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UPDATE: Senator Gregg is expected to speak at 5:25pm eastern. More here from The Hill. and from OpenLeft.
UPDATE II: The Union-Leader reports Gregg won’t run in 2010.
UPDATE III: Text of Senator Gregg’s statement:
I want to thank the President for nominating me to serve in his Cabinet as Secretary of Commerce. This was a great honor, and I had felt that I could bring some views and ideas that would assist him in governing during this difficult time. I especially admire his willingness to reach across the aisle.
However, 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. 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.
Obviously the President requires a team that is fully supportive of all his initiatives.
I greatly admire President Obama and know our country will benefit from his leadership, but at this time I must withdraw my name from consideration for this position.
As we move forward, I expect there will be many issues and initiatives where I can and will work to assure the success of the President’s proposals. This will certainly be a goal of mine.
Kathy and I also want to specifically thank Governor Lynch and Bonnie Newman for their friendship and assistance during this period. In addition we wish to thank all the people, especially in New Hampshire, who have been so kind and generous in their supportive comments.
As a further matter of clarification, nothing about the vetting process played any role in this decision. I will continue to represent the people of New Hampshire in the United States Senate.
Related posts:
- Judd Gregg Loved Reconciliation, Defended It on Senate Floor in 2005
- Judd Gregg Puts on His Deficit Peacockery; Obama Calls it Macaroni
- Sunday Late Night: Who is the Commerce Secretary Calling?
- US Chamber of Commerce Again Preemptively Thanks Blanche Lincoln for Opposing Employee Free Choice Act
- Chamber Of Commerce Attacks Schumer’s Public Option Amendments
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Good.
You be fast. Just came here to share this.
Um, YAY?!? — except that there is probably some scandal laden reason for the withdrawal.
He was an exceptionally bad choice.
We’ve been talking about it in the Unprotected Sex thread.
Somehow, seems appropriate….
egregious:
Why? One of the posters here at FDL suggested a few days ago something would be a problem or conflict of interest for him, but I can’t recall it.
…it was the census.
He’s saying that the vetting process has nothing to do with it…cough…
He’s a Repub, and if his lips are moving..well
He’s known all along what PBO’s stimulus plan was, yet he’s claiming it has to do with that plan…nah… so strike that..
He claims that it has to do with part of the census program being moved to the WH…Hmmm…that has to do with redistricting, etc….could be that..he’s a Repub…think Delay and TX.
I’m bettin’ on vettin’…and keeping face..cough
Gee, looks like Rahm’s gonna have to find another
beardadvocate for “entitlement reform” to take the fall for him when it blows up in his face. (There were way too many rumors of Gregg being brought on to push “entitlement reform” for it not be so)Thanks egregious
digg is open.
He’s a Senator so re-districting wouldn’t have any direct effect on him anyway. And New Hampshire only has two CDs, both currently held by Dems, so there’s really not a lot of gerrymandering potential for the state anyway.
oh nozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02…..dubai.html
Holding the seat in the Senate beyond ‘10, perhaps?
And I’ll reserve judgment on Judd until all the vetting gossip has filtered out.
Possible replacements include Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber.
MOFO!
One might think that advocating for the abolition of the agency to which you are being appointed is enough. Is more vetting necessary, really?
708
msnbc.com
Abramoff,no?
Will the last available candidate for Commerce Sect’y please turn out he lights?
and Gregg was unresolvable for me
Ah, so…
The tip of the iceberg starting to melt?
Hey, if this keeps up long enough maybe Richardson’s issue will clear up and we’ll come full circle.
Good point, however, PBO’s team knew that already, so I’m sure they didn’t get rid of him…if anything, I’ll bet they thought they could control him.
My vote is he’s withdrawn because of some yet undisclosed sex scandal…hahahaha…just to stir it up.
Earlier today, The Hill noted objections from House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind).
A taste . . .
I actually thought the same thing!
punaise!
Have missed you of late.
Blago’s lookin’ for a job.
hey there! been laying low…really low
Abu?
Ralph Nader has cleared his appointment calendar. /s
Pence and Issa…??? Enough said.
Anything for bipartisanship.
Abu?
Ol Dudd ain’t the most popular politician in NH these days anyway and he will face a strong challenger in ‘10. As last Saturday’s Blue America guest, the Speaker of the NH House of Representatives noted, NH has a fairly deep Democratic bench, including the Governor both House members , the President of the state senate, the Speaker herself and some other folks not currently holding office.
George,Maccaca,or how about the royal chimp
Well, this gives PBO the chance to put a Dem in…again….
Gonzales
welli’ve got an entitlement reform thay can take up when they get there .. and that’s eliminating all separate house and senate pensions and lump them all over into the same SS system the rest of get …
let’s reform their “entitlements” .. eh ??
Josh sayin’ Gregg was gettin’ too much scheiss from the NH GOP. Funny, you wouldn’t think 3 people could raise such a stink.
Well, other than that do you have anything against him? *g*
Personally, I thought it was a perfect match. A third rate choice for a third rate position.
well,how about a progressive?
Oh..D’uh…I forgot about him..haha
How about Kucinich?
Nader for head of Commerce? I love it! Brilliant suggestion! Half of the remaining Republicans in Congress would die of a heart attack. Susan Collins would clutch her pearls and gasp!
What fun that would be!
Bob in HI
Yeah, O & Co. knew about the guy’s past and chose him anyway. I don’t understand…
No one can touch the details of Vitter’s sex scandal, although the T room trade at minneapolis airport was good too.
funny how they love capping workers pay ,BUT NOT CEOs
Up now at The Hill, Gregg speaks out:
Talk about vetting problems! He was ideal for a department he didn’t really like.
I third that nomination.
LOL. Is there a reason that the Obama Administration did this to itself, again?
CNN saying McConnell tickled.
Dem sources saying Gregg actively campaigned for the appointment, now erratically withdraws… WH stunned….
Bama could show Issa a thing or two by appointing Howard Dean.
i love it
oh and btw .. i’m “down” with the “sex scandal” rumors .. he is a republican ..and farm animals do “happen” .. ya know …
Well, there’s a new madam out there talkin’…at least for now.
it would be a laugh riot
LOL
The whole Gregg thing sucked. It was like appointing a rabid fox to guard the hen house, and then he cut a back room deal to favor his GOP buddies. And THEN he announces he’s going to stick a shiv in Obama by recusing himself from voting on the recovery bill.
Good riddance. And with any luck his constituents are disgusted by him. Which they just may be.
This move helps along very much the view that the GOP children don’t know how to govern like adults and are bad for this country. Bonus.
ok,i lol…
So how does this affect the stimulus vote. Are three republicans still enough?
So, if something hinky showed up in the vetting process (not hard to believe, considering his party membership), WHO is going to leak the dirt?
Hmmm…there is something..just reported that Teddy K will not be able to return to vote..
Did a bit of that laying low meownself, several weeks worth, when the computer crashed and burned, big time (internal short, even ate the hard drive …. bzzzzzt and then … nothing).
Consarned new-fangled ’stuff’.
No spark, no gas, nothing.
(Learned sumthin’ tho, … external ’saving’ methodologies ARE a MUST. I am, very slowly … learning.)
Who predicted his departure before Valentine’s? Bingo
He shoots! He scores!! *g*
In the spirit of bipartisanship, why doesn’t Obama nominate Phil Gramm?
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee !
Now President Obama can elect a DEMOCRAT and NOT worry about Faux Noise lambasting him on that Census Crap …
Hang. This. Whiny. Ass. Mope. Out. To. Dry.
Time to dismantle filibuster.
Hahaha…he’s sure popular in the Time poll for being the person most influential on the “economy”..
rats, I went to Tula’s great post about wal mart.
did anyone mention the possibility of the GOP yanking him back into the Senate?
Did he actually ever officially leave the Senate?
Yeah, I’m doing some schadenfreude hip hop here on his Numero Uno position on the list so far.
he’s already in the Senate …
BUT NOT FOR LONG ….
well…I guess not. I’m thinking, though, the party didn’t want him to leave? Or…Obama made him cry with the Jobs bill going through, or maybe the job was boring, or just too damn hard.
That thought crossed my mind. Wonder what they are up to.
OK, my comment was poorly phrased! :
i agree sunshine .. nuke option should be in play .. i nominate bmaz to carry the secret launch codes ?? lol
Don’t hold back, bmaz. Tell us what you really think.
Nah…Sex.
Gregg is from my state. I am ashamed of this greedy, selfish, shortsighted Bush Rubberstamper.
He was a bad Governor so naturally the State GOP sent him to DC to become a bad Senator…and he did not disappoint.
I’m gonna work my buns off to make his political career into toast in the NH 2010 (re)election.
Oh ho ho ho, ha ha ha!
Wow, that really hurts. Glad he has been with us long enough to see the election and signs of progress…Peace and comfort for him.
No. Gregg had actually negotiated a deal with the NH (supposed) Dem governor to appoint an R to be a caretaker for the seat for 2 years and not run in ‘10 but he did not resign so he gets to hang out until at least ‘10.
wha?…sex with obama?
Thanks..I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t remember him giving up his seat yet.
More of the losers’ advice…Do they ever wonder “who cares”?
Who knows…women…little boys..little girls..his wife…who knows../s
((kcwells))
good luck. you know you will lots of support here.
Someone else said this earlier…and I’m guessing that the vetting could have gotten hot to do with his dealings with Abramoff….but that could lead to hookers..?!../s
And furthermore….
I didn’t trust Sen. Gregg to oversee a fair and accurate census – thank God he is gone!!!!!
good.
riddance.
dick.
Susan Collins for Commerce Secretary!!!
V is for such very little forethought,
E’s for everyone whose name’s been raised.
T is for these terrible appointments.
T again, we’re totally amazed.
I is for the public’s indignation
N means no apparent moxy here.
Put ‘em all together, they spell “vettin.”
Your “G” seems to be MIA, my dear.
*g*
Ooh. The Union-Leader is reporting that not only is Gregg out as Commerce nominee but that he is NOT going to run in ‘10.
So, Gregg lobbies for Commerce Secretary via Harry Reid [go figure!] and is all set to burrow into place overseeing the Census when the WH reassures minority groups that Gregg’ll be overseen by senior WH officials and the GOP gets wind of this and decides “curses!’ their conniving plan will be found out, so they reel in Gregg and tell him to come back to the Senate?
That ’bout right?
Gibbs release claims Gregg could get on board, but then reneged.
Dosido -
Thanks. We Dems want Paul Hodes (currently in House) to run for Senator. At least we got rid of Sununu – one down, one left.
The GOP Senate bullies are a Rat’s Nest that needs cleaning out!
I’ll buy.
Plus maybe they think they can stop the stimulus bill and want his vote in the Senate?
In the spirit of nominal continuity I nominate Ashley Judd.
You know, for a bunch of boys who claim to think outside the box and are oh so creative with “financial instruments”, why isn’t this creativity coming forth on the government side to, um, I don’t know, help the American people?
Paging Lawrence Lessig. Paging Lawrence Lessig. you have a call on the white phone.
lol. or Judd Nelson?
Hookers are always good scandal material, especially if the offending politician is married. Bonus points for kink.
Judd Gregg talking to politico…aka Partner in Propaganda.
Wonder how tough the presser’s going to be?
Now why would you want to send a good Kentucky girl, who already has the burden of living in Tennessee, on up north to New Hampshire?
Winona.
I’ll give Politico props for nailing Senators on tax returns esp. John Cornyn. But I take yer meaning…
Nelson Rockefeller Jr.
ooops, Wynonna
Krugman for Commerce Secretary
Tight antics:
Judd’s eschew of us
We can make it if we try
Judd’s eschew of us
Building castles in the sky
Honestly, these goopers are such manipulative passive aggressive buttwipes.
Gregg lobbies for a job for a dept he lobbied to abolish, gets the job, then withdraws??? pathetic.
Eg added that Gregg won’t run in 2010. Must be a scandal…
too bad he wasn’t nominated for a different cabinet position. The headline:
“Judd the dud for HUD, name is mud“
Sex scandal…or illness.
Sex scandal…
cloakroom buddy Larry
GreggCraig!I’m for Cynthia McKenny (hee,hee). Mass coronaries on the Hill.
No kiddin’, I’d like to see her appointed.
He wouldn’t be able to continue his wide-stance on the issues in his new job.
Asked if he will run in 2010 = probably not
He says it wouldn’t be a good fit. Says census was only a slight issue..not even a big enough issue to discuss…and he won’t run…supportive of Geithner…
Maybe he’s ill.
CNN reporter saying it is fishy and there may be a vetting problem that he’s discovered.
I have to say, watching Greg make his statement, I like him better than I expected to. He comes across as sincere, honest, and a basic good guy.
Hilary Rosen is a CNN pundit for hire. Not a reporter. Not that the line’s always clear *g*
I would have thought that the census would have fallen under his umbrella….although Jefferson did it when he was Secretary of State (so much for the argument that the Executive performing it is UnConstitutional).
I wonder if the Census is simply a sop for some bigger issue discovered in the vetting process. Certainly one could argue that he found that the offer was better from the Conservative Republicans…who likely were desperate to keep him in the fold. But why…they were getting a Republican replacement? Seems that they would have had a two-fer in the deal.
In the current situation I can’t see how his withdrawal helps him. I suspect that he hurt his re-election chances in 2010, by first accepting, then walking away. If Obama’s plans begins to improve conditions in NH, Gregg will look like an obstructionist. And if it fails, there likely will need to be an additional stimulus package. Wash, rinse, repeat. People won’t be “let the economy take its course”. And likely the Democrats were already lining up to challenge Bonnie Newman. Now they’ll be thinking already about toppling Gregg.
Because they act out of selfish greed, not for the common good.
Opted out as American KRudd
Gregg indicated he will not run in 2010
That makes five maybe six R sen not running in 2010
here comes the flood
I actually looked at his formal statement and he doesn’t say that.
Manchester Union
Apparently he said that he would “probably not” run for re-election in 2010 in the following Q&A session. That’s not a definitive, “NO”. As well, he indicate that nothing in the “vetting process” contributed to his decision. Seems that he was already thinking about that question – so made the emphasis on the policy differences. It does make one wonder though.
EW’s on this – he has a staffer involved (deeply) with Abramoff’s little operation. So he’s being implicated, too. Expect plea bargains in his future.
ouch! external hard drives are good bang for the back-up buck….