"I have never seen a White House statement that kicks someone in the balls that hard before."Sam Stein at HuffPo says it brings in to a question the administration's vetting process after the Richardson and Daschle mishaps
Democratic sources close to the White House suggest that President Obama's vetting team was not fully aware of Gregg's position on the census prior to his being nominated to the Commerce post. And when members of the Congressional Black Caucus began airing complaints about a Commerce Secretary who voted to withhold emergency funds for the census, the administration had to reverse course. The decision was made, at first, to strip Gregg of this responsibility, even though it traditionally falls under the Commerce Secretary's purview. But that, in turn, sparked frictions between the Obama team and its second Commerce nominee.
And the Politico gets the first interview with Gregg post-withdrawal
“I’ve been my own person, and I began to wonder if I could be an effective team player,” the New Hampshire Republican said. “The president deserves someone who can block for his policies. As a practical matter, I can contribute to his agenda better — where we agree — as a senator, and I hope to do that.” “The fault lies with me,” Gregg told Politico. He refused to discuss any conversations he had with Obama, saying, “I may have embarrassed myself, but hopefully not him.”
I don't think I'd be posting so many reacts from around the webs if I didn't think this was a pretty big deal. After the No. 2 Democrat in the house, Steny Hoyer, said bipartisanship was "on life support" this morning, I think we're starting to see an emerging political landscape hardening. The Republicans are digging in as insurgents, and the Democrats in congress are starting to wonder what is really in it for them in making an attempt to reach across the aisle. I tend to agree with Sullivan's hypothesis that the Republicans are "frightened of being co-opted into something that will muddy their message." So, is new politics dead? Will Barack Obama continue to try and change the way Washington works, or will he dig in himself in the bully pulpit and use those significant majorities in both chambers of congress to enact policy against a rising tide of angry minority partisans. This could get ugly...
The “Juddman” has run back into his fold of sullen fiscal conservative stupor that exists if not in uproar but today in a backdrop including all of the ‘losers-gone-wild’. Is this a joke? The third Cabinet withdrawal of Barack Obama's young presidency and it is because of "irresolvable conflicts"? Huh?
ReplyDeleteHere’s the problem. You hire people to do your vetting that are incapable players at large. The result as you are seeing is lost confidence in the new administration. Hence, you do this vetting before the “wet” media starts stirring the obvious. You do not install Geithner to head the IRS after learning he evades paying his taxes. This loses you a boatload of credibility out the gate. You have seen the reaction from this appointment; Stocks down, debt on the way up and banks still insolvent. Is that a plan for rescuing the US economy? The same way, you don’t install someone who is adamantly against your stimulus plan to head commerce. It simply looks bad. Daschle is many good things, but he is viewed to be a tax cheat. How does that work for you? And there is no telling what kind of influence peddling Richardson has been caught up in. You see what I mean?
America has installed a new administration to restore confidence and dig itself out of twelve years of unsustainable credit expansion and gross incompetence. There must be at least a hundred million good choices you can make that are not conflicted or indicted and in fact they actually pay their taxes on time. Sheeze!
I think Obama got a little starry eyed with these cabinet posts. The Symbolism of a Shinseki (former Bush betrayer), a Clinton (team of rivals!!!111), a Gregg (Who says we don't like Republicans?!) became more important than taking a qualified candidate and dragging them through the proverbial mud.
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