Judd Gregg Withdraws from Consideration

[del]

Do you know what?

I must say, this makes the guy look like a total wuss.

why?
i mean other than that he's a republican.

If he's got such strong feelings about how things should be done the chances of him getting some of them done are better if he accepts the job. Otherwise, he accomplishes nothing.

bullshit. if he signs on to obama's team, he has no honorable choice but to support obama's policies. he decided he can't do that and acted appropriately.

i don't know for a fact, but i doubt very much that he was told at the time he was asked to take the position that the census was going to be taken out from his purview, and i'll bet that if a dem is nominated for the position that the need to have rahm emmanuel oversee the census will magically disappear.

he's still a senator, better that than to be window dressing for obama.

 

[DiveCon]

Do you know what?

I must say, this makes the guy look like a total wuss.

I see it differently; IMO he could not accept that he was being co-opted and at the same time neutered. I would doubt that he knew before saying he would accept, that the Census, the core responsibility of the CommSec, was being usurped, that being the "irreconcilable" difference".

Usurped how?

by having authority that was previously under his job removed

 

[DiveCon]

why?
i mean other than that he's a republican.

If he's got such strong feelings about how things should be done the chances of him getting some of them done are better if he accepts the job. Otherwise, he accomplishes nothing.

bullshit. if he signs on to obama's team, he has no honorable choice but to support obama's policies. he decided he can't do that and acted appropriately.

i don't know for a fact, but i doubt very much that he was told at the time he was asked to take the position that the census was going to be taken out from his purview, and i'll bet that if a dem is nominated for the position that the need to have rahm emmanuel oversee the census will magically disappear.

he's still a senator, better that than to be window dressing for obama.

exactly

 

[Ravi]

bullshit. if he signs on to obama's team, he has no honorable choice but to support obama's policies. he decided he can't do that and acted appropriately.

i don't know for a fact, but i doubt very much that he was told at the time

So Republicans are spineless cowards that can't object to policy?

 

[del]

bullshit. if he signs on to obama's team, he has no honorable choice but to support obama's policies. he decided he can't do that and acted appropriately.

i don't know for a fact, but i doubt very much that he was told at the time

So Republicans are spineless cowards that can't object to policy?

are you this stupid in real life?

i didn't think so, but i may have to reevaluate my position.

if you're going to edit my posts, i'd appreciate it if you made note of it.

 

[Ravi]

The Congressional Black Caucus and a group representing Latino elected officials have raised questions about Gregg, noting that as chairman of the Senate panel overseeing the Census Bureau budget he frequently sought to cut funding that they believe led to an undercount of minorities.
To allay concerns over Gregg, the White House initially indicated that it might take greater control over the Census Bureau. But amid GOP criticism it has since clarified that the White House will "work closely with the census director," and that the Census Bureau would not be removed from the Commerce Department.

The Associated Press: GOP leaders criticize White House role in census

 

[DavidS]

why?
i mean other than that he's a republican.

If he's got such strong feelings about how things should be done the chances of him getting some of them done are better if he accepts the job. Otherwise, he accomplishes nothing.

bullshit. if he signs on to obama's team, he has no honorable choice but to support obama's policies. he decided he can't do that and acted appropriately.

Then why the hell did he sign onto the team in the first place?? This is really embarrassing not only for the Senator but for this country as well.

 

[del]

The Congressional Black Caucus and a group representing Latino elected officials have raised questions about Gregg, noting that as chairman of the Senate panel overseeing the Census Bureau budget he frequently sought to cut funding that they believe led to an undercount of minorities.
To allay concerns over Gregg, the White House initially indicated that it might take greater control over the Census Bureau. But amid GOP criticism it has since clarified that the White House will "work closely with the census director," and that the Census Bureau would not be removed from the Commerce Department.

The Associated Press: GOP leaders criticize White House role in census

do you have a point? the administration has made it quite clear that the census will not be part of SecCom's portfolio no matter how they couch it.

 

[del]

If he's got such strong feelings about how things should be done the chances of him getting some of them done are better if he accepts the job. Otherwise, he accomplishes nothing.

bullshit. if he signs on to obama's team, he has no honorable choice but to support obama's policies. he decided he can't do that and acted appropriately.

Then why the hell did he sign onto the team in the first place?? This is really embarrassing not only for the Senator but for this country as well.

gee, maybe obama lied to him. oh, excuse me, misstated his position.

i doubt very much that the senator is embarrassed, and i consider a SecTres who can't pay his taxes without prompting, and couldn't outline the stimulus package without stuttering like you out on a date far more embarrassing than a man honorably declining a position in obama's cabinet.

 

[del]

Ah, it actually looks like the GOP had a hand in this.

of course it does.

 

[del]

threads merged

 

[Sinatra]

Ah, it actually looks like the GOP had a hand in this.

That stated the rather obvious, yes?

 

[Paulie]

Rav cracks me up

The job of overseeing the census was taken out from under Gregg, and he's just supposed to stay and be Obama's bitch?

 

[Paulie]

That would be like telling Hillary she can't leave the country.

 

[del]

Rav cracks me up

The job of overseeing the census was taken out from under Gregg, and he's just supposed to stay and be Obama's bitch?

that, and the chances of the republican non-entity that lynch put forward to fill his seat getting elected are about the same as mine. gregg's pretty popular in nh.

 

[Paulie]

In related news, Timothy Geithner has been told the job of overseeing the nation's finances has been personally handed to Obama, but we hope he stays on board for friendship's sake.

 

[Paulie]

Robert Gates has been told his authority to direct the Marines, the Navy, and the Air Force have been relinquished, but hopefully he'll still hang around, because at least he can still play with the Army.

 

[American Horse]

Usurped how?

From this parallel thread: Judd Gregg gets stung as Commerce loses Census responsibility

The Obama Administration has usurped one of the most important core activies of that department by removing the taking of the census from his purview, and moving it directly under the executive and the White House. That must grate on Judd Gregg, since his leaving his safe Senate Seat can weaken Republicans in the US Senate.

Their only justification so far is that “It was that way under the Clinton Administration, before Bush”, as if that makes it right. The census is very important because it apportions representation for US Congressional and state government districts and seats and controls the distribution of government largess to the political structure throughout the country.

With the 2010 Census going directly to the Executive branch and being taken away from the Commerce Department, doesn’t that remove any congressional oversight from the process? The only way the congress has any say about the administration of the census is through oversight committees through the committee process, and the minority Republicans will now lose any oversight opportunities for that. To call Judd Gregg in to report would be holding him responsible for something he does not control.

 

[WillowTree]

The Congressional Black Caucus and a group representing Latino elected officials have raised questions about Gregg, noting that as chairman of the Senate panel overseeing the Census Bureau budget he frequently sought to cut funding that they believe led to an undercount of minorities.
To allay concerns over Gregg, the White House initially indicated that it might take greater control over the Census Bureau. But amid GOP criticism it has since clarified that the White House will "work closely with the census director," and that the Census Bureau would not be removed from the Commerce Department.

The Associated Press: GOP leaders criticize White House role in census

I get it. They congressional black caucus pulled the damn race card. Gregg decided he wanted no part of that shit. I don't blame him. And obamalama is too cowardly to stand agains the congressional black caucus.

 

[American Horse]

[.....] i don't know for a fact, but i doubt very much that he was told at the time he was asked to take the position that the census was going to be taken out from his purview, and i'll bet that if a dem is nominated for the position that the need to have rahm emmanuel oversee the census will magically disappear.

he's still a senator, better that than to be window dressing for obama.

Though he didn't say that explicitly the implication can be drawn from his own words:

Sen. Gregg stated,

"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."