Gregg's Betrayal?

If there were ever a time for Obama to hug the Republican caucus, it'd be now. Obama does not in any meaningful way *need* a 60th seat, especially considering that it will probably fall into the Democratic column less than two years from now. Obama, Lynch and Gregg should negotiate a moderate Republican successor; then we can watch Boehner and Cantor back further into their inevitable corner in their rants against Rahm Emanuel and the administration's immediate "partisanship".

It would be good news for the Democrats in the senate if they get 60 seats since it seems all the Republicans are willing to do is to be obstructionists without offering up any real solutions of their own.

>Obama, Lynch and Gregg should negotiate a moderate Republican successor>>

Why should Obama negotiate *anything* with Gregg. Gregg has nothing with which to negotiate. He's the most endangered republican in the senate and should be grateful to Obama for saving him from defeat in 2010. Besides, (a) after the Blago mess, Obama should not look like he's strong-arming for any particular candidate and (b) NH is becoming increasingly Blue. More folks will be honked off if Gregg's replacement is NOT a democrat.

Now, if only Lynch can avoid a messy appointment process (ahem, Blago, Caroline Kennedy.
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I'd expect that he'd be excruciatingly careful......

Assuming Norm Coleman ever gives up his legal wranglings over Minnesota's Senate race and Al Franken is actually seated, that would bring Harry Reid's majority up to the magical number of 60.

Reid's worst nightmare. He's probably with the Senate Parliamentarian right now trying to find some arcane rule that would permit the GOP to frustrate the will of the supermajority.

Wait, wait, wait. Are we talking about the SAME Judd Gregg who, when I was a journalist in NH in the '80s, was widely acknowledged as the *stupidest* politician known to mankind? OK, right after Bob Smith? Has he undergone some kind of alien transformation? Can anyone tell me how he's even remotely qualified to be Commerce Secretary? Let alone in an economic crisis like this one???

"Can anyone tell me how he's even remotely qualified to be Commerce Secretary?"
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Does this count?
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On October 20, 2005, Gregg won about $850,000 by getting five of six numbers on a Powerball lottery ticket when he purchased four different $5 quik-piks at a Washington DC gas station.

Bwhahahaha, that's EXACTLY how I'd expect him to be qualified. I just thought for a moment there that I had somehow overlooked some momentous transformation in the last 20-odd years. I admit he at least *looks* more intelligent now that he has gray hair.

Any chance we might get a post on SCHIP passing the Senate. I know it only means millions of children will now get healthcare and this Gregg stuff is so much more exciting but some of us actually care about stuff that really matters.

Boehner and Cantor had their chance at bipartisan participation, and they used it to prove you can't count on Republicans in Congress to act in good faith. How can the president not take this opportunity to forestall partisan obstruction of the policies he was elected to advance?
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Obama should appoint Gregg, and then just react with a bemused chuckle when the GOP accuses him of partisanship for appointing a Republican to another cabinet position. As a follow-up, the president can continue to demonstrate openness by inviting Republican input – maybe once they have no cards to play, the Republicans will recognize the benefits of honest engagement.

junkmailqueen –
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Either he's learned something in the intervening decades, or he'll become one of those cabinet secretaries who let the experts in the department do their jobs.

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Win-win.

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Okay, Jay...other than Jud Gregg being a good appointment for political reasons, what qualifications does he have for the position? Even a wiki link would be more useful than what's you've posted:

On November 14, 2008 Gregg was appointed by United States Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to serve on the five-member Congressional Oversight Panel created to oversee the implementation of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act. Gregg "stepped aside" on December 1 citing his Senate workload.

So he shied away from oversight duties.
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Next, on the issues: Pro: Business, Israel...Anti: Taxation, Union...Moderate: Gun Control. Get the gist for yourself at the link.
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Overall, Gregg appears to be a milquetoast Repub who supports right-wing issues whenever he can, or when the makeup of his constituency allows it. I don't see anything but the likelyhood of being replaced by a Democrat to commend him to the Commerce position, but I could be missing something.
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Any info on the other possibilities, like Symantec CEO John Thompson or who the other unnamed people being considered (if any).

OT, but this was simply perfect. Colbert's The Word: The Audacity of Nope.
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http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/217132/january-29-2009/the-word---the-audacity-of-nope

Nate Silver does a surprisingly good job of reporting and analyzing this on FiveThirtyEight.com. His nerdiness for numbers can be helpful.
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At the same time, I'm not sure that the Republicans are all that screwed over if Gregg leaves the Senate and a Democrat is appointed in his stead. Yes, it gets the Democrats to their magic number of 60. But 60 is an overrated, fuzzy number given that Olympia Snowe has sided with the administration on 26 of 31 roll call votes so far, and that Susan Collins, Arlen Specter, Lisa Murkowski and George Voinovich aren't far behind her. Moreover, if the Democrats actually get the 60th seat, it will be much harder for them to play the obstructionism card in 2010 -- and much easier, conversely, for the Republicans to play the divided government card.

It would seem that Rethugs aren't the only ones who are going to be targeted by AmericansUnited. You journos had better step your game up!
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http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/labor/labor-group-launching-new-ad-on-employee-free-choice-targeting-journalists/

Read your piece w/ Scherer JNS...it's hacktastic! Those godd@mned partisan dems! Why won't they compromise! Why won't they listen to the sage GOP! Oh the humanity!
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Not all the news was bad today:
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"A News Corp. Bull Throws in the Towel; Wall Street Journal Layoffs Coming?"
http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20090130/a-news-corp-bull-throws-in-the-towel-wsj-layoffs-coming/

Nate's about the sharpest analyst out there, and I relied on his sanity to retain my own as 11/4 approached, but he's elevating 2010 tactics over 2009 necessities. Moreover, the flip side of his reasoning is this: if the Democrats have 60, it might be more likely that GOP senators won't support the president's initiatives on anything (the so-called "free vote" in opposition). In that case, Democrats get to campaign on both their own accomplishments and the Republicans' attempted obstruction, while citing reasonable (but spurned) attempts at bipartisanship.

Cincy –

To paraphrase Hatchet Jack: "Lord hope it be from the editorial page."

Actually, I think that Gregg at Commerce signals a "change" agenda in ways that have nothing to do with bi-partisanship. Commerce Secretary has replaced Postmaster General as the place where high-level Party hacks get put as a reward for a job well done (it was Richardson's reward for his betrayal of Clinton)-- in terms of economic policy, its function has been taken over by other departments/bureaus, and mostly it has become the place where businesses that were supportive of the party in power go for their payback.
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Why are we getting all worked up over 60? Someone please tell me, please - please - please! The reality is that it doesn't matter the administration has the votes because of the few moderate Republicans left in the Senate.

However when the Governor does appoint a Democrat perhaps he should mention that because the Republican House membership decided to be obstructionist and vote along party lines on the stimulus bill he saw no need to consider nominating someone from a party that does not have the welfare of America's middle class on their mind. It's called sending a message!

plukasiak Says:
(it was Richardson's reward for his betrayal of Clinton)

Oh, give it a rest will ya! There was no betrayal. Richardson was a free agent who challenged Hillary in the primary. Was that a "betrayal?"

You people who still believe that Clinton was entitled to lock-step support from the Democratic party simply because her name was "Clinton" need to realize we're no longer in the 90's. Sheez.

If Gregg is asked to be Commerce Secretary, filling his spot with an Independent might be the way to go. A significant number of the people in New Hampshire consider themselves independent. Surely the governor can find someone capable that is moderate, reasonable and would vote for what's best for the people of New Hampshire and the country. The democrats wouldn't get their 60th vote (at least on paper), the republicans would have just a little less to wave their arms and shout about and Gregg could take the job without giving the democrats their veto proof majority.

[...] over at Swampland is now helping drive the story that such a scenario may be at hand, with Judd Gregg (R-NH) rumored to be under consideration as Richardson’s replacement at Commerce. For this lovely scenario to unfold though, several things have to [...]

Judd Gregg is on the Senate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. (He used to chair it, so he's got that going for him.) He may have a special interest in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), but it's hard to say.

Jay Newton-Small:
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Why in God's name is speculation about something that's about to happen very soon so interesting to you and your colleagues?
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Shouldn't you just be watching ESPN 24/7 for that sort of thing?
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I just don't understand you...