JUDD GREGG FOR COMMERCE SECRETARY!!!!

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/01/gregg_confirms.html

(snip)

If selected and confirmed, Gregg would be the second Republican in Obama's cabinet. Governor John Lynch, a Democrat, would pick Gregg's replacement.

...and the Senate Democratic majority would reach 60. Filibuster done.

Gregg for Commerce, yo.

You think he will?

I think Obama will be calling the shots on this one. Lynch will do what he's told...maybe!

I know nothing about your state's politics.

Any powerful progressive democrats?

I think Hodes was thinking about running against Gregg in 2010. Not sure about Porter.

As compared to what the Repugs did with the department.



I remember Obama saying it was important for international trade, but
not hyping it on the domestic scene, which is why I think he chose Richardson
for his international background.

Trust me, there are any number of Republicans out there who are willing to Lieberman their party for a little political security. Appoint a Republican who is willing to play ball with the Obama administration on major issues and *maybe* the Dems won't run a top notch challenger when the seat comes up again.

This is how you use "bipartisan" politics to your advantage.

But I read that one of the republicans said he would not take it.

While it is likely that Sen. Gregg feel unappreciated and miscast, while in the midst of all those drooling, mouthbreathing, frothing ideologues, there has never been any question that they could do the kind of basic math necessary for a Senate delegation. Hence, if they don't want Gregg to bolt, they are going to have make some concessions. If he does bolt, and they try the usual "Jim Jeffords" style of character assasination, they will simply put themselves in a position of more dishonor and ignominy. Plus, should he accept Obama's offer, not only would that put the Dems at a Senate 60, but would put Gregg in a position to work constructively with some of the less-ideological of his present collegues.

Damned near a checkmate move, if you look at it closely.

Often hard to get Dems to all vote one way on anything.

And a Dean supporter in 2004?

I think he would appoint a good democrat to the job and thought
that Obama is very shrewd when he got Salazar out of Congress
and replaced him with someone more progressive in the Senate.
I think that Obama thinks three steps ahead and this would
guarantee the 60 votes.

The Republicans wouldn't fight this nomination either.

I wasn't shocked when I heard of the pick.

All it does is give Ben Nelson, Joe Lieberman, and their ilk more leverage over the progressives as the progressives chase the DELUSION.

Yes it gives those right leaning Senators a bargaining chip but it also gives us a HUGE bargaining chip. I say the more seats we have the better off our country will be.

:eyes:

Oh... Wait... Who are you talkin about?

...and Lynch would likely replace him with a Republican, but I'd be glad to be rid of him nonetheless!

Lynch, a Democrat, can replace him with whomever he sees fit.

We talk about politics here though, not mathematical equations.

:)

Obama has offered another cabinet post to a Republican, so they can't whine
when he appoints Democrats later on. They can't say he has ignored them. And
they can't let Gregg accept, either, for the very reason that they do not like
that "60" number, EVEN IF everyone knows that getting all 60 to vote the same
way on ANYTHING will be about as easy as getting all of Germany to agree on one
kind of beer.

This was well thought out.

Go away Normie, you LOST

And the fact that Coleman has sought a new job in the twin cities gives me
the impression that he now thinks so, too.

They can't handle losing.

The whole concept is foreign to them. I think some of them even tear out
the pages of history books that deal with the years 1977-1981 and just
consider 1993-2001 an anomaly of history.

First we have to assume Franken will win his race (which still is looking good)

Second we have to assume that Lieberman will support us (which I'm not betting a nickel on that one)

Third we have to assume other moderates like The Nelsons and Pryor would also be reliable (yeah right)

Forth we have to assume that the NH governor will appoint a democrat (which rumor has it - he won't).

Judd Gregg's ratings:

ACLU 12
ADA 5
CDF 11
LCV 30
NAACP 5
NARAL 0
PTA 0
SEIU 0

Based on 100.

yea baby! this Is one big Chess Game play carefully our lives are in the balance.

:banghead:

But Republican Governors have been planning on how they will be spending the stimulus package.

I would think this alone would tell some people what's going on here.

Also, this is a state that pays attention to politics for one historical primary reason - more so than many states scheduled sometime later for elections.

Also, we have a Republican Senator who has crossed over to the Democratic President. Lynch is not going to cross over to the Republican side is he?

No one is going to get technical when Republicans are going in one direction that we know is the right direction - simply by giving the evidence of the crossovers of the Governors for wanting this stimulus package.

The arguments against this are good for discussion though!! :woohoo: :bounce:

MidDay Open Thread 1/30/09

. A note to everyone thinking that Judd Gregg being appointed to Commerce would mean a 60th Democratic senator: You might want to look into NH Gov. John Lynch's record. Unless the Obama team leaned on him extraordinarily hard, it's easier to imagine him appointing a Republican than a progressive Democrat. Brownsox was correct to temper optimism at the thought of a Lynch appointment, but I'd take it a step further and say that a moderate Democrat placeholder would be the absolute best I would hope for from a DINO of Lynch's ilk.


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