Judd Gregg Out

Update 2: Obama slams Gregg with blame? Hmm. And supposedly the WH found out from the press?? All is not well ... somewhere.

Update: Statement also emailed:

Senator Gregg Statement on His Withdrawal for Consideration of U.S. Commerce Secretary

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 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.”

From the AP: That was fast. Gregg isn't dumb. There had to have been talks before he took it. Something "changed." Remember the Zinni thing - offered Iraq, then passed up? Either all is not well in Obama-land, or it's going to be ping-pong and take your best shot guess for four years. That's a very dangerous and potentially destructive thing in a national leader - let alone right now.

Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire has withdrawn his nomination to become President Barack Obama's commerce secretary.

In a statement released by his office, the New Hampshire senator cites "irresolvable conflicts" on issues including the economic stimulus package.

Gregg was named the Commerce nominee a week ago after the withdrawal of former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.

Comments

[WBestPresidentEver]

I am glad he is not going to take the job.

Something was fishy about the whole thing anyway.
Not sure what Obama and Emanuel had up their sleeve but whatever it was, Gregg got wind of it. There is more to this than meets the eye.

This thing we have now as President of the Union of Socialist America is getting more corrupt and dangerous than I ever imagined.

[Lala]

Good.
I imagine much worse.

[mark l.]

this is the classic scenario of where someone takes on a job, only to realize that he is not working for the boss he agreed to work with...

[templar knight]

Hmm...it sounds like Gregg regained his senses. I can't imagine why he would have agreed to such a thing in the first place. But suffice it to say he will take a hit from the media for daring to turn down the One.

[Anon]

It wouldn't have been a bad thing to have an actual responsible, adult fiscal conservative in charge of Commerce.

My guess is now Obama will nominate a true left wing nut job who agrees that contraceptives, new sod on the mall and Pell Grants all are going to help fix the economic collapse.

[IslamoLlama]

"-- Not sure what Obama and Emanuel had up their sleeve but whatever it was, Gregg got wind of it. There is more to this than meets the eye. --"

Gregg actively lobbied for the job. You're a moron.

"-- My guess is now Obama will nominate a true left wing nut job who agrees that contraceptives, new sod on the mall and Pell Grants all are going to help fix the economic collapse. --"

Sweet Baby Jesus let's hope so. I'm still waiting for him to offer Mitch McConnell the spot. That said, it'll be funny as all hell when the entire GOP Senate is holed up in their offices firing rubber bands and pencils at every Obama staffer who offers them a promotion.

At this rate, I'd love to see Obama offer the position to every ranking GOoPer in the Senate, just to watch them all turn it down. Then they can go into another round of "Why is the President so partisan?!" and the rest of the country will throw up a little in their mouths.

[Anon]

Since Gregg lobbied for the job, allegedly, and said he isn't running for his senate seat again, it hardly seems like a partisan act...it seems like a man who decided he couldn't be 'on the team' because he had some serious resevations w/the team and he did a VERY GRACIOUS job of saying only positive things about Obama...

Face it, some people ON PRINCIPLE just don't agree with the economic stimulus package. Some people don't believe it is going to work the way they say it will. Some people think it is going to sink the country even further in debt and sap energy from small business and further weaken the already extremely weak underpinnings of what is left of the economy. Some people think the idea of this package creating millions of jobs is about as likely as finding WMD in Iraq, it is all rhetoric and will never materialize in fact. Some people think this is a big Democratic wish list that they hope is SO BIG that it will generate enough positive stuff to cover up the rest. Some don't. I don't.

I'm all for increasing Pell Grants, giving cheap contraceptives to poor women and protecting federal wetlands. But, NONE OF THAT belongs in an economic stimulus bill that is allegedly designed specifically to create jobs.

[mark l.]

c'mon, judd gregg just wants the country to fail to make obama look bad ;)

[mark l.]

"Gregg actively lobbied for the job. You're a moron."

if lobbying for a job is the only impediment to being given a job in this admin, John Bolton should ask to be reinstated as the UN ambassador.

I know, I know it's all Judd Gregg's fault for wanting the job.

Seriously ilama, did obama look into judd gregg's soul and see someone who he could do business with?

[Lala]

Clicked on Dan's 2nd update which brought me to Greta Wire. Wow, the comments over there are very anti-Obama.

[WBestPresidentEver]

Gregg actively lobbied for the job. You're a moron.
Posted by: IslamoLlama | Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 06:25 PM
----------
"YOU" ARE A F-ing Moron !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WASHINGTON (AP) — Saying "I made a mistake," Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire abruptly withdrew as commerce secretary nominee on Thursday and left the fledgling White House suddenly coping with Barack Obama's third Cabinet withdrawal. Gregg cited "irresolvable conflicts" with Obama's policies, specifically mentioning the $790 billion economic stimulus bill and 2010 census in a statement released without warning by his Senate office.

Later, at a news conference in the Capitol, he sounded more contrite.

----->>>"The president asked me to do it," he said of the job offer. "I said, yes. That was my mistake."<<<<----------

Obama offered a somewhat different account from Gregg.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOMEONE IS LYING....I WONDER WHO ????

[IslamoLlama]

If only we could get that caps-lock key unstuck, we could get to the bottom of this conspiracy.

Given that Gregg claimed stepping down was his idea, then made a 180 degree about face and blamed the whole thing on the Obama Administration, one could argue that Gregg is - by default - lying, since both of his statements can't be true.

But I'm sure this doesn't preclude Obama from lying too. We may never learn the real truth of the situation. *sigh*