Another Obama nominee withdraws
This time it’s Judd Gregg, the Republican senator from New Hampshire. Apparently the round peg wouldn’t fit in the square hole.
Citing “irresolvable differences” on economic issues, Sen. Judd Gregg announced today that he is withdrawing his nomination as Commerce secretary.
“We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy,” Gregg said in the statement released by his Senate office.
In his statement, Gregg thanked Obama for the nomination, and said, “I especially admire his willingness to reach across the aisle.” But he also noted that he disagreed with Obama on the stimulus and on issues relating to the Census.
“Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and other potential differences, but unfortunately we did not adequately focus on these concerns. We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy,” Gregg stated.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs expressed the president’s regrets.
“Senator Gregg reached out to the president and offered his name for secretary of Commerce. He was very clear throughout the interviewing process that despite past disagreements about policies, he would support, embrace and move forward with the President’s agenda,” Gibbs said in a statement.
“Once it became clear after his nomination that Senator Gregg was not going to be supporting some of President Obama’s key economic priorities, it became necessary for Senator Gregg and the Obama administration to part ways. We regret that he has had a change of heart.”
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108 comments Add your comment
AmVet
February 12th, 2009
5:46 pm
Confusing times. Confused senators.
RW-(the original)
February 12th, 2009
5:51 pm
That statement from Gibbs almost makes it sound like the Obama administration had nothing to do with this appointment.
Pogo
February 12th, 2009
5:59 pm
First thing, good move to replace your Mort Downey Jr. look-alike photo on your blog Jay. What is troubling though is the current photo looks very familiar. Have you ever done a bowel-cleansing product commerical? Maybe not. It will come to me sooner or later. As far as Senator Gregg, he looked into the abyss and he didn’t like what he saw. Smart move. So Jay, continue on trying to tap out your little daily doses of Obama heroin tring to keep the jaded masses addicted to the saviour. The 12 step program begins in 2011.
getalife
February 12th, 2009
6:02 pm
Didn’t pay his taxes.
Audit Congress IRS.
Class of '98
February 12th, 2009
6:11 pm
Jay, why not post a blog discussing Obama’s practice of hand-selecting jounalist to ask hand-selected questions during his press conferences?
Can you fathom if Bush had done that? It would have been front page news all over the country. Saturday Night Live would have recurring skits about it.
But, since it’s the messiah who does it, no problem huh?
Midori
February 12th, 2009
6:14 pm
Or better yet, why not a post about Obama not selecting partisian hand-picked male prostitutes who like to be “tops” who pose as journalists during his press conferences?
AJC/DNC Management
February 12th, 2009
6:16 pm
He was disgusted by the new administration’s tactics.
Welcome to the club, Senator Gregg.
Midori
February 12th, 2009
6:18 pm
and what tactics would that be, Andy?
Perhaps the tactic of treating people like human beings?
Tactics like that?
Jay
February 12th, 2009
6:30 pm
Class of ‘98 asks:
“hy not post a blog discussing Obama’s practice of hand-selecting jounalist to ask hand-selected questions during his press conferences?
Can you fathom if Bush had done that? It would have been front page news all over the country. Saturday Night Live would have recurring skits about it.
But, since it’s the messiah who does it, no problem huh?”
Fortunately, ‘98, we don’t have to imagine what would happen. We already know what would happen: NOTHING.
Bush did exactly what you describe. And nothing happened. Nobody made a peep, which is why you didn’t know about it. Now, i know you won’t take my word for it. So whose word would you take? Let’s try to imagine the most credible source possible for a conservative such as yourself: It would be, say, Bush’s White House spokesman. Appearing on … a Fox News show? With Bill O’Reilly?
Well, we just happen to have a transcript of Bush White House spokesman Ari Fleischer on the Bill O’Reilly show:
O’REILLY: Now, in other press conferences, they just look around, and they go, “Oh, right, right, right.” And they go, “This one, that one, this one.” Correct?
FLEISCHER: Well, George Bush never did that, and I don’t know how Bill Clinton did it, but it’s a bad idea to reward the guy with the loudest voice.
O’REILLY: OK. So –
FLEISCHER: Writing it down gives the president more control.
O’REILLY: So George Bush came in with a — with a list of guys he was going to call on?
FLEISCHER: Yeah, I used to prepare it for him. I would give him a grid, show him where every reporter is seated.
getalife
February 12th, 2009
6:31 pm
“One main stumbling block to the purchasing of troubled assets has been pricing, specifically how does the government price a diverse set of assets in a way that does not put the taxpayer on the hook. However, this should not be the standard by which we judge the efficacy of the plan, because a more prolonged deterioration in the
economy will result in a higher terminal unemployment rate and a greater deterioration of the tax base. As such, the decline in tax revenues will crimp many of the essential services provided by the government. Ultimately, the taxpayer will pay one way or another, either through greatly diminished job prospects and/or significantly higher taxes down the line to pay for the massive debt issuance required to fund current and prospective fiscal spending initiatives.
We think the government should do the following: estimate the highest price it can pay for the various toxic assets residing on financial institution balance sheets which would still return the principal to taxpayers.
One leading economist described the memo to TPMmuckraker as a “ransom note” to the US government”
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/deutsche_bank_analyst_pay_a_good_price_for_our_ass.php
Economic terrorists.
AJC/DNC Management
February 12th, 2009
6:31 pm
i r o diM: Subverting democracy?
No big deal, huh?
Remember long ago when I said the liberal’s (banned word?) mission in life was to destroy the power of the United States?
Watch as it happens.
KKK Management
February 12th, 2009
6:43 pm
The liberals single purpose focus to destroy the United States of America must be stopped by us sensible conservatives! It is all Obama and his illegally elected terrorist henchmen care about. Be forewarned America!
getalife
February 12th, 2009
6:45 pm
Well, the Commerce Secretary would have to be a gop fully supporting the economic terrorists.
Someone like the peanut CEO pleading the fifth for killing nine people.
Perhaps one of the two Ga. Senators.
Midori
February 12th, 2009
6:47 pm
Andy,
you need a diaper change.
Same as Vitter.
Word is that he and Gregg were fighting to see who the hooker would change first.
You need to stand in line along with them.
RW-(the original)
February 12th, 2009
6:48 pm
I just read the first two banned words down below. Poor Chadly is going to be banging out 10,000 word manifestos all night with nothing showing up. Does that fall under some torture definition?
Taxpayer
February 12th, 2009
6:50 pm
When I read about Obama shuffling around control of the Census, I figured it was only a matter of time before Gregg made his dissatisfaction with that change known. He voted to abolish the agency at one time so why would he be bothered about scaling it back now? Not enough power, most likely. Some people are highly motivated by the prospect of power and control over large amounts of taxpayer dollars. I suspect Gregg — like most Republicans — is one of those people.
poor "conservatives"
February 12th, 2009
6:53 pm
crying like little babies. they lost their election. now they are banning their words and they’re gonna take their buddies off the radio. what will they do with the entire AM frequeny out of business. what next? i am sure that the gov’ment is making plans to bust down their doors and take their guns.
Bosch
February 12th, 2009
6:55 pm
I need to clean up my typing. I wonder if Jay has issues with traditional bad words. Like I’ve said before, I think they are simply sentence enhancers.
I’m still reveling in my techno savvy self.
Bosch
February 12th, 2009
6:57 pm
RW,
“If you can replay it and watch your monitor there should be subtitles where you figure out what you said in Japanese”
Do ya’ really think so? This html IS magic stuff. I wouldn’t be surprised.
I wish Paul was here, so I could brag.
Hey Midori! Guess what? I’m techno savvy!
Bosch
February 12th, 2009
6:59 pm
The real news story of the day:
Is David Beckham really going to move to AC Milan? Why should they do something that dumb, and most importantly, why do I even care?
Midori
February 12th, 2009
6:59 pm
well, Bosch – we always knew that, didn’t we?
I like this filter thing.
I can’t wait to see Andy lose his mind.
Oh, wait………….
gttim
February 12th, 2009
7:01 pm
Maybe Obama will now see that the GOP does not do partisanship. It was a horrible pick to begin with and you knew Gregg was going to do something to try and embarrass Obama. Nice how he released his statement just as Obama was getting ready to give a speech. Those guys just can’t help themselves. Maybe when they get their clocks cleaned, once again, in 2010, they will start to figure it out. The American people are not buying their games anymore.
Class of '98
February 12th, 2009
7:05 pm
Jay, I remember David Gregory and Helen Thomas asking Bush more questions than anyone. Are you saying Bush specifically selected those pinkos to ask him questions?
Obama is pre-arranging what journalists will ask what questions. Bush merely pre-arranged the order of the questions.
That’s a big difference.
Midori
February 12th, 2009
7:08 pm
Class,
the “big” difference is the journalists you named don’t advertise in dirty magazines to do sex acts on men for money.
Midori
February 12th, 2009
7:12 pm
Communist,
from where I set, and from what I see, the GOP doesn’t need the Democrats help in marginalizing themselves.
they are doing a pretty good job themselves.
TnGelding
February 12th, 2009
7:16 pm
Jay
February 12th, 2009
6:30 pm
Thanks for saving me the trouble.
As for Gregg, it makes him look bad. He looked awfully sheepish at his press conference. Why does he think he can just go back to the Senate like nothing happened? He needs to step aside and let his tentative successor be sworn in. The arrogance of these folks, Obama included, is disgusting. I guess he thinks the Senate can’t function without him.
Jay
February 12th, 2009
7:17 pm
‘98, Fleischer says quite explicitly that he gave Bush a list of journalists to call on. Sorry about that. It seems that some on the right are trying to make a big deal out of something that the previous president did as a matter of course.
And if Bush didn’t call on Gregory and Thomas, who the hell did?
Also, Commie, I’ve got to pull your post. Please, three or four paragraphs at most, then a link.
Paul
February 12th, 2009
7:21 pm
Jay
wow – citing an O’Reilly interview where he got Fleischer to tell the practices for picking questioners. If he got the goods, good on him – but some people here are going to have trouble believing it’s the truth ’cause it came from Fox. Wait – it uses Bush to show Obama’s following tradition – maybe they’ll accept it.
Regarding Gregg: it wasn’t solely economic issues. Part of the statement is “it has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the Census there are irresolvable conflicts for me.”
Given the Obama Administration announced their plan to move census responsibility from Commerce to the White House, I’d say Gregg was the one blindsided. He was wise to withdraw – what does it say about him when the White House relieves him of one of his major responsibilities before he’s even sworn in?
AJC/DNC Management
February 12th, 2009
7:27 pm
It seems that some on the right are trying to make a big deal out of something that the previous president did as a matter of course.
hehehehehe
Yeah, like firing attorney generals, extraordinary rendition of terrorism suspects, spying on domestic communications.
Spin us a new tale of demokrat “purity,” bwahahahaha, oww!
Stop it!!!!
CommunistAJC
February 12th, 2009
7:27 pm
Jay,
the link would not post. Thanks
CommunistAJC
February 12th, 2009
7:29 pm
Midori,
well maybe you should get off the toilet. From where you’re sitting I mean. Anyway, do me a favor and don’t respond to my postings. From the remarks you made the other day I don’t really want to hear from you.
Taxpayer
February 12th, 2009
7:30 pm
Who do you think should accept the Gospel of Fox, Paul. You so funny.
Midori
February 12th, 2009
7:38 pm
Commie,
why are you so obsessed with bodily functions?
great mind you’ve got there.
So, I’m supposed to cry cause you don’t want to hear me?
LOL!!!!
Are you and Andy related?
He can’t post without calling names, and you don’t want to name a post.
You guys make a great tag team.
Paul
February 12th, 2009
7:42 pm
Taxpayer
It depends if it’s a news program, a commentator or a political entertainer. But given Jay used it as the source for this thread, that’s good enough for me.
Eleanor Rigby
February 12th, 2009
7:45 pm
Washington really is turning into a circus, isn’t it? It would be funny if it weren’t true. Let me get this straight, Senator Gregg (Republican) doesn’t want to work for President Obama (Democrat) because of ideological differences, and he just now thought about that? Hmm, it get curiouser and curiouser. It’s still not as curious as all those public servants who don’t want to pay taxes. Anyway, I don’t even care any more.
I’m sorry to say, I don’t really like your new picture Jay. It’s so shadowy, it makes you look sinister. I like the picture of you on the Opinion page. You look like a nice young man in that picture; the kind I would like my daughter to marry. I see the same old crew is here, with all their neurosis and personality disorders. You should name your new site “Dr. Bookman’s Bathroom Wall”. Please excuse me for being so ugly myself. Maybe I’ll change my screen name to Maxine.
Paul
February 12th, 2009
7:45 pm
Hey Midori
Leaving tomorrow to help celebrate my mom’s 85th birthday. We got to talking last holiday about why is it we wait a year to eat food we really like? So she wanted a turkey. Guess who’s the cook? Gonna have about 17 people there, down to and including great grandkids.
Do me a favor, will you? Whenever you post to Bosch, be sure to end with the countdown for when Battlestar Galactica comes on. Please? Have a drink first, it may make it more bearable.
Oh, and if I get a set of handcuffs for Valentines, you can be sure I won’t say “Neat! Another set!”
Mrs. Godzilla
February 12th, 2009
7:54 pm
Paul,
Give your momma a hug for me. My Dad turned 85 on December 7th and we had a great party.
He recently split with his 70 year old girl friend, her parents thought
he was too old for her.
On Gregg
I understand he’s already announced he does not plan to stand for re-election in 2010.
Better to get the bad fits out early on.
Taxpayer
February 12th, 2009
7:57 pm
Paul,
That’s just outright silly to use “news” as a descriptor for what FOX does. Even “entertainer” is debatable for anyone not of the Do Nothing Faith (aka, Republican Party).
AJC/DNC Management
February 12th, 2009
7:57 pm
It’s all a lie-
D’oh! Caterpillar CEO Contradicts President on Whether Stimulus Will Allow Him to Re-Hire Laid Off Workers. “The truth is we’re going to have more layoffs before we start hiring again”
I never seen a bigger KKKlown (banned word?) than this Oblahma, what a total bozo.
But he’s YOUR embarrassment, bwa
Hmmmmm
February 12th, 2009
7:59 pm
Who cares, this President is already a bigger JOKE than Jimmy Carter……
Paul
February 12th, 2009
8:05 pm
Midori
I have brothers a year either side. My younger brother was the breadmaker from 8 on. My other brother went for desserts. I was into main course stuff. We all had our own cooking utensils at that age. Mom said it was easier to teach us to cook than to keep kicking us out. I’m the only one it stuck with – and same happened with my kids. If stuff is going to get passed down thru generations, better stuff like that.
Good point about Gregg – or any candidate – if it’s not a good fit, get gone early. Key point is (and people forget this) – Pres Obama does not need to adapt to his subordinates – they need to adapt to him. It’s his presidency.
Midori
February 12th, 2009
8:07 pm
way to put me on the spot there, Paul
I’ll try.
and congrats to your Mom.
I just know your turkey will be magnificent
And I hope you “do” get a nice pair of cuffs. Made out of CHOCOLATE!!
AmVet
February 12th, 2009
8:14 pm
OK, so for the sake of argument, lets say this (reduced?) $789 billion stimulus package is bogota.
What IS the loyal opposition’s counter proposal?
I asked @@ the other night if there was a GOP alternative?
I mean something fundamentally different.
Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? (reprise)
Randy
February 12th, 2009
8:15 pm
“Issues relating to the census.” It is being widely reported that the White House now wants to run and control the 2010 reporting of the Census.
In the past the Commerce Secretary has basically controlled the funding and how the census is ran. Judd Gregg has long felt that the census could be better ran and for less money.
The other rumor is that minority groups were all over the Obama administration, feeling that a white republican could not be trusted.
Our new Presidents solution? Well, we’ll just turn it over to that trusted American Rahm Emanuel, which basically means that President Obama would now control the day in and day out taking of the 2010 census.
Three thoughts.
First, lets hope our new President leaves it under the Secretary of Commerce.
Second, I’m sure Jay is aware of this. So, the question is, did he intentionally not post an article that would include more detail or was it to draw it out in a post?
Again, I hope it is the latter. Otherwise, posting the article would be intellectually dishonest when it was posted. And we all know that Jay would never be intellectually dishonest.
Third, being center-right and not voting for this President, I hope he wins in a landslide in four years. Why? Simple, it means the country is doing great. We are Americans first! With this said, this administrations has had a sluggish start. I sincerely hope for this country that our President and this administration pick up their game and soon!
RW-(the original)
February 12th, 2009
8:26 pm
House Republicans had the wisdom to continue to talk to the Obama White House. This made them look gracious, even as the president edged toward a “my way or the highway” attitude.
They also wisely put ideas on the table, such as cutting the bottom two income tax rates and small-business taxes while extending unemployment insurance and other safety-net provisions. With these proposals, Republicans generated news and made it possible for their members to be for something that made sense to their voters. It also helped that the same methodology that the White House used to claim that the Democratic stimulus bill would create four million new jobs showed that the Republican approach would create six million new jobs, at half the cost.
Couldn’t find Bueller, will Rove do?
rcs
February 12th, 2009
8:39 pm
I agree with Rove. Given the rules Pelosi imposed, the House Republicans played their best option. Right or wrong, time will tell.
Mike
February 12th, 2009
8:43 pm
Amvet –
Here is the GOP alternative proposal:
http://readthestimulus.org/CAMP_002_xml.pdf
RCH
February 12th, 2009
8:44 pm
Only three weeks and PresBO is coming unglued!
Mike
February 12th, 2009
8:45 pm
Jay –
Thanks for the censorship. Apparently accusing someone of “whining” is only offensive when done by someone who doesn’t share your partisan views. The post at 6:53 made it through, but hey he hates Republicans too, so I guess it is ok.
Midori
February 12th, 2009
8:49 pm
rofl!!
they are calling Gregg the “runaway bride”
LOL!!!