Judd Gregg --good enough to be Commerce Secretary, but not good enough to handle the Census???

[KoKo]

:wtf:

White House to Bypass Commerce on Census
By Jonathan Allen, CQ Staff

The director of the Census Bureau will report directly to the White House and not the secretary of Commerce, according to a senior White House official.

The decision came after black and Hispanic leaders raised questions about Commerce Secretary nominee Judd Gregg ’s commitment to funding the census.

Gregg, New Hampshire’s senior senator, voted in committee and on the floor for a 1995 Republican budget that envisioned the elimination of the Commerce Department. Of even more concern to black and Hispanic leaders, Gregg battled President Clinton over a request for “emergency” funding for the 2000 census.

“Secretary of Commerce-designate Judd Gregg ’s record raises serious questions about his willingness to ensure that the 2010 census produces the most accurate possible count of the nation’’s population,”” the National Association of Latino Elected Officials said in a release on Tuesday, the day Gregg was named to the post. “”Policymakers and planners at all levels of government rely on these data to make important decisions about their services, such as the number of teachers that will be needed in their classrooms, the best places to build new roads, or the best way to provide job training.”

The selection of the Republican Gregg for Commerce — a plum often given out to a big fundraiser or personal friend in the president’s own party — left many Democrats scratching their heads and others fearful that Gregg might not defend favored agencies and programs with the department.

“Sen. Gregg’s record of previously voting to abolish the Commerce Department and his attempts to block President Bill Clinton’s efforts to secure adequate funding for the 2000 census raise troubling concerns regarding his commitment to the department’s core missions,” Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Barbara Lee said on Tuesday.
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docid=news-000003024858

[kentuck]

1. Judd will sabotage Obama's ideas...

Before it is over. Guaranteed.

[terisan]

2. Still can't figure this appointment except he was very instrumental in getting bailout passed. nt

[Deja Q]

3. Neither can I

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9127276&intsrc=hm_list

[Blue_In_AK]

4. Gregg is such a bad pick.

He favors drilling in ANWR, as well. I would expect that from Alaska's congressional delegation, but not from someone who isn't trying to pump up jobs for Alaskans.

[KoKo]

6. Terrible Pick....We have to get our Dems in Senate to VOTE HIM DOWN!

because he also as "Camber of Commerce Secretary" a big voice in who our next Supreme Court Judge will be.

Chamber of Commerce is a very important Position and that's why Repugs wanted to get RID OF IT!

[jacksonian]

5. and don't figure on getting his Senate seat in 2010

my prediction the Rethug candidate for the seat will be...Judd Gregg, newly resigned from his Commerce positon and claiming bonafide bi-patisanship credentials.

[rcsl1998]

7. Has There Been An Explanation re: Why Judd Gregg?

I haven't heard any - not even a BAD explanation (I can't think of ANY good ones...)

[KoKo]

8. I haven't found one although a lot of DU'ers thought initially it was a clever pick that

Dem NH Governor would pick a Dem to replace him in the Senate giving us 60 without Franken whose still fighting ...and yet Gregg made sure in an "agreement with Harry Reid" that a Repug would be appointed in his place.

I've tried to find out why Obama would have done this given that immediately Gregg said a Repug would replace him. So far...nothing.

[KamaAina]

9. I hereby formally apologize to Ray "Boyz N" LaHood

Obama's repuke choice for transportation secretary. At the time, I savaged LaHood for his 25% ADA (Americans for Democratic Action) rating:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4672095&mesg_id=4672095

Turns out Gregg's is 10%. That's below the repuke party average of 16%. :puke: