States “irresolvable conflicts”:
President Obama’s choice for Commerce Secretary, Senator Judd Gregg, withdrew his nomination on Thursday. He said there were “irresolvable conflicts” between him and the administration.
“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,” Mr. Gregg said in a statement. “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.”
Will he now vote against the stimulus bill, as he refused to vote before? And what if he votes against the stimulus compromise and is the vote that causes it to not pass? Is that even a possibility? Regardless, days of “what does this all mean” punditry from the talking heads to soon follow.
robertdsc
Yeah, choosing a guy who once voted to abolish the department he was to head didn’t work very well for me.
gypsy howell
"Irresolvable conflicts on the stimulus package" sure sounds like he intends to vote against it, doesn’t it?
Grover Norquist, Pat Toomey and the Club For Growth Gang must really be squeezing his nuts.
ethan salto
Don’t they have 61 votes?
BDeevDad
I think Rome Again calls it correctly in the previous thread.
demkat620
Seriously, how stupid can the press be? This reflects badly on Gregg. He looks like a petulant child. Didn’t he ask any of his questions before he took the offer?
donovong
Fucking asshole. According to MSNBC, he didn’t even tell the White House before he announced it!
The Populist
If he votes against it, he is a hypocrite as he did say we needed a big stimulus bill to fix the economy.
Feebog
The stimulus package will pass. Snowe, Collins and Spector are locked in. Thats 61 with all the Dems.
The Populist
Fucking asshole. According to MSNBC, he didn’t even tell the White House before he announced it!
These fucktards will do anything to hurt Obama. I hope NH voters remember this fool for abstaining from the Stimulus vote.
Fucking clown.
Just Some Fuckhead
Cool, hopefully we’re done fellating Republicans now. Gregg can’t stop the stimulus by voting against it but I seem to recall the three Republicans that supported it said they may change their minds after it comes out of conference.
The Populist
The stimulus package will pass. Snowe, Collins and Spector are locked in. Thats 61 with all the Dems.
Did anybody hear Spector go off on Laura Ingraham?
demkat620
@The Populist: He always was a clown. This just confirms it.
iluvsummr
Somehow, I think we’ll find out that the vetting process did have something to do with this. I mean, he knew the presidents position on the stimulus before initially accepting the nomination. That said I’m relieved that the guy who voted in ’95 to abolish Commerce won’t get a chance to dismantle it from within.
Captain Haddock
What will we tell Broder? Oh, the humanity!
Rome Again
@BDeevDad:
Thanks BDeevDad.
My question (I posed this on another thread, but it’s more appropriate here):
I heard on CNN this morning that Kennedy will not be coming to Washington to vote on the final Stim bill. If Kennedy does not vote, and Gregg, who recused himself previously, votes Nay, what’s the vote count standing at now?
evie
Of course he’s going to vote against it now, which will bring the nays to 38. The yehs should remain 61.
BDeevDad
@demkat620: This stupid.
MBunge
This has nothing to do with the stimulus and everything to do with the Census. If Gregg took the job and let Obama take the Census away from the Commerce Department, Gregg would have been crucified by the rest of the GOP. He’s pulling out now so he can still get a big money lobbying gig in a few years.
Mike
Rome Again
@The Populist:
Make that 60 without Kennedy (and do you/we trust Lieberman to stay on?)
The Populist
Gregg should be the sign to Obama that these fucktards are never going to work with him. If i was Obama, I’d work only with the 4-5 RINOs and tell the others to fuck off.
While I despise the idea he would have to work with the moderate GOP-ers, I see it as the ultimate middle finger to those Rush loving jerks that pretend to care about the American people.
I can’t wait for 2010. I think the right will be in for the shock of their lives. I see them losing 2-3 more seats in the Senate and a bunch more in the house.
Stuck
All the dems need is 60 votes. It doesn’t matter how many the opposition gets. Some wingnuts have said, like capn Ed that he might be able to persuade the traitorous three to change, but I doubt it.
D-Chance.
Congratulations to a real American. His statement was the classiest thing I’ve read in several weeks. THAT is what all of our politicos should strive for.
In the meantime, the Obamamerica regime continues its shadowy ways… Transparency You Can Believe In!
Heh, indeedy!
The Populist
Make that 60 without Kennedy (and do you trust Lieberman to stay on?)
Yes, I do Rome Again. The reason is clear: Holy Joe needs the votes next time and going against Obama will cause him irrepairable harm.
Fwiffo
Apprently on a conference call he also announced that he’s not running for re-election. I don’t buy that this had nothing to do with the vetting process. There are skeletons here.
John PM
The NY Times story says that this is another blow for the Obama administration. I am wondering how. It seems to me this is a blow for the Republican Party. It is now clear that there are no "moderates" in the Republican Party and that they do not intend to work in good faith with the Democrats. They seem intent on continuing the same pattern of behavior as from 2000 through 2006 when they were in charge. I now firmly believe that in 2010 the Republicans will be a party of two regions – Utah and the Southeast (minus Florida, Virginia and South Carolina).
john b
to me this looks bad for Gregg. if obama had pushed him out in some way, then it would be different. but it looks more to me like his republican leanings on the census and the stimulus made him renege.
of course the press will likely see it (and report it) differently. time will tell.
i guess bipartisanship doesn’t work when one party is willing to stop at nothing to destroy the other party.
as a north carolina resident i have to assume you are confusing us with SC. NC just elected a D senator and have a fair number of D house members (not to mention a Dem state gov. and governor.
Xecklothxayyquou Gilchrist
Will he now vote against the stimulus bill, as he refused to vote before? And what if he votes against the stimulus compromise and is the vote that causes it to not pass? Is that even a possibility?
Never mind all that! Where does he stand on the Porkulus?
Rome Again
@The Populist:
I hope you’re right. I don’t like Lieberman being the lynch pin in this whole thing.
Stuck
@D-Chance.:
Good to see you’ve been re-booted to full wingnut DChance.
Joshua Norton
The GOP Dork Squad must’ve threatened to take back his Secret Repubtard Decoder Ring if he didn’t stop hanging with the Cool Kids at the big cafeteria table!
Or…..
underage boy nanny who didn’t pay taxes on an abortion.
Rome Again
@John PM:
Explain SC, I don’t see how that works. What do you know that the rest of us don’t?
akonuche
Good riddance! This makes me sick.
President Obama, PLEASE just leave the crazies alone. Playing with rabid animals has never been good for anyone’s health. Stick with the somewhat lucid folks. I get what you are trying to accomplish, but there are far too many folks who are more interested in their cliques than with demonstrating their patriotism to the nation.
The Moar You Know
No notice to Obama? This stinks to high heaven – somebody made him a better offer, probably in the form of funding for his re-election effort. Let me guess…all the GOP talk of primarying the RINO will suddenly stop.
I wonder how long it’s going to take Obama to figure out that none of these people are operating in good faith.
EDIT: Hold the phone – no intent to run for re-election? Well, looks like my post last thread was correct; he’s been bought off and somebody vetting him found out.
Fencedude
@Rome Again:
I think he meant North Carolina.
Xecklothxayyquou Gilchrist
@John PM: I now firmly believe that in 2010 the Republicans will be a party of two regions – Utah and the Southeast (minus Florida, Virginia and South Carolina).
Sadly, whatever other states participate, Utah is pretty much certain to be in the Redoublechin Coalition (this saddens me because I live there).
The one thing that could un-Republican Utah in a big hurry is if the pubbies really come out and make it official that they’re the Southern Baptist party. Once that happens, Utah will go mostly for some dingleberry far-right third party.
akonuche
@John PM: Everything’s a blow to the Obama administration! If only there were fireworks while everything was metaphorically "blowing up" in the President’s face.
Why would anyone even be gleeful over such a thing? I don’t understand this compulsion to see Obama fail. This is very disturbing.
Brien Jackson
Broadly speaking I’d agree, but in this particular case we’re talking about the Commerce Department, which really is fairly useless.
John Cole
If he is not running for re-election, I would look to the aide/Abramoff connections. I wouldn’t be surprised if more details about that relationship roll out in a couple weeks/months.
DougJ
I hope the Post has someone confiscate Broder’s belt and sheets.
John PM
I meant North Carolina. I tried to edit but my time had expired. Apologies to all NC residents. Must learn to read before posting.
Thom
he won’t be the deciding vote. They’ve already got their 61. (Unless something strange happens…)
And what a boneheaded move. I think this is a self-induced sack for a loss of 35 yards for the Republicans. They look like complete dicks ona popular bill.
Joshua Norton
I think it’s Epic Win for Obama. This guy was going to be trouble and an untrusted 5th column weasel. Not to mention all the grief that Barry would get from his own side every time the Repug did Repug-type things.
Not to mention all that Abramhoff crapola simmering on the back burner.
Rome Again
@Brien Jackson:
unless you’re a member of the GOP who likes to stack the voting districts in your favor and were hoping to get a hold of that power structure.
Rome Again
@Thom:
re: 61 – Is that with or without Kennedy?
The Populist
Congratulations to a real American. His statement was the classiest thing I’ve read in several weeks. THAT is what all of our politicos should strive for.
How is this classy? Oh yes, only on the right would something so rude be considered classy.
In the meantime, the Obamamerica regime continues its shadowy ways… Transparency You Can Believe In!
Because a political aide to Obama doesn’t want his speech on the record, that gives you the idea that there is no transperancy? Where were you when this shit went on all the time in the Bush years? Oh and he has a point, why make it a public record when he’s not speaking officially for the Obama administration? Scalia has done this for years arguing his comments are not tied to his job as Supreme Court Justice.
Nice try rightie. So he speaks and your buddies Rush and Hannity take his words out of context? Seems to me he is doing the right thing. Come talk to me when a member of Obama’s senior staff says they won’t do a speech on the record…okay?
JL
@John Cole: BINGO
El Cid
I’m glad the douchebag is gone, but, sure, the nutbags are free to portray this as a YOOOJ DuhFEET for Obama…
Thom
Oh Lord. The NRO/s Shannen Coffin:
This good news for…
The Populist
John B,
I have tons of quotes from Gregg where he was BEGGING for a big stimulus bill. He hated the first one where the Bushies rammed through the 750 billion to give to banks.
JL
Omg, Gregg is choked up, says he like the President Obama(I love typing that) and thinks that he will be a great President but he can’t do it for whatever reasons, I’m not quite sure what.
georgia pig
Like there was any way he didn’t know what Obama’s positions were when he took the job? Either the guy’s a complete fruitcake or this is yet another bizarro Republican attempt at sabotage. Frankly, I think Obama has them and the DC press completely rattled. They simply cannot deal with how popular he is and how effortlessly he outmaneuvers them. A press conference and a few town halls and, voila, 60% approval of the stimulus. A sizeable amount of the population wants to investigate Bush crimes. Obama is not even pressing these issues and he’s still kicking their asses. The Republicans are locked in the nuthouse now, captives of their wacked-out Limbaugh/Beck base. The only ones who can afford to be sane are those with statewide personal popularity in blue/purple states, e.g., Snowe/Collins, Specter, Crist etc. The pressure on them must be intense, however.
Captain Haddock
@John Cole:
Something came out in the vetting process, either corruption as you mention or good old fashioned perversion. I say it could go either way (wink-wink)…
JL
The census was not an issue and the issue wasn’t big enough for him to discuss. IMO>>>Obama said you took money from Abramoff and resign.
The Populist
Congratulations to a real American. His statement was the classiest thing I’ve read in several weeks. THAT is what all of our politicos should strive for.
LOL, tard, he isn’t even running for re-election. Wonder why? Most likely he isn’t a classy guy and there are skeletons.
Now slither off to do whatever you trolls do all day. Oh yes, go kiss Michelle’s ugly butt.
Captain Haddock
@georgia pig:
I just don’t see that. The same with the election — the GOP implosion (mainly Sarah!) was seen as Obama being all Jedi like.
I’d like to think Obama is 3 moves ahead, but I think the GOP is simply 3 moves behind.
The Populist
The census was not an issue and the issue wasn’t big enough for him to discuss. Obama said you took money from Abramoff and resign.
Ding, ding, ding…winner.
Further proof asshats like D-Chance have zero clue. Obama is keeping the promise that he will not allow the tainted to work in his administration.
Fencedude
@Captain Haddock:
Or, or…perversion that LEAD to corruption!
Best of both worlds.
Laertes
Huge win for Obama. He gets all the credit for offering the job to a Conservative Republican and arranging for him to be replaced by another Republican. Yet he doesn’t have to pay the price of actually giving the guy the job.
Meanwhile the Republicans look like chumps. And Gregg’s vote doesn’t do them any good because his "recusal" was functionally no different from voting "no" on everything.
As for the Census, watch: They’ll nominate a Democrat at Commerce, but STILL give the census to Rahm. Now that the Republicans have framed the issue as "taking the census away from Commerce because it’s headed by a Republican," they’ve got no leg to stand on.
Point to Obama.
The Populist
I’d like to think Obama is 3 moves ahead, but I think the GOP is simply 3 moves behind.
Think a move and a half forward for Obama and 3 back for the right. I think THEY make him look a lot better than he may truly be BUT he’s smarter and more savvy than they’ll ever be.
The Populist
Who wants to bet that Hannity and Limpbaugh do whatever they can to make this out to be something bigger than it is.
Hannity: Day xxx of America’s turn to Socialism. Today we find out that Obama is not as bi-partisan as he claims. Judd Gregg steps down from consideration as Commerce Secretary. It must have something to do with Gregg seeing how socialist and totalitarian Barack Hussein really is. Gregg is a great American for helping to make sure Obama fails.
PaulW
You guys are forgetting the bigger picture here:
THERE’S A JOB OPENING!!!
Obama! Mr. President! Hire me! I promise I won’t flake out and bail on you, sir!!!
Brian J
I’ve said it before and will say it again: as long as the political climate isn’t decisively against the Democrats, I think they have a decent shot at getting to 67 should they invest the time and resources into promising campaigns. At worst, they will only be competitive in New Hampshire, Missouri, Ohio, Florida, Pennslyvania, North Carolina, and Kentucky. That’s seven, and even if you leave out, say, Kentucky, there are other races in Texas, Arizona, and Georgia, just to name a few.
The House will be more difficult, because there aren’t that many seats left that aren’t occupied by wing nuts, but assuming we hold steady with what we already have, we should be in good shape to try to take a few of them.
JL
@The Populist: If most folks listened to these guys, McCain would have won in a land slide.
Gregg said great things about Obama and one has to wonder whether it was because Obama let him have a gracious way out.
Davebo
I’m seeing blog comments about how the press refuses to report that Obama is politicizing the Census by taking over responsibility for it from Commerce.
So the guy who works for Obama and can be fired at will by Obama would conduct the Census without listening to any orders from his boss?
These people are desperate.
The Populist
Gregg said great things about Obama and one has to wonder whether it was because Obama let him have a gracious way out.
JL: Possible. Keep in mind I am just being a bit rhetorical but I do feel like there is something odd here. This isn’t some situation where Gregg couldn’t agree on things. They vetted him and found something. I think the Abramoff thing is very likely.
gypsy howell
Oh hell, someone has to say it:
This is fantastic news for John McCain.
Montysano
@The Populist:
Gee….. do ya suppose they might?
If Gregg did indeed go straight to the media without informing Obama, then this will go badly for the GOP. It’s just the kind of situation that Obama is adept at finessing. The GOP is used to beating up on hapless dolts like Harry Reid.
JL
Question.. Gregg seemed choked up to me and spent time praising Obama. Am I misreading his statement to the press?
smiley
Here’s the White House statement:
Sounds like the administration pushed him out.
The Populist
I’m seeing blog comments about how the press refuses to report that Obama is politicizing the Census by taking over responsibility for it from Commerce.
Yes, and if I am not wrong didn’t Bush do the same kinds of things? So the right lets Bush set precedents and whines when his successor decides to do what was acceptable with their guy.
Boo hoo.
Rome Again
@PaulW:
I’m not forgetting. I was just about to pose the question whether Obama tries to put another R in there (should we go through the entire right wing and watch them fall like dominos?) or will he finally hand it to someone on the left?
Will Obama have a full cabinet by the midterms? Who knows?
Brien Jackson
That would be an apportionment board matter and would go state to state.
Joshua Norton
Well, if they don’t you’ll know something is REALLY wrong and they’ve been given orders from the powers-that-be to shut up about it.
oh really
Yeah, it comes as a huge surprise that a Republican wouldn’t support some of Obama’s key economic priorities.
No one ever could have predicted anything like that happening.
Bipartisanship — looking good.
Somebody needs to explain to Obama exactly who and what the modern Republicans are. It seems like he wasn’t paying attention during his years as a US Senator.
ReuM
#36
Well, Obama’s kinda black. If he succeeds, we might have more of THEM, coming in and being pretty and competent. Or so says my rabblerouser instincts.
The Populist
Sounds like the administration pushed him out.
With all the problems Obama has had filling some of these jobs, I doubt it was minor disagreements.
This isn’t unlike the times when a CEO is hired and then let go weeks into the job because he/she couldn’t accept certain cultural things that will never change.
Rome Again
@smiley:
That sounds like the census to me.
Xecklothxayyquou Gilchrist
@Joshua Norton: Well, if they don’t you’ll know something is REALLY wrong and they’ve been given orders from the powers-that-be to shut up about it.
I thought they were the Powers that Be.
Zandar
So, instead of helping the country bridge a huge chasm created after eight years of scorched earth politics, Judd Gregg tosses in enough C-4 to wire Mount Everest to blow and presses the big shiny red button while twirling his Snidely Whiplash mustache.
You stay classy, San Diego.
Zach
To be fair, the census is one of only two moderately important responsibilities in Commerce (also, USPTO). If Gregg didn’t like how the census would be than good for him to GTFO rather than be all pouty about it in office. Having to deal with Peter Franchot’s posturing in Maryland for the last few years I can see the value of letting someone go who’s not going to be happy. Of course, Franchot like’s being a jerk and he’s elected so what can you do.
The Populist
Question.. Gregg seemed choked up to me and spent time praising Obama. Am I misreading his statement to the press?
You and me both. I haven’t seen the footage of his statement yet.
Ash Can
The fact that he announced so soon afterward that he’s not going to run for re-election says it all, IMO. His closet must be stuffed Fibber-McGee-style with bones, and somebody just opened the door and had them cascade out onto him/her. I feel nothing but good about him withdrawing.
Balconesfault
If Franken hasn’t been seated yet … and Kennedy cannot attend the vote for medical reasons … isn’t the number 59?
The Populist
This is fantastic news for John McCain.
How’s that?
Balconesfault
@smiley:
If they really did find dirt on Gregg that was likely to blow up … this was actually a pretty classy way for the Obama Administration to let him off the hook. Saying it was over policy issues allows Gregg to save face and even to score rhetorical points with the wingnuts.
Fencedude
@Balconesfault:
No, 60.
Fencedude
@Balconesfault:
No, 60.
Brien Jackson
No, because Kennedy’s still on the roster.
Speaking of which, Kennedy really should resign.
Joshua Norton
To a point. But there’s no doubt still a few Lord Voldermort wingnutz that can pull rank and/or disappear them.
These people get stupid when they start to mistake the power of their forum as their own.
former capitalist
Good riddance, Gregg. Jerk. I’m so sick of this bi-partisanship crap. Can we now just accept reality and conclude that bipartisanship with the Rushbots is impossible? Please?
Obama has offered; they’ve declined. End of story. Tell the whole lot of them to FO and move on. And add that Nebraska idiot, Nelson, to the list, too. Not a single one gets anything from this administration. If they stonewall, let the voters kick their asses out in 2010. They pulled this shit for 8 years. Did anybody really think things would change?
passerby
@Laertes:
Some are already saying that this is an embarrassment for Obama but I agree with Laertes here that Obama wins overall.
His grand gesture of offering the position to Gregg and not flinching when it was announced that an R would replace him in the senate helps illustrates the problems of post-partisanship while enabling him to select a D if he wants.
He can’t be blamed for trying though the media will allow this kind of criticism because unless outrage and oh-no-ness leads the evening news, viewership will be poor and they’ll lose money.
Obama did good.
ksmiami
Wow Gregg looks like a real asshole
Rome Again
@Brien Jackson:
What does Kennedy being on the roster have to do with anything? If he can’t vote on the final Stim package, that isn’t a point in our column. AFAIK, it’s 60 because the seat in MN didn’t vote on the previous version (please correct me if I’m wrong) and if Lieberman goes over to the other side, we’re at 59 – a possibility that I only seem to be concerned about – I don’t like the future of our economy sitting in Lieberman’s hands).
Face
I think O is finally learning that you simply cannot play with playmates who constantly try and punch you in the face at every opportunity.
I suspect O is really, really pissed. Rightly so.
Stooleo
From TPM
John Cole
The fact of the matter for me is that moving the census to direct control of Rahm Emmanuel does stink. If Bush had done this with Karl Rove, you all would be shitting a pink twinkie.
georgia pig
Enough of the handwringing about bipartisanship. Obama knew all this shit going in. This guy’s from Chicago, for chrissakes. It’s pure theater, and the Republicans don’t know the script. Same thing he did to Hillary in Iowa. Catches her napping to start, panic ensues and she starts saying and doing all sorts of stupid shit. She nearly recovers, but it’s too late. Working in concert with Harry and Nancy (the "bad cops"), he dumps an 800 billion dollar stimulus bill on the Repubs’ doorstep in the middle of a crisis, offers to be collegial, and they shit all over themselves. They weren’t prepared. He always is.
Laertes
Good lord. I didn’t notice at first that he was announcing he wouldn’t run in 2010. That’s an even bigger win.
The one bright spot here was that a seat held by a formidable incumbent would instead in 2010 be an open seat. At worst, it’d be defended by a poorly-qualified brand-new incumbent with only a year and a half on the job and a broken promise to not seek re-election.
Now we get an open seat for nothing. The more I look at this, the bigger the win gets.
Zifnab
@John Cole:
Gwah? Did you see the last round of redistricting? Karl Rove WAS in direct control of it. Come on down to Texas and take a look at our completely fucked up district map, then tell me the DeLay / Graham / Bush cabal didn’t gerrymander the ever loving fuck out of it. Hell, you can ask the same question in Florida or Pennsylvania or New York or any one of about 40-odd other states.
The census decides a large chunk of political power. It is – by its very nature – highly partisan. The best we can hope for is a massive push by the netroots and other grassroots organizations to keep a firm eye on it and sue as necessary.
But after the last thirty years, I’m not going to close my eyes, shove my thumb up my ass, and pretend the whole affair won’t be eyeballs deep in partisan hackery.
Jay B.
Basically Gregg decided not just to politely decline, but rather to blow shit up and burn the bridge behind him. Do not think this portends good things for the wider political climate.
I could give a fuck about the "wider political climate". Obama has operated with, more or less, good faith since the start. And nearly everyone agrees with this — indeed, the main criticism from the left is that he’s been TOO NICE to the GOP.
So, really, the political climate, once you get past the diehard 25% of the lunatic right, is pretty united behind Obama and the Democrats. If the GOP wants this fight, they are welcome to it.
Litlebritdifrnt
@John PM:
Scuse me but NC went Blue this year, and we have a strong dem gov, house and senate.
The Populist
John,
Rove was Bush’s advisor where Emanuel is an appointed member of the administration.
With all due respect (and I respect you immensely) I disagree. Emanuel is a scummy little twit, but he’s no different than anybody McCain would have put into that job.
Brien Jackson
I suppose it’s nitpicky, but Karl Rove and Rahm Emmanuel aren’t really analogous by position. If Obama moved oversite of it to the White House Political Office that might be a problem. Emmanuel, on the other hand, is already going to be involved in whatever the hell he wants to be involved with (in the executive branch) anyway because he’s White House Chief of Staff.
John PM
Andrew Sullivan has a collection of reactions to the Gregg withdrawal. They proceed from sane (TPM, Balloon Juice) to crazy train (Hot Air, Red State). Red State hopes that Gregg will be pissed off enough to start punching Democrats. More likely, this move will result in the Republicans punching themselve, Three Stooges style.
Brien Jackson
You seem to be confusing the census with state level re-apportionment.
Rome Again
@John Cole:
Well, excuse me sir, but, how often do you hear people talking about the unfair advantage in voting districts that Democrats enjoy?
The only problem I see with putting this under the aegis of the WH is what happens if Repubs should get a hold of it again.
And might I add that for that one reason only, I agree with you, although if a Republican should attain the presidency again in the near future (probably not), the idea of them allowing a Democrat to handle Commerce would never happen anyway.
Brien Jackson
To clear things up; the census does not, Not draw Congressional districts. That happens at the state level based on whatever process the state has in place. The census is used to allocate House seats by state, and the idea that that is going to be partisanly manipulated is rather far-fetched. For the most part everyone already knows how that’s going to shake out, and any sudden deviation from that would prompt a lot of suspicion and be found out relatively easily. Why, exactly, they want to move it to the White House I don’t know, but this is the first time since Kennedy that Democrats will have been in the White House for the bulk of the census.
Laertes
@Brien Jackson: "You seem to be confusing the census with state level re-apportionment."
Are you suggesting that state-level re-apportionment is done without reference to census data? If true, that’s news to me.
Zach
@John Cole: It’s not about putting it in the hands of Rahm Emanuel; it’s about expecting somehow who agreed to be your Commerce secretary (safe to assume that they discussed what Commerce-related policy Obama was committed to) to follow through on the few policies you’ve laid out in your campaign that fall under the purview of Commerce.
Using statistical modeling to complete the census is a no-brainer. It costs nothing (you’d model to see how successful you were anyway) and is more accurate in combination with head counts. The only good argument against it is that it’s a slippery slope towards not even trying to gather complete data.
It’s not like they’d get all of the numbers in, run a bunch of different models, and pick the one that apportions best for Dems. It’s not backroom gerrymandering with Rahm.
JL
Gregg announced that he is not running for re-election in 2010. Do you want to finish off your career with a repub party that is in toilet or as Secy of Commerce under a President that you admire and think could become a great President. (morals my ass)
Napoleon
@Brien Jackson:
To the extent there are arguments over the census, it really has nothing to do over reapportionment, but more to do with funding of certain programs which are premised on populations of city and states. That is why you see cities fighting every time that they are being under counted.
Napoleon
@Laertes:
Of course it does, but because it would take a swing of huge numbers to actually swing a seat from one state to another, as a practical matter there really isn’t an opportunity for hanky panky.
JL
@John Cole: For a very bright person, that was a stupid comment. Dems want more folks counted and Repubs want less. It has always been this way, so don’t blame Rahm.
Litlebritdifrnt
@Litlebritdifrnt:
Never mind you already said it was a typo.
Calouste
Considering the theory derived from Gregg’s announcement that he is not seeking reelection, namely that he has a few skeletons in his closet, it makes me wonder if Obama/Emanuel had a strong indication of that beforehand, decided to set a trap for Gregg with the cabinet position as the bait and give him the opportunity to provide the incriminating evidence himself as part of the vetting process.
Now that Gregg has bailed, the only thing Rahm has to do is make the incriminating stuff public by leaking it to a curious reporter, wait for Gregg to resign his Senate seat, and the NH governor to appoint a Democrat in his place and, voila, 60 Democrats in the Senate.
That would be a political triple play.
JL
@JL: Sorry, No Comments are stupid.
Tsulagi
Didn’t sound good to me when I first heard it, but now don’t think it really matters much who the Census Bureau first hands the report to. I kinda doubt even good ole Karl would have changed the data.
The real fight and game playing takes place in the states through redistricting. See Texas.
Anyway, whether Census Bureau would have reported to Gregg if confirmed or to Emanuel, the message from Greater Winguttia will be the same in 2010: Obama through his ACORN activists is stacking the census!! Or whatever.
No one, no action will keep them from an opportunity to bask in victimhood.
Laertes
@Napoleon:
That’s true if and only if the only bit of census data that informs state redistricting is the raw count in a state. While each state has their own procedures for drawing up their districts, the census data informs that process at a much lower level than simply providing the number of seats to be divvied up.
Gerrymander as they will, they still have to ensure that each district holds a (very) roughly equal number of people. People who get undercounted get underrepresented, and that’s the ball game.
mannemalon
@John Cole:
This is an implausible scenario. There was zero chance that Bush/Cheney/Rove would appoint a liberal Democrat to the Commerce position. None. Does not compute.
Zifnab
@Brien Jackson: No. The census decides which states receive which allocation of the 435 (436 if the DC bill passes) Congressional Reps. Coming up with a "light" count in blue states and a "heavy" count in red states gives increased congressional power to the Republicans. There is immense political power in deciding how many Congressmen a state gets.
Rome Again
@Zifnab:
Correct!
Conservatively Liberal
I will start by saying that it could be one of a number of issues that cropped up for whatever reason, but I think that something fell out of the closet and Gregg was allowed to bow out. It makes little sense otherwise, IMO.
Regardless, I think that this is a plus for President Obama. In the general news sense, for most people it will come across as once again President Obama reaches out and the Republicans turn their backs on him. The news will resonate with most of the people because of the crap that the right is constantly throwing at President Obama.
Regarding the census, while I find the move unusual, at this time I am going to watch and see how it pans out. I am somewhat with John that this smells but at the same time President Obama has not given me any reason to worry about his decisions, so my preference right now is to pay attention to what happens.
Some things are going to be different under each president and that is just the way things happen. President Obama said his administration is going to be an open one, until I see otherwise I really have no complaints. As much as I didn’t care for Chimpy, I didn’t start bitching about his actions (or lack of) until immediately after 9-11.
Preemptive bitching can be like preemptive war, it is easy to make mistakes.
B.Fl
This is just another case of the GOP stomping their feet ! Growthe fuck up , and lets get on with fixing this country
AnneLaurie
New Hampshire is in desperate need of whatever extra money it can get. The ‘Live Free or Die Trying’ coalition of paleofiscals and professional Libertarians have wound the state’s financial situation into a knot bigger than Rush Limbaugh’s ego and almost as imperverious to outside interference. Meanwhile, the people who’ve moved into the state over the last 15 years looking for cheaper housing and no state income tax are finding out that tapping into neighboring Taxachusetts’ money cable only works until the Massholes get that cable cut off for nonpayment. The Hampster voting population is now divided between people who honestly don’t care whether the people down the unplowed dirt road are going to freeze to death before starving, and ‘low information’ voters who’ve been running their SUVs and McMansions on their credit cards. I’d be just as happy watching the whole state implode, if only I didn’t live so close to the border (and the Seabrook nuclear plant).
Fvck that noise, and the same to the Goo-goos who mouth it. If Teddy wants to be the second Senator from Massachusetts who actually drops dead on the floor during a vote, he’s earned it. As long as he can show up for the votes where he’s really needed, LIKE HE JUST DID, his continued tenure just forestalls the inevitable three-ring-circus of nitwittery that will explode in our beleagured state when it’s time to choose his replacement.
jcricket
All of this stuff will play out like the debates. The "insta reaction" from pundits/press was that they were a draw, or that McCain/Palin scored a bunch of points. The public thought radically different, and it only got better for Obama in subsequent debates.
The same thing is happening here. The press is all "conflict is sinking Obama. Bipartisanship is dead" and the public is going to say, "Obama tried, but the Republicans acted like babies and wanted to stick to their old playbook. I’m going with the new guy". At least for Democrats and "Independents" this is true. And who cares if the 30% lock in their choice with the crazies in the Republican party?
If Republicans try and "take their ball and go home" or stand on the sidelines, they better be prepared to lose vast swaths of voters (nervous seniors, new workers, middle-class mid-career folks, etc).
Xel
I think that republicans are forgetting just how powerful they were after the 9/11 events – they could do and ask for anything from the public and they would get it, because the public was so freaked out that they would go along with anything at all. The democrats were simply to spooked, too horrified by 9/11 themselves and too democrat to do anything but tag along as well.
Well, republicans seem to think stalling and posturing now will make them seem tough and firm. It only compounds the selfishness and emptiness of their current state right when the public wants honest and committed attempts to find a solution. Palin fired up the base too y’know. Obama simply has the longer perspective (but we should never stop considering that he might have outfoxed himself).
connecticut man1
When Gregg took the job he said that he would have supported the stimulus package. Will he tuck tail and run from that position too?