Posted on 01/31/2009 10:13:00 AM PST by lewisglad
New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg “would never allow his seat to go to a Democrat,” says a Republican close to President Obama’s presumptive pick for Commerce Secretary. “The only way he would allow it is if he died.” Buzz today is that if Gregg took the gig, his replacement would share parties with New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat. (If Al Franken is deemed the winner here in Minnesota, the Dems would then secure a veto filibuster-proof majority.) But The Hill now reports that Republicans are saying Gregg will only take the job if he’s guaranteed that the seat will stay in GOP hands. A Commerce Secretary Gregg, then, seems pretty unlikely. Lynch would face political backlash for appointing a Republican, and Gregg probably won’t unconditionally take the cabinet post. The Hill’s un-named Republican says Gregg would “consider it to be a breach of trust to people who elected [him].”
Yea, right, we’ll see who tugs the hardest.
If he took WHAT gig? This doesn’t make sense to an outsider ...
I can't believe that the Senate GOP is so empty-headed that it would even be contemplating getting rid of one of this members.
Though if John McCain was offered the position, I would make an exception.
“The only way he would allow it is if he died.”
Hmmmm.
Based on the “thuggishness” which has clearly been on display by this administration after just ONE WEEK, I’d be careful about making a statement like that.
Supposedly Warren Rudman would take the seat and promise not to run in two years. (whether he would participate in the GOP cloture votes is another matter)
interesting how of ALL THE PEOPLE Obama knows for this cabinet position, he “feels the most qualified person” is a Republican Senator from a state which has a Democrat governor!
I am already SICK TO DEATH of this man!
The Weekly Standard’s take... Does it really matter if the Republicans have 41 votes or 40? After all, there are likely to be a number of bad bills on which a few liberal Republicans—Specter, Snowe, Collins—side with the Democrats and render any GOP threat to filibuster moot. Of course, there will be some truly atrocious left-wing measures—card-check, taxpayer-funding of abortions, etc.—where almost every Republican will be willing to filibuster and the GOP has a good chance of plucking off the small number of Democrats needed to thwart the bill. These are the kind of votes where having, or not having, Judd Gregg in the Senate could make all the difference.
Posted by John McCormack on January 30, 2009 07:19 PM |
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/01/gop_to_sen_gregg_please_dont_g_1.asp
Commerce Secretary........If Senator Gregg accepted the position then it would leave his Senate seate open in Minnesota. That would then allow the state governor to appoint whomever he wants to the position. Just like what's happening in Illinois.....
Unfortunately, I think this is a tempest in a teapot. Merely having 40 or 41 Republicans in the Senate won’t guarantee anything.
The alleged “common sense, fiscal conservative” Red-state Democrats like Tim Johnson, Jon Tester, Blanche Lincoln, etc. etc. will vote for unlimited Obama spending in lockstep with Harry Reid.
But can we count on Snowe or Specter or Collins or Voinovich joining a filibuster against anything? I don’t think so.
Gregg is from N.H. Coleman is from Minnesota.
The only way Gregg can get into BO’s cabinet is to first prove that he is a tax cheat.
Yup, I tell you what.
Card check bill just went down in flames if this is true.
Indeed. 0bama thinks we’re all a bunch of ‘tards.
"Take the Sec. of Commerce job or we will run someone strong against you will be out of a job in 2010. At least at Commerce you will have the job as long as you like, and will make lots of connections in business who will give you a good job when you leave. Otherwise, in two years you are simple going to be a defeated U.S. Senator."
They made him an offer he could not refuse.
Political Brilliance.
Exactly. They will get him to resign and then get a Dem in their to get their majority. That is a lot more valuable than some GOPer in the cabinet.
Who would want to abandon a senate seat to take a second-tier cabinet position in a corrupt regime? You’d think that one would much prefer serving at the pleasure of the people than at the pleasure of Obozo.
Gregg will be retired in 4 years and is looking at a tough re-election battle. Zero is picking the lowest hanging fruit off the tree here...the Chicago way!
Look at Ratheon/BAE in Nashua and Portsmouth/Kittery Naval shipyard to get bug cuts in orders in Judd doesn’t accept. That is the real game Obama and Rahm play!
Yeah, but his soul would be intact. For some this actually still means something.
Except for the part about blaming Gregg when the currency goes to hell and firing him in 16 months? ;)
If Obama is what he says he is, then he’ll also nominate a Dem senator from a state with a GOP governor.
And .. Gregg should believe the dems’ promise because ...??
Gregg can’t be that stupid ..?? Can he ..??
Isn’t New Hampsire’s Gov a democrat - THEN GREGG’S REPLACEMENT WILL BE A DEMOCRAT - regardless of what they promise Gregg.
The dems will promise Gregg EVERYTHING and deliver NOTHING.
You can take that to the bank.
And .. I believe this was a very back-door, sneaky plan by the dems to get another democrat seat in the senate. This was not done because the dems love Gregg .. it was done to SOLIDIFY THE DEMOCRATS POWER!! That’s all they care about - their own power base.
Damn! When are people going to get it ..??
Greeg wont have to spend 2 years fundraisiing and a cushy new job with lots of connections
The sitting Republican Senator from New Hampshire, Judd Gregg, is being considered for Secretary of Commerce in the Obama Administration. The Commerce position was originally offered to Gov Richardson of NM, who had to withdraw due to an investigation of him back in NM.
IF Gregg were to take the appointment, his senate seat would be vacated. The governor of NH, a Democrat, would appoint a successor to his seat. It is assumed she would appoint a fellow Democrat.
A Democrat appointment in NH would provide the Democrats in the US Senate with 60 seats, a fillibuster-proof majority. The GOP dodged that bullet with the runoff re-election of Saxby Chambliss in Georgia. With the MN race still up for grabs, the GOP cannot afford to lose one Senate seat to the Dems.
It’s all about the balance in the Senate.
Gee, I wonder.
Well .. if that’s the choice Gregg wants to make .. then the repubs should be glad to be rid of him.
Except .. now the dems move even closer to getting EVERYTHING they want in the Senate .. so I presume Gregg will receive lots and lots of pressure from the conservative side of the repubs - hopefully, they will be able to convince him not to take the job.
I hope Gregg does not want to be associated with this horrible administration. It promised such great hopes .. and it’s already a great big mess - typically liberal results.
If this is true God Bless Him.
does mccan’t count?
I think the correct thing for him to say is, “I’ll be damned if I’ll give Obama a filibuster proof majority. If I’m good enough for the job, I would gladly wait to accept appointment from President Palin in 2013.”
If Dud Gregg were to handle the Commerce Department the way he handled the Seabrook bankruptcy back when he was governor of NH we would all be screwed. NH residents are still paying some of the highest electric rates in the nation.
I hope Gregg's not stupid enough to believe any promise either That One, or Gov. Lynch would make to him. That seat would go to a Democrat in a New York minute, because the Gov. knows there would be a MAJOR political backlash if it didn't.
You are exactly right in your assumption. IMO
There’s an easy way to insure that a promise to appoint a Republican to Gregg’s seat is kept. Its been used many times before. Gregg doesn’t resign his seat until AFTER the Governor of New Hampshire has named and appointed his successor. If the Governor names a Democrat, Gregg withdraws his name from consideration.
The Republicans in the Senate can also filibuster the nomination from being confirmed as further insurance.
In a country of 300,000,000 there has to be more than one person who just happens to be part of an important Republican Senate minority that can do this job.
Wahtever line they’re giving you about helping to save the country and your President needs you, Don’t fall for it Sen Gregg. He just needs you out of the Senate.
Yes he is, my mistake. Thank you for the correction
If Obama is truly interested in getting a Secretary of Commerce who has real knowledge about business, and he HAS to have a Republican, why doesn't he choose Mitt Romney?
Even if Greg refuses to betray the voters who elected him, certainly Snow, Grahmnesty, etc wouldn’t. O__crap will just select another RINO.
Didn’t Judd Gregg accept the Cabinet position? Oh fey, feckless man. It seems like a liberal plot to me.
Mitt Romney doesn’t reduce the Republicans in the Senate to a filibuster-proof toothless minority.
True that, even if he WOULD be better than Judd Gregg for the position.
Does ANYONE really believe the GOP can sustain a filibuster with the herd or RINO’s in the Senate? Anyone? Anyone?
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