Posted on 02/02/2009 12:18:49 AM PST by Yosemitest
Republican Sen. Judd Gregg has told colleagues that if he becomes commerce secretary, his replacement would affiliate with the GOP, denying Democrats' total dominance, his party leader said Sunday.
That would require an agreement involving President Obama, who would appoint Gregg to his Cabinet, and New Hampshire Democratic Gov. John Lynch, who would name Gregg's successor to the Senate. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky suggested that such an arrangement was in the works.
Lynch's spokesman, Colin Manning, declined to comment on any agreement, saying only that
Replacing Gregg with someone other than a Democrat willing to side with the party would deny Democrats the legislative dominance they seek in the Senate. Sixty votes are required to end debate in the 100-member chamber, but Democrats have just 56 seats, plus two independents who caucus with them.
In spite of being in the minority, Republicans can bottle up legislation through a filibuster as long as they retain at least 41 votes. The outcome of Minnesota's disputed Senate contest would decide the matter.
Officials say Obama is set to make Gregg his third Republican Cabinet official as early as Monday.
Many officials in New Hampshire and Washington now think a scenario is almost certain in which Lynch names a Republican or an independent as Gregg's successor. Democratic leaders have warned supporters in private that Gregg's departure would not automatically mean a Democratic replacement.
McConnell's second-in-command praised Obama's consideration of Gregg despite its potential political implications.
Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., cautioned that it's not a certainty that Lynch would appoint a fellow Democrat to replace Gregg. He also said he doubted that Republicans would lose the ability to filibuster if Gregg left, but he was less direct in discussing any potential deal among the White House, Gregg and Lynch.
Asked if Republicans might pressure Gregg to stay, Kyl said:
He added that Gregg
Lynch, a political moderate who named Republican Kelly Ayotte as his attorney general, enjoys broad popularity and won re-election with 70 percent of the vote. Picking a Republican could help him build on his governing coalition.
Lynch is leaning toward naming a "placeholder" senator in the seat, someone who would not seek the job in two years. Former Reagan and George H.W. Bush administration official Bonnie Newman is leading the pack of potential replacements. She was a former top aide to Gregg, a Harvard dean and one of Lynch's first Republican supporters.
Others being discussed include former Republican state House Speaker Doug Scamman, a Lynch ally, and Democratic Rep. Paul Hodes, who was eyeing a Senate run in 2010 against Gregg.
Obama's Cabinet already has two Republicans:
If Gregg were nominated, he would be Obama's second choice. A grand jury investigation over how state contracts were issued to political donors led New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to withdraw from consideration.
.....If a Republican is appointed, the Democrats will be no closer to their goal of holding 60 Senate seats, enough to cut off Republican filibusters if all Democrats vote together. They now have 56 votes. Two independents usually vote with the Democrats, giving them 58 votes. The outcome in a still-disputed Senate election in Minnesota could bring that to 59 votes.
The Republican expected to get the seat until a new election is held in two years is Bonnie Newman, who served as Gregg's chief of staff when Gregg was in the House. She is a veteran of the Reagan White House. Under the deal that has been worked out, she will not run in the 2010 election.
The move would allow Gregg to join the Cabinet without giving Democrats' unchecked power in Congress. It also would spare him a difficult re-election bid.
An administration official said Sunday evening that the White House would worry about the Cabinet pick, not the politics.
Gregg has told colleagues that if he becomes the third Republican in Obama's Cabinet - a decision that could come as early as Monday - his replacement would affiliate with the GOP, denying Democrats' total dominance, his party leader said Sunday.
.... Gregg spokeswoman Laena Fallon had no comment on McConnell's statement.
Newman's name has climbed to the top of Lynch's short list of names, officials said. She served in the administrations of both Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. She was Gregg's top aide when he was in the U.S. House, served as a Harvard dean and was one of Lynch's first Republican supporters.
Others being discussed include former Republican state House Speaker Doug Scamman, another Lynch ally.
Many officials in New Hampshire and Washington expect Lynch to name a Republican or an independent as Gregg's successor. Democratic leaders have warned supporters in private that Gregg's departure would not automatically mean a Democratic replacement.
Word on the street: “Jud Gregg is planning to sabotage the Commerce Department so badly that it will result in a national movement to impeach Obama”
Jud Gregg will be asked to set up a new administration after the 2010 elections see a Republican sweep of the House of Representatives and a mass resignation of all Democratic Senators.
Keep the faith!!!
Is the replacement a RINO or pro-life?
“It is not an America worth defending anymore.”
Agreed, but still worth fighting for.
They should simply hire Gov. Blago to work things out.
Didn’t New Hampshire give us David Souter?
Secondly....if he does accept it, does he really think the demhole governor will appoint a R to his seat? If so, then yes, he is that stupid. Best case the gov appoints some lib with an R after his name.
“Somebody PLEASE TELL ME that Sen. Judd Gregg, Republican of N.H. ISN”T THAT STUPID!!!” - Unfortunately, I am very afraid he is AND the prime “Republican” female candidate to replace Gregg supported Democrat Lynch over his Republican opponent in the last election. She’ll just join Ollie Snow, Suzie Collins and the rest of Rinos in sucking up to the big 0.
Gregg will end up being a do-nothing as Commerce Secretary - and the Democrats get control of Congress.
Maybe because NH has swung violently to the left, and Gregg thinks he could not be re-elected to the Senate anyway.
Barf. He's already left the nation in the lurch by his statement that our new Treasury Secretary's being a tax cheat is no big deal at all. He's just another D.C. careerist who sees the writing on the wall (the Pubbies have been found wanting and are doomed) and wants to construct a nest for himself in the new Obammunist order.
It bears repeating!
“NEVER TRUST A DEMOCRAT!”
“NEVER TRUST A DEMOCRAT!”
“NEVER TRUST A DEMOCRAT!”
“NEVER TRUST A DEMOCRAT!”
Even if they appoint someone who “caucuses with republicans” that doesn’t mean they will support republican filibusters.
It is impossible to imagine that they would appoint a senator who would oppose Barack’s stimulus package. Of course, it appears that Gregg wouldn’t have opposed it anyway, or else he wouldn’t be willing to join Barack’s cabinet.
Gregg has absolutely no qualifications to be secretary of anything. If you look at his record as governor of NH you will see nothing but continual screw-ups. The residents of NH are still paying for the blunder he made with the bankruptcy of Seabrook nuclear generating plant. The only reason he was ever elected to the US Senate was because NH folks wanted to get him out of Concord.
Hmmmm...really?
I'm sorry, but unless a Republican is chosen to replace Gregg, this is not an acceptable solution. Gregg should simply pass on the offer and move on.
****Hmmmm...really?***
The truth is so abominable to contemplate - I find refuge in satire and silly;)
The truth: American citizens were the beneficiaries of a superb document: The Consitution and an ethics-based system of citizen representation.
Sadly, over the last century, our society evolved from small communities with agricultural and craft skills - requiring and rewarding individual effort. Leaders emerged from those communities with common purpose.
After the introduction of huge industry and communication technologies, a RULING class of power hungry narcissists began to invent & inject itself into our lives, creating an enormous government that feeds off the fruits of our labor.
“Elected” officials, from both parties, have become an incestuous plague of locusts.....they arrive on the scene from nowhere and stay forever. Any new species of ethical public servant (i.e. Palin) is exterminated by the media - another hybridized locust swarm.
Now I shall take my medication.
I don't know what Gregg thinks, but he better not trust any demorats.
I am serious. And don't call me Shirley.
Is everyone aware that his replacement must agree not to run in two years as an incumbent? That’s the deal. Good grief.
Could be you’re right, but I’d rather go down with the ship than simply turn over the keys to the Senate to Obama without a fight.
Susan Molinari, Congresswoman from New York.
-PJ
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