Gregg declines to cast any votes in Senate

[Turborama]

Source: Boston Globe

By Michael Kranish | February 7, 2009

WASHINGTON - Senator Judd Gregg, the New Hampshire Republican nominated to be commerce secretary, once was seen as a key ally in President Obama's effort to win bipartisan support for his economic stimulus bill. But Gregg's spokeswoman said yesterday that the senator would recuse himself from voting on the bill, and would not even participate in debate on it. In fact, the spokeswoman said, Gregg will not vote on any legislation or other matter before the Senate, in committee or on the floor.

In recusing himself, Gregg deprived Obama of a potential key vote in support of the package, as well the influence Gregg might have had in persuading other Republicans to follow his lead. Gregg's spokeswoman, Laena Fallon, would not speak about the senator's decision other than to say, "He thinks this is the most appropriate thing to do right now." A White House spokesman declined comment, deferring to Gregg's office.

When Obama introduced the senator as his Commerce Department secretary nominee on Tuesday, the president underscored the importance of passing the stimulus plan in a bipartisan fashion. Gregg then left the impression that he supported Obama's policy, although he did not explicitly endorse the Democratic stimulus proposal before the Senate.

"You've outlined an extraordinarily bold and aggressive, effective and comprehensive plan for how we can get this country moving," Gregg said to Obama at the nomination ceremony. "This is not a time for partisanship. This is not a time when we should stand in our ideological corners and shout at each other. This is a time to govern and govern well."

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/02/07/gregg_declines_to_cast_any_votes_in_senate/

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Is it me, or does it look like there is some kind of plot being put into action?

[BrklynLiberal]

1. I do not understand. Was this man truly the best person for this job?

Why Gregg? It seems to me that there is no upside to this nomination.

[global1]

4. And He Cuts A Deal To Have His Senate Seat Replaced By A Repug.......

even though his state has a Dem Governor.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. Right..as I said, There does not seem to be any up side to this appointment.

[silverojo]

8. There is no upside - nt

[davidinalameda]

14. from my understanding

she's pretty much a RINO anyway

she supported the current governor in his last election

she's not Trent Lott in drag if that's what you're worried about

[bvar22]

29. NO.

However, this was the best way to ensure that The Democrats will NOT have a 60 seat majority.
There would be HELL to pay if they lost THAT excuse.
The People would demand accountability.

Please forget that the Republicans NEVER needed a 60 vote majority.

[Enrique]

30. this story shows the upside

if Obama hadn't nominated him, Gregg certainly would have voted against the bill. I'm surprised this story casts his voting with the dems as a serious possibility.

[No Elephants]

2. [sings] I get by with a little help from my friends. Oh, wait, I forgot. Pubs are not friends.

[aquart]

3. Worthless git.

[The Second Stone]

6. If he won't vote for cloture Obama needs to fire him

as soon as he gets confirmed and sworn. Wishful thinking. What a jerk.

[Demeter]

7. That Is Gregg's Only Virtue: He Is a Jerk By Birth and Breeding

Why anyone would want him in the Cabinet defies logic. Unless the goal was to get him out of the Senate...

[Optical.Catalyst]

9. Judd Gregg demonstrates the typical gutless behavior of Republicans

When put to the the test, Republicans will seek out and display the most gutless pattern of decision making known to mankind.

Given the choice, a Republican will do nothing and let others make the hard decisions for them.

[mentalslavery]

10. Obama and Gregg have an understanding Im sure

he had the votes to pass and is waiting for gregg to assert influence on a follow up issue. We got universal health and so many other plans to waste a bite of poli capital. Additionally, this might not be the only stimulus package.

Wonder if Gregg is supposed to be rooting out the trolls bush planted. Hope he has a plan for that. I'm sure the bush loyalists are supposed to obstruct any significant changes Obama might make to the defense department. We gotta do something about the D-budget. Talk about wasteful spending.

[whistle]

11. Republicans are continuing to play obstructionist politics and will keep

...doing this for the next two years. So, Obama needs to back off bipartisan compromises and push for a complete democratic agenda, do what is right for the people and give republicans nothing

[SpiralHawk]

12. Da Juddhead - it's a Granite State of Mind

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

19. Hahahahaaaaaaa!!!

That's a good one!

[depakid]

13. About all you can do is laugh at the naivety

Made a deal with Republicans and got the shaft again?

:rofl:

[natrat]

15. sadly there is something beyond evil that we just cant see here, sucks

[Joe Chi Minh]

28. This rump of the Republican party are only acting according to their nature.

A dog barks, A fish swins. They seem to be the physical prototype before the divine spirit was injected into mankind. I'm not sure Obama has grasped that yet.

Presumably, he was basically able to succeed in local politics by a shrewd policy of slow, political seduction of powerful primitives. But it doesn't look like it will work at the national level. They've had their own way completely for so long, they've become kind of wedded to it.

At least, when he pushes his policies through, they won't be able to accuse him of being partisan in anything like they'd been.

[Shipwack]

16. I actually don't see the problem...

If he voted against the package, he'd look backstabbing and ungrateful. If he voted for it, it would appear that his vote was for sale.

Sure, I'd like him to vote 100% Obama on everything. I'd also like a pony. Remember, he's a -Republican-. He wasn't chosen because of loyalty to Democratic positions or plans. We've just had eight years of of people gaining positions because of that, and look how well that worked out for the country (and Iraq, for that matter).

As for upside to his appointment, while I don't know what is going through President Obama's mind, a while back I decided that he is far better at playing politics than I am. There are probably reasons that I don' know about. Then again, even if I knew about them, I might not like them. After all, he is not a progressive, nor did he campaign as one. From what I do understand, though, Gregg's replacement is not as far right as Gregg is. So Obama has gone from having a senator that would vote against him most of the time, to one that will be an ally on some issues.

[AlinPA]

17. re;"So Obama has gone from having a senator that would vote against him most of the time,

to one that will be an ally on some issues." Yes, that seat has changed to less right wing, but I doubt Gregg will be an ally on anything. I still can't figure out why Gregg agreed to the job unless he sees it as a way to weaken the department somehow.

[Shipwack]

18. Reasons to take the job?

If one wanted to be charitable, you can say that he honestly feels he can do a good job (whether his definition of that is the same as ours remains to be seen).

If one wanted to be practical, you could say that he sees the writing on the wall for 2010, and he'd rather jump out than be voted out.

If one wanted to be less charitable, he's taking it for the ego stroke.

Of course, to steal a phrase from Jerry Pournelle, these reasons are neither exhaustive or mutually exclusive.

[AlinPA]

21. I can't argue with that!

[rucognizant]

20. ME too!

"a while back I decided that he is far better at playing politics than I am. There are probably reasons that I don' know about."
Where I happily called and played the stern Old Aunt all the time during the 8 bush years , I am holding back now; it might be like sneezing during a checkmate!

[McCamy Taylor]

22. Gregg is afraid to vote against it but is also afraid to look spineless in New Hampshire.

This seemingly wimpy non-vote is actually win-win for him. Obama will expect pay back once Gregg is in his cabinet. Could well be a career saving move for Gregg in a New England state that is not going to like the coming Second Great Depression. Expect his replacement to be a very different type of Republican, more along the lines of Olympia Snowe. She will be able to get away with it with the old "think about the women and children" line.

That is my political read on it from way down here in Texas. Course, those New Englanders are a different breed, and if someone who knows them better has a different take, I would be happy to listen. But the women up there take over when times get tough has been my impression.And the voters are willing to switch parties to show their displeasure since there is no "racial purity" call to keep them attached to one party.

[CONN]

23. Drop the nomination....

he doesn't support economic plans... get someone who does

[Orangepeel]

24. Obama did not get tricked into this appointment

I don't understand Obama's reason(s) for appointing Gregg, and it certainly possible I wouldn't like them if I did understand. But there have to be reasons. That Gregg screwed Obama over by refusing to vote is the least likely explanation.

[Indepatriot]

25. Patience Grasshoppers

Almost every time we've second-guessed The Big O and his crew they've been 3 steps ahead of us. These folks are playing CHESS, NOT CHECKERS! They know exactly what they're doing,so take a deep breath and chill. Give Our President some time ( it's only been 3 weeks since he got the keys to the joint, for chrissakes! ) They're all about the ENDGAME! people, so watch how the real Masters play the game of politics. This is gonna be great.........!

[Hydra]

27. Yeah, cuz the moves have been PERFECT so far, right?

Daschle ring a bell with you? Missile defense shield and Iran Oogabooga today?

Still, I opted to give Obama 2 years, but I refuse to listen to people like you talking about how brilliant these chess moves are.

[rosesaylavee]

26. Let's pass on Gregg and get someone as CS who can do the job.

Spineless.