent ]
Special case (4.00 / 1)
Rule of thumb =/= always true. Bunning is such a senile embarrassment to them that he's actually worse than a nobody. The same way some in the Alaska GOP tried to primary Stevens, didn't they, knowing that his legal issues made him worse than a newcomer?

IT for John Lynch '04 and NHDP '08 - I'm liking my track record so far!
[ Parent ]
Jim Bunning 2010 = Bob Smith 2002 (0.00 / 0)
If Bob Smith had been born a year before FDR was elected, and had a perfect game and Alzheimer's on his resume.  And used a charity as a piggy bank.

Though the GOP might be less delicate in shoving Bunning out of the way.

[ Parent ]
You've obviously never heard Jim Bunning Speak.... (4.00 / 1)
Or you'd understand why the talking heads said that.

But whether it's NH or KY first, I agree... NH will be near or at the top of most lists.  

And that's good for us.


Be the Change you wish to see in the world (Gandhi)

[ Parent ]
We Played Into His Hands (0.00 / 0)
...and before we ever cheer another Republican the way we did him, or Bonnie Newman, we have to take a breath.  Now let's hope that we can unify behind our eventual nominee for United States Senate and a way to do that is to encourage a vibrant primary that doesn't become personal.  
Who's this WE? (4.00 / 2)
Stop using Blue Hampshire to lecture unnamed other Democrats, Ray. WE did not cheer either of them.
[ Parent ]
Ray => Jim. (4.00 / 1)
Elwood => tired.
[ Parent ]
Many Sure Did, Elwood (0.00 / 0)
And let's learn from that.   I and a few others got a lot of abuse on this site the past two weeks by urging us not to.  Gregg never should have been nominated, but many Democrats were cheering that he would be out of the US Senate. THEN Democrats started cheering Bonnie Newman.  At least admit some of us were right from day one about Gregg, and some were wrong.  Throw me off the site if you want, but my nagging about this and the Gregg nomination should be heard by some Democrats who cheered that Gregg "was the kind of person who could squeeze 11 cents out of every dime," or that NH should be proud we'd have "one of our own" on the Cabinet.  Sad.  Let's cheer Democrats.
[ Parent ]
May be that happened elsewhere (0.00 / 0)
But frankly, it gets tiresome and confusing to see half a conversation here.
[ Parent ]
The Conversation Is Here (0.00 / 0)
Elwood -- one thing that won't work with me, and never has, is telling me to shut up.  Get over it.  And it HAS been on here -- lots of cheering for Judd Gregg.  I guess you and I have been reading different Blogs.  It gets tiresome to me that it took so long to see this dialogue turn around from so many Democrats jumping with joy that we might get Gregg out of the Senate and have an open seat in 2010.  Just in recent days did I notice people on this Blog and Democrats elsewhere get it that the Gregg nomination wasn't a great thing for us, nor was Bonnie Newman a great choice by John Lynch.  Thank goodness for Hampsters like Susan and Burt, who also had their share of abuse in the past two weeks.
[ Parent ]
Got a link? (0.00 / 0)
I haven't seen a SINGLE posting here cheering for Judd Gregg. If I had I would back you up.
[ Parent ]
Let's Learn From This (0.00 / 0)
Elwood -- review the Blog posts and the news media if you want to see the cheerleading for Judd Gregg and Bonnie Newman.  All I'm saying Elwood, and my cause isn't to hurt any Democrat, is that from day one we shouldn't have been saying positive things about Judd Gregg's potential nomination or Bonnie Newman.  If you missed that "cheering," and maybe "cheering" is a word you don't understand or I misunderstand, you weren't reading as carefully as me.  And from day one I urged us not to let Barack Obama off the hook for nominating Gregg, and I warned this could backfire.

All that isn't as important now as that we should learn from this, and not let it happen again.  He won this one -- he pulled one over us.  But if we're not fooled again, we'll do fine in 2010.  He could use some of the Democrats' words of the past two weeks to his advantage in 2010, but if we only cheer Democrats, we'll be okay.  

[ Parent ]
Baloney. (0.00 / 0)
"and the news media."

I'm calling you out, Jim: You keep claiming that there was cheerleading for Gregg on Blue Hampshire, and every time you get challenged you are unable to point to a single example.

You are hurting your own credibility.

[ Parent ]
I Won't Get Drawn Into Attacking Others (0.00 / 0)
...so I'm not going to dig up the public comments.  Sorry.  
[ Parent ]
Stop (4.00 / 3)
Jim, it is really annoying when you refer to me as "some Democrats cheering".

Gregg is the kind of guy who squeezes 11 cents out of every dime, and I do think it would be good to have someone from NH in the Cabinet. That's not cheerleading - that's my perspective that (a) he is cheap and (b) whenever someone from NH is in a national position, it is good for the state. If you want to disagree, feel free, but enough already with the cheerleading mantra.  

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

[ Parent ]
Cheerleading (0.00 / 0)
Stop THAT. Learn from this, Kathy.
[ Parent ]
I told you... (0.00 / 0)
I was a majorette, not a cheerleader.

I have learned that criticism from you won't stop me from speaking my mind! :)

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

[ Parent ]
But Kathy (0.00 / 0)
lol  But Kathy, how do I use the word "majorette" into a verb?  "Majoretting?"  It doesn't sound right.  Can you help me so I can get it correct so I can call you the right thing?  BTW, I most feel sorry for John Lynch in all this.  He didn't deserve being in the middle.  
[ Parent ]
Sooooo..... (4.00 / 1)
whenever someone from NH is in a national position, it is good for the state

... you're cool with Secretary of HHS Fran Wendelboe, then?  And Secretary of Commerce Craig Benson?

Try to make lemonade out of lemons, sure. Just don't try to convince us that lemons are tasty all by themselves.

Fact: Secretary of Commerce Judd Gregg would have been a bad thing.  Yes, it would have increased the slender potential for detente with Senate Republicans.  Yes, it would likely have meant one less vote for filibusters.  No, he probably wouldn't have spent $235,000 putting a bathroom in his office.  Yes, he's smarter than Michael Brown.  Yes, it'd have improved the outlook for 2010.  Yes, Gov. Lynch would have someone in the Cabinet who'd return his calls.  Probably.

The fact remains: Secretary of Commerce Judd Gregg would have been A Bad Thing.  For Democrats.  For New Hampshire.  For America.

[ Parent ]
Nightmare Coming (0.00 / 0)
Tim, I wish you hadn't even conjured up the thought of Craig Benson being Secretary of Commerce.  Just seeing those words in a sentence is sure to give me a nighmare tonight.  
[ Parent ]
Just pretend... (0.00 / 0)
that Craig Benson lost his fortune in the stock market tanking last fall, and so now he's taking dictation for John Commerce, vice-president in charge of janitorial services for Mid-Size Corporation, USA. Hence, Commerce secretary Benson...

IT for John Lynch '04 and NHDP '08 - I'm liking my track record so far!
[ Parent ]
Abuse? (0.00 / 0)
WHAT abuse? I've read every word of every recent Gregg thread on BH, Jim, and I saw no abuse of anyone arguing any viewpoint.
[ Parent ]
Im with elwood on this Jim (0.00 / 0)
I love your approach on most everything. But I've seen no cheer-leading on BH.

Hope > Fear



Create a free Blue Hampshire account and join the conversation.
[ Parent ]
Get Used To It, Mike (0.00 / 0)
You don't have to read my nagging about Democrats who cheer Gregg or Newman or other Republicans.
[ Parent ]
Are you kidding? (4.00 / 3)
Gregg looks really bad.

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    
[ Parent ]
Well, I'll have to see how it looks on the TeeVee (0.00 / 0)
But I would be surprised if Gregg doesn't use the "Obama picked me for commerce sec" in the 2010 campaign for the independent vote, and "but I couldn't take it because I had to draw the line" to rally republicans.

I agree it may be too early to tell. And it may serve to bring more light to his procedural weasel moves in the Senate, which would be deadly to him.

I think my headline would be

Gregg stands firm: "If I can't destroy the census, I won't take the job!"


[ Parent ]
Says he's not running (0.00 / 0)
But we'll see if he changes his mind on that, too. If he does, great, indecisiveness becomes the new theme against him.

IT for John Lynch '04 and NHDP '08 - I'm liking my track record so far!
[ Parent ]
Not A Wise Spin, Kathy (0.00 / 0)
Hope you learn from this too.  
[ Parent ]
Not spin (4.00 / 1)
Yes, I learned that I will keep speaking my mind, like that I think Judd Gregg is the kind of guy who can get 11 cents out of every dime, and that it would be a good thing to have someone from NH in the cabinet, no matter what you may think!  

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    
[ Parent ]
Let's Call On Gregg To Resign... (0.00 / 0)
...and let Bonnie Newman replace him.  She's the one who really was brought to the heights, and then dropped by him.  What a horrible thing to do to his "friend."  That guy has no concience.  Focus on that, not the dimes and nickels.
[ Parent ]
Jim, Stop Cheerleading (0.00 / 0)
I don't want to see an ad that says, "Democratic state rep wants Newman to replace Gregg in senate."

Learn from this, Jim!  

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

[ Parent ]
Good Point (0.00 / 0)
So I'll just say he should resign, THEN John Lynch WILL be free this time to appoint someone of his own choice.  It might be you, and Kathy Sullivan WOULD be someone I could cheerlead for.  Judd:  Resign.
[ Parent ]
Friends Again! Excellent! (0.00 / 0)


"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    
[ Parent ]
no thanks (4.00 / 2)
In 2007 Bonnie Newman spoke about what a great company Fairpoint was, and how great they would be for NH, expanding DSL into the rural areas. Last week, Fairpoint's bond rating slipped to "junk" and rural NH will be lucky to see DSL in 50 years. If that's the kind of visionary she is, I'd just as soon she stayed home. At least Dudd has already marginalized himself.  
[ Parent ]
Agreed. (4.00 / 3)
Obama and Lynch were showing bi-partisanship, even if some of us disagreed with the nomination.  But Gregg just picked up his toys and went home like a selfish child.  In the meantime, he has ducked votes on the most critical piece of legislation this session, even drawing criticism from the Union Leader.  He owes the state a much better explanation and/or apology than the statement he has already made.
[ Parent ]
Duck Gregg (0.00 / 0)
Ducks Tarp
Ducks Stimulus (SCHIP?) Votes
Ducks SoC Appointment

Hope > Fear



Create a free Blue Hampshire account and join the conversation.
[ Parent ]
He managed a "no" vote (0.00 / 0)
on SCHIP, IIRC.
[ Parent ]
Hey Not Just Judd (0.00 / 0)
Looks really bad. No doubt Lynch is pissed, his political capital took a big hit from his caving in to the Republicans. And you yes those those "majorettes" for Gregg. They too look "really bad." Really bad.  
[ Parent ]
Gregg was always a lousy choice for Commerce (4.00 / 1)
It was a brilliant political choice, even though I disagreed with Lynch's appointment of Newman. But I always thought it was a lousy governing choice (and I was an Obama supporter). When I heard that he wanted to abolish Commerce and later read that they wanted to remove the Census from Gregg's oversight, I knew I was correct.

From First Read: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com... "Just askin', but did Gregg only discover now that Obama is a Democrat? The withdrawal will remove a possible GOP Senate vacancy, if Gregg decides to run for re-election in 2010. And it eliminates the possibility that Bonnie Newman (R) would serve in Gregg's place in the Senate."

what a weasel (4.00 / 2)
n/t
Judd Gregg is a genius (4.00 / 3)
He burnished his bipartisan credentials, skipped a vote on the stimulus, and lured Hodes into an early announcement, all on Obama's dime.

Sununu was always pretty dumb, but Judd Gregg may just have claimed the mantle as smartest person in the Senate.

Too bad his powers are only put to use for personal gain.


Excuse the language (4.00 / 1)
but I think Gregg looks like an asshole.  He's not willing to resuscitate the economy because he wants to politicize the Census?  Give me a break.  I think that's a great line of attack in 2010.
[ Parent ]
Totally disagree (4.00 / 2)
He looks foolish here.  

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    
[ Parent ]
Yes, but he always looks foolish to me (0.00 / 0)
and like an asshole.

But hopefully Maddow and others will cut him to pieces tonight, and some of that will bubble up. You may be right yet.


[ Parent ]
He Stood Up To A Democratic President (0.00 / 0)
...you'll remember I said he might do that in two of three years.  Instead, he did it now.  He's a smart dude who put one over on us.  Let's just learn, and not fall for that shell game again.  We could turn this around to the benefit of our candidate in 2010.  
[ Parent ]
No, he didn't (4.00 / 2)
He caved - if you believe what he said - to some right wing Republicans over the census, and because he figured out he had differences with the President over economic policy.  

And Jim, you shouldn't say things like "he stood up to the Democratic president" - that could be used in ads in the future! :)

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

[ Parent ]
disagree (0.00 / 0)
How did Gregg stand up to anybody? He just looks like a waffling nincompoop. What he has done will mystify the typical voter, and it certainly mystifies me.

I am sending a check to Hodes now. Let's get someone with brains and guts into that Senate seat.

[ Parent ]
I think you're both right n/t (0.00 / 0)

[ Parent ]
Correct Mike. He's Used Us (0.00 / 0)
Fortunately, though, he'll have to face a good Democrat in 2010.  
[ Parent ]
Gregg says he's not running in 2010 (0.00 / 0)
But we'll see if he changes his mind on that, too. If he does, great, indecisiveness becomes the new theme against him.

IT for John Lynch '04 and NHDP '08 - I'm liking my track record so far!
[ Parent ]
Couldn't disagree more. (4.00 / 3)

He alienated a number of his own ( if you can bear it read some of the reader blog comments about this on the Union-Leader site). He has made himself look indecisive-- which is politics is blood in the water.

IF he decides to run again, (and I doubt that he will), he will be lucky to avoid a primary, as he has planted the idea of running in too many minds, including the two Sununus.

Overall, I don't see how failing to meet a commitment to engage in bi-partisan governing in the face of a crisis can help him.  Look at the recent pollings where the President polls thrifty points ahead of Congressional Republicans. He just traded himself from the Celtics to Memphis.

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

[ Parent ]
Of Course, I Hope You're Right (0.00 / 0)
Paul, I hope you're right but I'm afraid he can say he tried bipartisanship, but Democrats in Washington weren't willing to meet him half way.  It can make him look like a hero with Republicans.  The President can't get his cabinet together.  AND, he's started a fight among Democrats for his seat.  I think Paul Hodes can be great, but there are other good Democrats too and your job, our job is to make sure the primary stays positive as much as possible so we're not hurting our chances against Gregg, if he does run, in 2010.
[ Parent ]
Hardly (0.00 / 0)
He can't claim to have tried bipartisanship - in his statement, he said that he thought a president's cabinet should be behind him all the time and he didn't think he could do that. So he based at least part of his refusal on his idea that a president should be partisan despite Obama's clear efforts to break that model. The president looks again like he's been magnanimous and working to draw the country together and now Gregg is looking like a skunk.

IT for John Lynch '04 and NHDP '08 - I'm liking my track record so far!
[ Parent ]
Gregg can... (4.00 / 1)

... kiss his 2010 re-election bid good-bye. Voters will remember this two years from now.
Trust but Verify (4.00 / 3)
I never understood why Judd Gregg's terms were afforded such deference by Pres. Obama and Gov. Lynch. Now though it's more important than ever imho to support our president and our governor's efforts to revitalize our economy, and to shine light on the fact that whether through CrabGate or BridgeGate, neither our state or our country is well served by Judd Gregg.

Who was it that once said, "trust, but verify?"

President, NH Young Democrats

Who? (0.00 / 0)
Grade B actor Ronnie Reagan
[ Parent ]
0-2... (0.00 / 0)
0-2 on Commerce, that has to hurt.  

Does Gregg run in '10 now?  If so, what does this do to his chances?

Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar.

www.emersondemocrats.com

Good question (4.00 / 2)
John H. invariably was hoping to hold the seat for Young Johnny, but the NH GOP probably will get over his initial bipartisan betrayal and rally behind Gregg standing on "principle."

To NH's Dems and Indies, I gotta think though, Gregg looks like a self-serving guy who can't make up his mind about how the heck he can best serve our state and the country.


President, NH Young Democrats

[ Parent ]
By the way... (0.00 / 0)
how ticked off is Bonnie Newman, his former chief of staff?  Think he gave her a heads up or did she find out on the news too?
This reminds me of Britney Spears First Marriage n/t (4.00 / 4)


"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    
Oh, no! (0.00 / 0)
Another comparison of Obama to Britney!  


[ Parent ]
Not Obama! (0.00 / 0)
I mean Gregg.  

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    
[ Parent ]
Oh, I thought Gregg was K-Fed. n/t (0.00 / 0)



[ Parent ]
Judd is Britney because... (0.00 / 0)
She knew what getting married meant, but after she got to the altar, and all the press started reporting the marriage, and everyone was all a twitter, she got cold feet, and had the whole thing annulled

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    
[ Parent ]
what happens in DC (0.00 / 0)
stays in DC apparently :-)

President, NH Young Democrats
[ Parent ]
AC/DC (0.00 / 0)
Gregg swung both ways

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

~Frank Zappa
[ Parent ]
and lasted about as long (0.00 / 0)
Are you saying Obama and Gregg eloped? :-)

Actually, it did have the feel of a shotgun wedding  

President, NH Young Democrats

[ Parent ]
hmmm (0.00 / 0)
but who was holding the shotgun?
[ Parent ]
For those what want to express.... (0.00 / 0)
...their reaction in dollars. Paul Hodes is now on ActBlue, ready and waiting for you.
now I'm really mad (4.00 / 3)
this SOB couldn't have waited until Monday - AFTER my editorial about him comes out tomorrow?  
Gregg Not Running in 2010 (4.00 / 3)
WMUR is reporting that Gregg will not run for re-election in 2010.  Adam Sexton just announced it on Channel 9.

Electing NH Dems since 2004.
This gets crazier by the minute (4.00 / 2)
You know, I wonder if there were some issues discovered, which now might come to light.

Calling all leakers -- spill it!


[ Parent ]
My first thought as well n/t (0.00 / 0)


Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea,
joy to you and me.
[ Parent ]
dead girl or live boy? (4.00 / 3)
That used to be the standard, though times have changed.
[ Parent ]
at least he got a bridge out of all of this (4.00 / 1)
BTW, the Judd Gregg bridge in Manchester does go in BOTH directions over the Merrimack River, just like the man himself.

How fitting.

President, NH Young Democrats

[ Parent ]
Bridge to Nowhere (4.00 / 2)
would be an even more fitting tribute


[ Parent ]
Why (0.00 / 0)
the troll rating JBB?

Electing NH Dems since 2004.
[ Parent ]
JBB didnt mean it. (4.00 / 1)
He did it to me last week. I have a theory.

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  
[ Parent ]
Bad Eyes n/t (0.00 / 0)


The giant checks its pockets.

Regrets? None!  
[ Parent ]
bad eyes n/t (0.00 / 0)


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

~Frank Zappa
[ Parent ]
It's Thursday. Do You Know Where Your (4.00 / 2)
Commerce Nominee is?
Photobucket
you really have to send that photo to TPM (0.00 / 0)



[ Parent ]
From TPM (4.00 / 1)
I won't claim to know the precise reasons why Judd Gregg, who last week stood with President Obama, and vowed to work with him as Commerce Secretary is now withdrawing. But a couple of sources in New Hampshire politics chalk it up to the abuse Gregg was taking over the past few weeks, first from some on the right for going into the liberal Obama administration and then from all sides for being too cute about the stimulus package, abstaining from voting for or against it. Gregg was ridiculed in New Hampshire's most important newspaper, the Union Leader...You have to wonder what the president will think about his outstretched hand after its been slapped like this.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo...

Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea,
joy to you and me.

Awww.... AWOL Gregg got his feelings hurt? (4.00 / 2)
OK, maybe the man does have feelings. But I refuse to believe he has a soul.


[ Parent ]
Damn... (4.00 / 1)
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, won't be the Senior Senator until 2011 now....



-President, College Democrats of New Hampshire

and Bonnie Newman (4.00 / 1)
won't be going to Washington ... at least not as a US Senator-Designate.

The glass is also half-full my brotha!  

President, NH Young Democrats

[ Parent ]
But will he run for Senate? (0.00 / 0)
Not according to this:

http://thepage.time.com/2009/0...

Gregg is having a news conference at 5:45 (0.00 / 0)
...according to MSNBC.  
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (4.00 / 1)
What does he think he's doing with this move? Accepting in the first place made him enemies on the right, who will never quite trust him again. Rejecting it now makes it look like he's decided he can't be bipartisan and cooperative in the face of a magnanimous gesture, which reflects badly on him and his entire party. He's said he's not running for re-election, so he's not helping his party in 2010 and will be free of a lot of pressure they could otherwise apply to push him to do things. He even jerked around his own chief of staff, Bonnie Newman!

And for what? He could have taken the position, stuck it out for two months, then gone out to a press conference and declared that he just couldn't function in such a partisan environment yadda yadda yadda, and thereby dropped a much bigger bombshell, given the impression of having tried to make it work and putting the onus on Obama, and then had Bonnie Newman in his seat without Gregg's years of baggage and possibly being able to vote more moderately and salvage some image for the New Hampshire Republicans. But I guess Gregg just wanted to keep drawing that Senatorial salary for a couple more years?

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

5:25pm Gregg Presser (0.00 / 0)
any minute now ...

President, NH Young Democrats
It was because of Elwood?!! (4.00 / 3)
If the abuse he was getting over not voting had anything to do with it, then I vote for Elwood as the person responsible; he came up with the AWOL Judd nickname, and really pressed this point home.

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    
The Milk Carton! n/t (0.00 / 0)


The giant checks its pockets.

Regrets? None!  
[ Parent ]
NHDP CHAIRMAN BUCKLEY STATEMENT (4.00 / 13)
NHDP CHAIRMAN BUCKLEY STATEMENT ON SENATOR GREGG'S WITHDRAWAL AS COMMERCE SECRETARY-DESIGNATE

"At a time when it appeared that Senator Judd Gregg was going to put aside partisan politics to work with the president on fixing our economy, he has instead decided that being in lock-step with conservative Washington Republicans is more important than finding solutions to these serious problems.

"We need leaders in Washington who are going to roll-up their sleeves and work across the aisle to fix our broken economy. The fact that Senator Gregg has withdrawn his name from consideration because of his objection to a recovery package that that will help jump start our economy, create millions of new jobs, and provide broad tax cuts for working Americans is simply out of touch.

"It has been clear from the beginning of this process that Judd Gregg no longer has an interest in serving the people of New Hampshire in the United States Senate."  

Good Statement (4.00 / 1)
Good job.
[ Parent ]
Impeach the Senator! nt (0.00 / 0)

[ Parent ]
A serious Obama misstep from the beginning... (4.00 / 1)
Obama has clearly not been able to get credible nominees for this position ever since Richardson let him down.  That led to a poor judgment in selecting Gregg, as indicated immediately by the census work-around.  Then Gregg dissed Obama on the stimulus.

Unfortunately, this is less about Gregg than Obama or, at least, his team, I'm afraid, and today they moved to remedy their error.

So Gregg pulling out is Obama's fault? sheesh... (0.00 / 0)
I'm sorry to disagree. But if you ask for a job, accept the job publicly, then wait for a week and tell your future boss.. no. Thats a problem with Gregg, not Obama. Obama reached across the aisle to someone that had serious questions about the Commerce Dept and engaged him on running it properly. But if he cannot follow the President designated by the People to run this country then he has serious ego problems.
[ Parent ]
Yes, Obama is partly at fault. (4.00 / 2)
He didn't know that Gregg is a partisan who is incapable of putting that partisanship aside, although most New Hampshire activists in either party could have told him.

And he didn't think through what to do about Census until the Hispanic caucus made a stink.

Poor vetting.

[ Parent ]
i dont think anyone here knows why Gregg pulled out. (4.00 / 1)
and i dont believe it was for the reasons given.
So before we trip over ourselves to ascribe fault
(this is not directed at elwood, just a place to park the thought), maybe we should le the smoke clear.

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  
[ Parent ]
Oh, I'm not ascribing fault for the withdrawal ! (4.00 / 2)
That deserves credit, not blame!
[ Parent ]
It's not about Gregg pulling out, (0.00 / 0)
it's about having nominated him in the first place.  It was a bad nomination.  It would have  been a bad nomination if Gregg had served.  His dropping out is just one way for a bad decision to play out.
[ Parent ]
What's the point of having job applicants vetted and reviewed (0.00 / 0)
by the Senate, if it's not a meaningful process?  Perhaps Gregg assumed that as a member of that august body, he'd sail through a hearing and come out crowned in laurel.  Then he discovered that his affairs were being investigated.

For my money, the failure to identify well-known lobbyists by their professional affiliations on his FEC reports was a really bad sign.  Taking a contribution from the White House social secretary and listing her as a homemaker (or the equivalent--can't quite recall) suggested an interest in being deceptive.  What was Gregg hiding?

[ Parent ]
Too Bizarre (0.00 / 0)
This whole damn thing was too bizarre from the start. . . . This is what I wrote on 2/5:

http://www.bluehampshire.com/s...

I have to say, ever since this story broke, it has been bizarre to me on so many levels:

* Why would Gregg pursue this, when he could have secured a much more important cabinet post under Bush?

* Why would Obama offer a post on his financial team to a man who disagrees with him on almost every major economics issue?  This isn't like FDR offering the Secretary of War post to Stimson before WWII, or Clinton giving DoD to Bill Cohen -- those guys agreed with their Presidents on foreign policy and defense issues. . . . I can't imagine Gregg going on Meet the Press and defending the Administration.  Can you?

* What does Gregg bring to the table?  Does anyone actually expect him to sway GOP votes for the stimulus bill -- or other Obama economic priorities?

I was convinced that this appointment would fall through. I was wrong, but the whole episode is still so bizarre to me.


[ Parent ]
Can we dump him from the Senate? Puh-Leeeze! (0.00 / 0)
For reasons of his insanity if nothing else!
Is it jsut me (4.00 / 2)
or does the cencus seem like a really minor issue to me making all this drama about?

All the problems facing this country, and republicans are making a stink about the CENSUS?

Ok, how about you pass a freakin stimulus already.

And they wonder why no one will vote for them.

Believe It or Not... (4.00 / 1)
The census is huge in the right wing galaxy these days. Some are convinced we'll count all the illegal aliens, redistrict Utah out of existance and all that - just so we can give all their tax dollars to gay married terrorists.

(Well, maybe I'm slightly overstating it, but you get the idea.)

It certainly gave Judd an exit ramp: I tried to help and the first thing he does is take the census away from me!

This whole thing was a fiasco from the get-go.

[ Parent ]
So... (4.00 / 2)
They want to ignore the issues of our time by not counting them?

Isnt that kind of like how they want to win elections by stopping people from voting?

[ Parent ]
Exactly like that n/t (4.00 / 1)

[ Parent ]
Actually they're afraid that every citizen will get to vote. (4.00 / 2)


"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  
[ Parent ]
Indeed, all persons are to be counted. (0.00 / 0)
The Constitution does not distinguish between citizen, native and foreign born when it comes to counting persons.  That's because the obligations of government are the same to all persons within the jurisdiction of the United States.
There is some question whether the sampling methods employed satisfy the legal requirements.

We have a long history of local and state governments not wanting certain populations counted.  When how many there are is known, it makes it harder to withhold services.  Withholding services is a tried and true strategy for insuring that some people are less than equal.  That's a point that has to be made over and over again because it's essential to the belief that some people are special.

[ Parent ]
Press Conference (4.00 / 1)
Gregg said "probably not" to the question about running in 2010.

I think he came off looking and sounding very sincere but also foolish.  Why wouldn't he consider what the systematic differences between being a senator and being a cabinet member (i.e. team member) before accepting the offer?

He was also very complimentary of President Obama over and over again.

I wonder if this development feels Bonnie Newman to run for the seat in 2010 now that she has the seal of approval from Governor Lynch and the so to be retiring Senator Gregg?

"feels" should be "frees" n/t (0.00 / 0)

[ Parent ]
Bonnie (0.00 / 0)
I think there is a big difference between serving two years as a caretaker and putting yourself before the public on your own accord to be elected for six years.  While she has a decorated career in public service, she has yet to show any interest in putting her name on the ballot.  

And regardless if Bonnie does decide to jump in, I think Judd not running for re-election will mean that many other GOP wannabes will jump in and test out the water.  

Electing NH Dems since 2004.

[ Parent ]
Bresler for Commerce Secretary (4.00 / 3)
The Peace and Love Party Candidate has nothing to hide

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

~Frank Zappa
Let's ask your college roomates about that! (4.00 / 2)

[ Parent ]
JBB seeks to widen the spectrum of commerce. (4.00 / 1)
I wonder if the Secretary of Agriculture would agree...
[ Parent ]
Louis Abolafia n/t (0.00 / 0)


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

~Frank Zappa
[ Parent ]
my wife (0.00 / 0)
is my only living roomie...

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

~Frank Zappa
[ Parent ]
everybody's got something to hide (4.00 / 2)
'cept for me and my monkey...
[ Parent ]
want to touch my monkey ? (0.00 / 0)


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

~Frank Zappa
[ Parent ]
One Thing To Remember Here In The Comments Section (0.00 / 0)
There are people reading these words other than us that will be more than happy to use words spoken here for their own devices later.

It's worth repeating. I know I forget that at times.

DC gets it wrong. Shocker. (4.00 / 2)
The folks at the Politico seem to think that the Republicans are the winner and John Lynch the loser of this entire episode.

This from the Politico's Scorecard:

New Hampshire's Democratic governor John Lynch expended a lot of political capital to appoint a Republican to succeed Gregg on a temporary basis, and took some serious flak from some Democratic activists back home for not appointing a Democrat as a successor.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/...

Gov. Lynch may have taken some ribbing, but at the end of the day he has the steady hand and Gregg is the fool.

i agree with this... except.... (0.00 / 0)

If Bonnie Newman ran for Senate in 2010 (which I dont think she will do), then it would be a mess for the Governor. It wouldnt be his fault, but it would be messy.

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  
[ Parent ]
Her statement (4.00 / 1)
Says she will continue to work in a "non=political way". She isn't interested in running for office.

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    
[ Parent ]
I think the only winner is.... (0.00 / 0)

the 2010 NH-Sen democratic nominee, everyone else, including Lynch, appears to come out smelling a little funky. I still do not agree with any of the reasoning I have read as to why Lynch appointed a Republican, although replacing the will of the voters who voted for Gregg is close.

Here is to hoping that Dem nominee is a progressive one....

J

[ Parent ]
John Lynch Was An Innocent... (0.00 / 0)
I still think John Lynch was an innocent in all this, trying as best he could to get to a "yes" for Barack Obama.  The double-crosser was Judd Gregg, of which we knew he was capable.  The sad sack is Bonnie Newman.  The winner hopefully will be the eventual Democratic Senate nominee.  We need a clean and positive campaign by all the Democratic candidates running for the nomination for Senate, and that should be our pledge.  
[ Parent ]
I think calling Lynch (0.00 / 0)

an innocent is a little bit of a stretch. Really you just called John Lynch an innocent, twice. No excuses, if he was trying to get a yes, he should have tried harder.

And as far as having a clean and positive campaign by all Democratic candidates, that would be nice, but given the shenanigans from the 08 Dem senate primary or lack of one, I am not hopeful.

J

[ Parent ]
Oh but it's OK. He's on our side. (4.00 / 1)
He says so.

WASHINGTON - Judd Gregg won't be in the Cabinet. But the New Hampshire Republican thinks he can help President Barack Obama even more by staying in the Senate rather than being commerce secretary.

Gregg says he believes he retains some influence in the Senate and will seek to work with the Democratic president.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200...

Reminds me of a brother-in-law who left his wife for an old girlfriend he rediscovered on the internet, saying as he left, "I'm leaving so you can have a better life."
Look up disingenuous and see if Gregg's picture is there next to my brother-in-law.

Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea,
joy to you and me.

Moonlight Newman (0.00 / 0)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
Going to Minnesota (0.00 / 0)
How appropriate. There is a senator there too.
[ Parent ]
In the book Shoeless Joe (4.00 / 2)
from which Field of Dreams was made, Terence Mann - the James Earl Jones character - was actually J.D. Salinger. Kinsella came up to Cornish New Hampshire and kidnapped him, bringing him to see the Sox at Fenway.
[ Parent ]
I have probably explained this to my wife (4.00 / 1)

one too many times....

J

[ Parent ]
According to Keith Olberman (4.00 / 1)
"Quit Happens."

Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea,
joy to you and me.
the census count itself is apolitical... (4.00 / 1)
There are strong forces keeping the census count from getting too politicized.  The census is not just used to draw legislative districts and divvy up the 435 Hosue seats.  It is used for REALLY important stuff, like deciding where to run ads, where to build Mall*Wart stores, how to apportion federal moneys, etc.  There are a lot of entities way more powerful than the voters who rely on having Census data which actually reflect reality.

Also, the permanent bureaucracy of the Census bureau takes pride in having as accurate a count as possible, and they have spent years planning the 2010 Census with that goal in mind.

BUT Gregg would have been missing out on a powerful patronage opportunity if the Census had indeed been removed from the Commerce Department.  Even though the hiring process is (ostensibly) apolitical, he would still have been hiring literally millions of workers who would be very glad to have the job.  There is some politics involved, and even if there wasn't any politics, it would still feel like patronage to those lucky enough to get hired. Whoever ends up being in charge of the 2010 Census has an opportunity to become very, very popular.  If nothing else, if the usual practice had been followed, Gregg could have had his name before all those Census workers everyday.

Actually it IS political (4.00 / 1)
Social scientists agree that controlled and transparent sampling can provide a more accurate number than counting noses in some areas - particularly areas with poorer populations including the homeless and undocumented workers.

The Republicans oppose these techniques.

[ Parent ]
In other words (4.00 / 1)
The Republicans seek to politicize something that should be apolitical.

This should not surprise us.

[ Parent ]
In their defense - (4.00 / 1)
The Supreme Court has ruled that, for reapportionment, the Constitution demands counting noses. But there is still a policy debate over having a second, sample-enriched count for things like revenue / block grant allocation.
[ Parent ]
Judd Gregg Withdraws as Commerce Secretary Nominee, Apparently Because of U.S. Census | 157 comments
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