Two things jump out at me here. The first is obviously that if the Governor of NH is as reported, one of those slavish Democrats who love to debase themselves in front of the cheering media punditry and in front of laughing, scornful Republicans (NO republican governor would ever consider such a thing as what follows, e-ver) who will reward them with the slavish Democratic "moderate"'s favorite gift, a golden shower, by going "bipartisan" in his pick to replace the Senate seat of Gregg (as we all know bipartisan means, do what republicans tell you to do) and appointing a republican, then this move by Obama becomes even more incomprehensible.
The second thing is this: "A main factor in whether Mr. Gregg accepts the commerce job, these officials say, is a commitment from Mr. Lynch that he strongly consider a Republican or an independent for the Senate vacancy."
What was Blago impeached for again? And if Obama was on the phone with this guy getting "a commitment that he will stronly consider a Democrat" before picking Gregg, Republicans would be saying what?
February 1, 2009
Republican Senator Is Top Choice to Run Commerce Dept.
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
WASHINGTON — Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire, is the top contender to be President Obama’s nominee for commerce secretary, the White House said Saturday, a move that could strengthen Democrats’ control of Congress.
Mr. Gregg’s name has been circulated for several days as Mr. Obama tries to replace his previous nominee for commerce secretary, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, who withdrew amid revelations that a grand jury is investigating how he awarded state government contracts. Mr. Gregg himself said Friday that he was under consideration.
If the senator accepts and is confirmed, he will be the third Republican appointee in the Obama cabinet. The others are Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who also held the post under President George W. Bush, and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a former congressman from Illinois.
A senior Obama administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because a formal announcement had not been made, said that Mr. Gregg was “now the leading candidate” for the commerce post and that a selection “could come as early as Monday.”
The selection of Mr. Gregg, who is in his third term as a senator, could open the door to a significant shift in the Congressional balance of power.
At present, the Democrats’ Senate majority is 58, which includes two independents; that number will rise to 59 if Al Franken is seated after the legal challenge to the results of the Minnesota Senate race is completed.
If Gov. John Lynch of New Hampshire, a Democrat, replaced Mr. Gregg with a member of his own party, that would put the Democratic majority at 60 — a magic number in the Senate because it is how many votes are needed to control the legislative agenda and to block a filibuster.
But there are no guarantees that Mr. Lynch would pick a Democrat: New Hampshire prizes its political independence, and the governor is a moderate. Some analysts say he could turn to a well-regarded Republican — former Senator Warren Rudman has been mentioned — to serve as a kind of caretaker to fill out the remainder of Mr. Gregg’s term, which expires at the end of 2010.
Mr. Lynch and Mr. Gregg talked about the situation throughout the week, Democratic and Republican officials in New Hampshire say, and the governor has said he is open to appointing a Republican to the seat. A main factor in whether Mr. Gregg accepts the commerce job, these officials say, is a commitment from Mr. Lynch that he strongly consider a Republican or an independent for the Senate vacancy.
Mr. Gregg was not particularly close to Mr. Obama when they served together as senators but did have a close relationship with Mr. Bush. The friendship stretches back two decades to when Mr. Gregg’s father, Hugh Gregg, who was a New Hampshire governor in the 1950s, worked to help elect Mr. Bush’s father, the first President George Bush.
But Mr. Gregg has lately been saying nice things about Mr. Obama. Last week, the senator was quoted as calling the president a “tour de force.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/us/politics/01gregg.html?hp=&pagewanted=print
The second thing is this: "A main factor in whether Mr. Gregg accepts the commerce job, these officials say, is a commitment from Mr. Lynch that he strongly consider a Republican or an independent for the Senate vacancy."
What was Blago impeached for again? And if Obama was on the phone with this guy getting "a commitment that he will stronly consider a Democrat" before picking Gregg, Republicans would be saying what?
February 1, 2009
Republican Senator Is Top Choice to Run Commerce Dept.
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
WASHINGTON — Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire, is the top contender to be President Obama’s nominee for commerce secretary, the White House said Saturday, a move that could strengthen Democrats’ control of Congress.
Mr. Gregg’s name has been circulated for several days as Mr. Obama tries to replace his previous nominee for commerce secretary, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, who withdrew amid revelations that a grand jury is investigating how he awarded state government contracts. Mr. Gregg himself said Friday that he was under consideration.
If the senator accepts and is confirmed, he will be the third Republican appointee in the Obama cabinet. The others are Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who also held the post under President George W. Bush, and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a former congressman from Illinois.
A senior Obama administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because a formal announcement had not been made, said that Mr. Gregg was “now the leading candidate” for the commerce post and that a selection “could come as early as Monday.”
The selection of Mr. Gregg, who is in his third term as a senator, could open the door to a significant shift in the Congressional balance of power.
At present, the Democrats’ Senate majority is 58, which includes two independents; that number will rise to 59 if Al Franken is seated after the legal challenge to the results of the Minnesota Senate race is completed.
If Gov. John Lynch of New Hampshire, a Democrat, replaced Mr. Gregg with a member of his own party, that would put the Democratic majority at 60 — a magic number in the Senate because it is how many votes are needed to control the legislative agenda and to block a filibuster.
But there are no guarantees that Mr. Lynch would pick a Democrat: New Hampshire prizes its political independence, and the governor is a moderate. Some analysts say he could turn to a well-regarded Republican — former Senator Warren Rudman has been mentioned — to serve as a kind of caretaker to fill out the remainder of Mr. Gregg’s term, which expires at the end of 2010.
Mr. Lynch and Mr. Gregg talked about the situation throughout the week, Democratic and Republican officials in New Hampshire say, and the governor has said he is open to appointing a Republican to the seat. A main factor in whether Mr. Gregg accepts the commerce job, these officials say, is a commitment from Mr. Lynch that he strongly consider a Republican or an independent for the Senate vacancy.
Mr. Gregg was not particularly close to Mr. Obama when they served together as senators but did have a close relationship with Mr. Bush. The friendship stretches back two decades to when Mr. Gregg’s father, Hugh Gregg, who was a New Hampshire governor in the 1950s, worked to help elect Mr. Bush’s father, the first President George Bush.
But Mr. Gregg has lately been saying nice things about Mr. Obama. Last week, the senator was quoted as calling the president a “tour de force.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/us/politics/01gregg.html?hp=&pagewanted=print
