Judd Gregg says a Republican will replace him if he Joins Obama Administration!

[KoKo]

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-gregg-daschle2-2009feb02,0,5516448.story?track=rss
From the Los Angeles Times


Sen. Judd Gregg reassures GOP on possible Commerce post
February 2, 2009 By Christi Parsons

He says a Republican will replace him if he joins the Obama administration. A Senate panel prepares to question Health and Human Services nominee Tom Daschle about his taxes.

Reporting from Washington — Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, who has emerged as the front-runner for Commerce secretary, assured fellow Republicans that he would not take the job unless he was certain his replacement would line up with the GOP caucus, the Senate's Republican leader said Sunday.

President Obama is expected to announce Gregg's nomination as early as today.

When Obama's interest in Gregg became known Thursday, it created some Republican angst because Democrats are tantalizingly close to a filibuster-proof majority. They hold 56 seats, and the Senate's two independents caucus with them. Democrat Al Franken holds a slim lead in Minnesota's disputed election, and if it stands, he would become the 59th Democratic vote. Under Senate rules, 60 votes are required to limit debate and hold off a filibuster.

New Hampshire's governor, a Democrat, holds the power to appoint a replacement for Gregg.

But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he wasn't worried.

"Whoever is appointed to replace him will caucus with Senate Republicans," McConnell said on CBS' "Face the Nation."

"Sen. Gregg has told me that if he were to take this appointment, it would not alter the makeup of the Senate in terms of the majority and the minority," he said.

New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch has not said anything publicly about who he is considering as Gregg's potential replacement. His spokesman declined to discuss it Sunday.

But the state probably stands to benefit if the veteran lawmaker joins Obama's administration. And Senate Democrats like their chances of upending a Republican or an independent appointee next year better than those of beating Gregg. That holds true even though the state has been trending Democratic.

[bunnies]

1. If Lynch appoints a repub, he'll never get my vote again. EVER.

:nuke:

[notesdev]

2. what he says

and what will actually happen, maybe two separate things.

Gregg is not empowered to make the appointment, he can't make that commitment for someone else.

[ThomWV]

3. Find someone else for Commerce - there have to be hundreds of qualified people

[northernlights]

4. well, he could pick a real loser of a rethug

someone the moderates and New Englanders consider a total embarrassment. With lots of skeletons tuicked in the closet, that seem to emerge periodically and cause much cringing...just in time for the elections in '10. :evilgrin:

[Bonhomme Richard]

5. The funny thing is that the repug leadership wouldn't...

even notice. They would think they have won a major coup.

[RiverStone]

6. If this is true, there is not one damn reason good enough for Obama to appoint a rethug!

It's too bad Bill Richardson withdrew.

On balance I'm thrilled with Prez Obama, but bipartisan does not mean giving the rethugs control, it simply means they have a seat at OUR HOUSE.

Appointing Gregg makes absolutely no sense.

[marshall]

7. He wants the moniker of a bipartisan cabinet

He's got to get somebody from the other side. This guy's as good as any other.