Feb 12th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Judd Gregg Fail
It seems like the whole idea of appointing a Commerce Secretary who doesn’t support the President’s agenda didn’t work out so well.
A majority of the American public voted for Barack Obama and an even larger majority approves of the job he’s doing as President. That creates a pool of well over 100 million Americans from whose ranks Obama could reasonably appoint a Secretary of Commerce.
68 Responses to “Judd Gregg Fail”
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February 12th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Why is he failing so badly at this particular appointment then?
February 12th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Because he wanted to make a gesture towards bipartisan comity.
And this is what he gets for his trouble.
Strike two, wingnuts. You had your chance to be statesmen, and you decided to be snarling dogs instead.
OK. Fine. Just remember, as you get your ass kicked all over the country for the next two years; YOU chose this.
February 12th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Yeah but how many of them are conservative Republican Senators who have a good chance of re-election from a blue state ?
My view is that Paris is worth a mass and a Senate seat is worth commerce *with* the census included.
February 12th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Obama is coming across as naive but I don’t think the political wounds will be mortal. Obama is very smart. He will learn how not to leave himself open to crap like this. Will the republicans learn what they need to? They don’t show signs of it. They really are a despicable lot for the most part. So craven and corrupt. Really awful.
February 12th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
I don’t think anybody really cares.
February 12th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Obama is sure coming across as naive.
February 12th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
If Barack Obama chooses to go medieval on the Republicans’ ass – if he follows the kind of “rip the country in half because our half is bigger” wedge strategy the Republicans indulged in throughout 2002-2004 – the battle over the stimulus and now this episode with Gregg gives him the ideal cover for it. He tried to reach out, and they ginned up their
I doubt he will, though. That’s just now how he rolls.
February 12th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Does this mean Matt will resume his series of posts on past Secretaries of Commerce? I do miss those.
February 12th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
that paragraph is supposed end with “usual partisan b.s.”
and “not how he rolls.”
February 12th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
You obviously don’t understand the rope-a-dope strategy.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Beyond that, is anybody really using this as evidence of how Obama’s presidency is a failure? This is ridiculous.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Oh well. At this rate, eventually we will all get our chance as the Secretary of Commerce nominee, so we have that to look forward to.
In the future, everyone will be Secretary of Commerce for fifteen minutes.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
I wonder how long it is going to take the president to fully understand that republican politicians cannot act in good faith. The next nomination will be quite telling.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Everybody check your taxes.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
This is a good thing. We know now that Gregg wasn’t Obama’s secret weapon to dismantle Commerce, get credit, and not lose any essential services. Since that doesn’t appear to be what the purpose was, this becomes a pure “bipartisan” pick. Nothing there to help the agenda (which shows Obama’s opinion of Commerce…). But now he got bipartisan credit and he can pick whoever he wants now without much pushback. The public, as polls have shown, thinks Obama is the statesman, here. They’re only taking a superfical look at all of this. Mark this one up for Obama: another olive branch rejected.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Which Democrat from a blue state or district, who we don’t like, would do a great job at running the census?
Diane Feinstein?
John Dingle?
Lieberman! Think Lieberman would take it?
February 12th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
DTM,
Agree completely: this was a total flub. Potential for unintentional upside, though.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
“You obviously don’t understand the rope-a-dope strategy.”
Round 1: I nominate a corrupt non-white supporter to a Cabinet Seat nobody cares about, in order to appear pro-diversity and repay a favor without actually giving the guy any power.
Round 2: I nominate a Republican Senator from a blue state to a Cabinet Seat nobody cares about, in order to appear pro-bipartisanship and open up his seat for the 2010 elections without actually giving the guy any power.
Round 3: I nominate Paul Krugman to a Cabinet Seat nobody cares about, in order to get him out of my hair and possibly nationalize a few banks while nobody is looking.
Hmm…
February 12th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
“I wonder how long it is going to take the president to fully understand that republican politicians cannot act in good faith.”
Let’s not forget the first Commerce nominee, Bill Richardson; Obama’s aides said he misled them about a federal investigation into his alleged pay-to-play activities.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Weird.
First, the Sec of Commerce position wasn’t worth a pitcher of warm spit, now it’s vitally important that a Democrat is appointed to it.
While seeming to ignore that there are already two* republicans in the cabinet, one (transportation) in a department near and dear to MattY’s heart, the other (Defense) being just about the most powerful cabinet position there is. And the other two of the big 4 are his intramural poltical rival and a charter member of the Bush adminstration ‘plunge protection team’. Arguably the only ‘politically reliable’ member of the inner 4 is the AG.
Weird.
*yes officially gates is an ‘independent’ but even he has admitted he’s not fooling anyone with that.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
There you go, DiFi for SecCommerce. Plenty of graft possiblities (I can’t figure out if she’s into that or stupid), nothing else on the planet will dynamite her out of that seat electorally.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Matt, after demonstrating that the Commerce Secretary is a position of the utmost unimportance, and doing so in a funny fashion, why should we care who gets the post?
I’m a Democrat. I’m already obscure. I’m perfect for this gig!
February 12th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Only if they’ve paid their taxes.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Did Gregg later recusing himself from the stimulus vote bother you and your ilk?
February 12th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Rod Blagojevich has some free time on his hands. But he might already be getting vetted for his original choice of HHS.
Other possibilities:
Bill Ayers. Jeremiah Wright. Maude Hurd. Noam Chomsky. Caroline Kennedy. Rick Warren. Tammy Duckworth. Bill Clinton. Or maybe we could do televised auditions where folks present their qualifications until we find someone who’s not corrupt or completely lacking in self-awareness? The cabinet selection process is starting to resemble The Gong Show already, we might as well go the whole distance.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
If I may offer a friendly suggestion to President Obama:
1) Move Geithner to Commerce where he can do no more damage.
2) Abjectly beg Paul Volcker to take Treasury.
3) Let Larry Summers crunch the numbers for him but absolutely ban him from speaking to the media.
4) Stop talking about the economy. Start talking about the quagmire in Afghanistan to get everyone’s mind off the economy while Volcker handles the wet work.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Yes, Obama does look naive.
And the Putins of this world, who are observing him in action, are going to conclude that he is a patsy.
February 12th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Hmmm, maybe you shouldn’t appoint people who vote to abolish the department of commerce to run the department of commerce. That’s not the Muhammad Ali rope-a-dope strategy, it’s the Rocky III let the guy punch you in the face over and over in the hope he gets tired strategy.
February 12th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Weird.
First, the Sec of Commerce position wasn’t worth a pitcher of warm spit, now it’s vitally important that a Democrat is appointed to it.
I know, right? Having Gregg would have been another concrete example of Obama’s bipartisanship and would give the Democrats another Senate seat. Gregg resigning is just another example of the Republicans obstructionism, and can be pointed to as such.
Obama should nominate the Swedish model:
http://cache.deadspin.com/assets/resources/2006/12/elinnordegren.jpg
February 12th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
I second Peter K’s selection for this important post.
Put of picture of that on the census form, and the return rate would skyrocket.
February 12th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Front Page, Washington Post:
Gregg’s Second Thoughts
Topic A: Karl Rove, Linda Chavez and other Washington insiders assess the implications.
Fair and balanced!
February 12th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Put a picture of her (not that, thank you) on the census form and you won’t get a single one back.
February 12th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Ah, Ms Nordengren is indeed a fair choice. She certainly knows a thing or two about stimulus. But I thought we were supposed to be ‘buying American’ now? Or does her selection help us to become more like Europe?
February 12th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
I agree with Andrew. I don’t see why this is bad. Nobody is going to care about this in a few months, let alone in 2010 or 2012. The only permanent result is that Gregg will not run for re-election (or will be weakened if he does run), so we get another senator.
February 12th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Put of picture of that on the census form, and the return rate would skyrocket.
Maybe, but it require that the census returns dept. go full hazmat.
February 12th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Oh, Al. Moving jurisdiction of the Census? Hell, there hasn’t been anything as totalitarian as this since USPTO was moved from Interior to Commerce.
It’s just heart-rending to see this happen to our once-great nation. Next, Cabinet members will be Nazi-forced into implementing the Administration’s policies instead of going rogue and doing theirs all alone.
February 12th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
dunkin kindler – because the Putins of the world didn’t already conclude George W. Bush was a patsy.
Brilliant analysis. Controversy over the least important Cabinet pick is going to make Putin go all Sudetenland on Obama’s ass.
February 12th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
On the final version of the ’stimulus’ bill:
February 12th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Doesn’t she already have a pretty good gig already as Mrs Tiger Woods? Or am I getting my drop dead gorgeous swedes named Elin mixed up? They do have surplus
February 12th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
This is great news.
How Obama thought this was a good deal..Jesus, Obama NO ONE LIKES REPUBLICANS, what is the point?
Unless you are the most conservative Dem Prez since Carter….
February 12th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Oh, Al. Moving jurisdiction of the Census? Hell, there hasn’t been anything as totalitarian as this since USPTO was moved from Interior to Commerce.
But of course the jurisdiction of the Census Bureau is set by statute. What Obama was planning to do was blatantly illegal.
My impression was that the entire reason for Gregg to want the position was to do the Census. So when Obama decided to break the law, Gregg saw no reason to stay in the position.
February 12th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Even saying the jurisdiction would be moved seems a bit of a stretch; the most any reports said was that there was a trial balloon that the Director of the Census Bureau would report both to Commerce and the White House. I’m skeptical that this violates any laws, though of course it would depend on the particular implementation.
As for Gregg in particular, my guess was that all these caveats about his power were discussed before formally announcing his nomination, and he just wanted a chill job in a historic administration.
I will grant, though, if this wasn’t discussed by Obama’s team with Gregg, the Administration should have serious egg on its face. Anyone with the slightest knowledge of the Census and Gregg knows that he has long had a hard on for putting some peculiar Census policies in place, and if Obama nominated him without telling him his plans for Census, well, that’s sort of a pulling out the rug from underneath him in a particularly low way.
February 12th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
There was nothing illegal about having the Director of the Census Bureau report to both the President and the Commerce Secretary.
Geez, waterboarding, I don’t know, is that torture? I think it’s perfectly legal. Look, let’s just say reasonable people can differ.
ZOMG! THE PRESIDENT’S GONNA TAKE AN INTEREST IN THE CENSUS! RUN, EVERYBODY! DON’T LET THEM COUNT YOU!
February 12th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Unless you are the most conservative Dem Prez since Carter….
That would make him more conservative than uh, one guy. Not that I remotely conced the point. Obama has yet to prove himself anywhere near as conservative as Mr. Eliminate Welfare Expand the Death Penalty Consolidate Media Corporations Sign Defense of Marriage Act Bomb Iraq Every Five Minutes Pants over there.
February 12th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
I was watching CNBC this afternoon when this announcement moved on the wires. CNBC was interviewing Ray LaHood, the former Republican representative from Illinois, who was being interviewed because of Obama’s appearance at the Peoria, IL site of the Caterpillar plant.
LaHood said (and he seemed a bit piqued) that Gregg(!) had asked to be the Commerce Secretary; that is, Gregg approached the Obama administration about becoming a member of Obama’s cabinet. LaHood seemed genuinely befuddled when he was asked about Gregg’s decision to decline the position over *philosophical diferences*. Didn’t Gregg know that there might be some things that he might find philosophically difficult? LaHood wondered.
IMHO, there is no point in trying to make peace with the right wing, of which Gregg is a peripheral member. If there need be more evidence, just look at the number of House members that voted for the recovery plan. ZERO.
These right wingers have led the country into the valley of death. Our national brand is tarnished, our treasury is depleted, our cities are suffering, and our citizens are crying out for help. But the right wing won’t help at all.
Our next project should be to remove the right wing from every position of power in the United States, at the national, state and local level. We must do this in self-defense.
February 12th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Let me add that Ray LaHood, mentioned in the post above, is the present Transportation Secretary. Sorry, got self-edited out of the post.
February 12th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
There’s a world of difference between looking naive and being naive. Let’s hope the GOP doesn’t notice all the old white bodies that turn up right after they think they’ve taken the skinny black guy for a ride.
Gregg approached BHO and asked for the nomination, he has no plausible denial for that. All the spin in the world won’t make Gregg look like the victim of the President’s deceit. Most independents will read his craw-fishing as cowardly and cheap while admiring BHO’s willingness to keep trying. earnest outreach. It’s lose-lose for the party of El Rashbo.
And for all the tin-hat armchair intel officers; Putin isn’t fooled by appearances, remember how he rolled the tough talking drugstore cowboy?
February 13th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Census Bull: Just another Big Lie from the big tent bozos.
“As they have in the past, White House senior management will work closely with the Census Director given the number of decisions that will need to reach the President’s desk,” White House spokesman Ben LaBolt said in a written statement. “This administration has not proposed removing the Census from the Department of Commerce and the same Congressional committees that had oversight during the previous administration will retain that authority.” …
… Other former Census directors agreed that coordination with the White House on budgeting and outreach was appropriate while data collection and analysis should be kept separate. As for potential political interference, “It’s virtually impossible to do something wrong without someone finding out about it,” said Vincent P. Barabba, who ran the 1980 Census. “It’s about as transparent an agency that exists.”
I think we’re witnessing the beginnings of the GOP Taliban offensive led by shameless, unpatriotic, hollow little men. I really didn’t see this coming. The netroots are going to want blood, but BHO will hold his powder and lead the country until these clowns start foaming at the mouth until their own families decide to have them put down.
February 13th, 2009 at 12:25 am
Hey, I warned you. Those Cylon infiltrators will buttfuck you every time.
February 13th, 2009 at 12:53 am
Don Williams Says:
February 13th, 2009 at 12:25 am
“Hey, I warned you. Those Cylon infiltrators will buttfuck you every time.”
kls says: I know, but I really thought I’d get dinner and a reach around before they resorted to ruffies and baseball bats.
Luckily, their abuse of OxyContin combined with their genetic disposition toward mosquito-like packages, will allow me to pretend it was just a bad dream.
February 13th, 2009 at 1:01 am
Unless you are the most conservative Dem Prez since Carter….
Close; I think he’s the second most conservative since Carter.
Either way, pretty damning stuff.
February 13th, 2009 at 4:46 am
You have got to be kidding me, right? Do you not know the Constitution, or do you just not care about it?
We have a unitary executive – all of the executive power in the Constitution is vested in the President. The Commerce Secretary did not exist for the first 100+ years of our history. He has no independent power – all the power that he has is power that was vested in the President and then delegated to him.
As such, the President can run the census through anyone he damn well pleases. Now, there are requirements on how to run the thing – the Constitution calls for an “enumeration” of the citizens, and presumably they mean a fair one, one that makes an effort to count everyone, etc. And, you can argue that since the census plays a Constitutional role in the apportionment of the House, that they have a certain oversight role that they might not otherwise have with other executive departments.
However, there is nothing – nothing – that says that the Commerce Secretary has independent authority here.
February 13th, 2009 at 5:57 am
I think Obama has mistaken his crack pipe for a peace pipe but at least the Greg story will die in the face of Buffalo.
Thank god for planes falling from the sky and mass death… There is even a 9-11 widow involved…
The bipartisan crowd beat the plane-in-the-Hudson story for weeks as some sort of uber-metaphor for America’s economic perils; will they now supplant that happy tale with this more dire warning?
Stimulus vote, what stimulus vote?
But about that vote: wasn’t there a promise to post pending legislation for a few days before the vote to give everyone time to read it?
I assume the Dems will argue that this doesn’t count since both houses already voted on their own stimulus bills but that would just be more Bushit sophistry.
Pass that pipe bro!
February 13th, 2009 at 9:16 am
I think Obama has mistaken his crack pipe for a peace pipe but at least the Greg story will die in the face of Buffalo.
Thank god for planes falling from the sky and mass death
What a hideous troll comment. I’m putting my teenager on a plane tonight. Fuck you.
February 13th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Well lobstakilla your teen has a better chance of getting hit by a meteor strike so not to worry. God I hope you aren’t infecting your child with your mindless paranoia. But if you think it should drive discourse you are insane.
You sound like one of the idiot Aholes who was driven to approve the Afghan and Iraq misadventures after 9-11.
But to my point:
Have you checked out the cable news stations? It is all plane all the time with barely a nod towards the Greg dustup.
Are you so brain dead that you think ObaMessiah isn’t GLAD that Greg (not to mention Caterpillar) is off the cable news?
Really, are you that stupid?
February 13th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Gregg was right the first time — let’s eliminate the Commerce Department.
February 13th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
We don’t have a unitary executive. Power is vested in different executive branch offices by Congress all the time, with conditions and stipulations that can’t be waived by the President.
Like, for example, the Census Act, authorizing the Secretary of Commerce to carry out the Census, and establishing certain procedures for doing so.
But having the Census Director report both to his boss and his boss’s boss DOESN’T VIOLATE THE CENSUS ACT.
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