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can’t touch this

By American Girl in Italy on February 16, 2009 at 12:03 PM in Barack Obama, Census, Judd Gregg

Editors’ NOTE: DO NOT MISS THE VIDEO BELOW!

“It comes as uh, as uh, something of a surprise. Because the truth is uh, uh, ya know, Mr. Gregg approached us with interest and seemed enthusiastic,” Obama told State Journal-Register in Springfield, Illinois. “But ultimately, I think, we’re going to just keep on making efforts to build the kind of bipartisan consensus around important issues that I think the American people are looking for.”

Is it possible Gregg believed Obama in his promises of a non-partisanship Presidency? Could that be why he reached out to Obama *with interest and enthusiasm*?

Or did Judd Gregg have hopes of running the census, thus manufacturing an outcome that benefits Republicans?

That sure seems to be the consensus of the Black Caucus. Why else would they complain to Obama about Gregg’s nomination? Bottom line, they were worried that Gregg would not accurately count minorities.

I can understand why Gregg was mad that Obama, pressured by the Black Caucus, pulled the census out from under him. Isn’t he basically saying that Gregg would not be fair, and non-partisan, and not accurately count minorities?

Gregg reached out to Obama, offering to work with him, believing his promises of non-partisanship.

Obama rewarded him with a slap in the face, basically saying that Gregg was incapable of handling the census in a fair and non-partisan way. I see no other way to look at it. Obama was pressured by the Black caucus, and folded, which resulted in an insult to Gregg. This, in my opinion, is why Gregg stepped down.

“We’re going to just keep on making efforts to build the kind of bipartisan consensus around important issues.” Well, Obama had a willing non-partisan member of his cabinet, and Obama made it partisan, by pulling it from him, pressured by the Black Caucus. And now Obama is surprised?

How can Gregg be enthused to work for a President who finds him incapable of non-politicizing the census? (Not to mention a President that shoves that pork-laden stimulus bill through congress, breaking his promises of transparency, which Gregg didn’t support…)

“Under Obama’s census plan, the director of the U.S. Census Bureau, who has yet to be named, would report to White House senior management in addition to the Commerce Department, which oversees the bureau.

The outcome of the census has deep political implications, since congressional districts are drawn based on population. Many federal funds are distributed on the basis of population, as well.

The first whiff of greater White House interest in shaping the census came when members of the Congressional Black Caucus complained to the Obama administration about Gregg’s nomination.”

Here is a great debate on Gregg’s appointment, and withdrawal, from the McLaughlin Group. They seem to agree that the census was a major trigger in Gregg’s withdrawal.

“I think Gregg took a stand and refused to be a patsy in the politicalization of the census bureau.” ~John McLaughlin

(Why does Obama feel necessary to blame everyone else for his mistakes. So what if Gregg reached out to him with interest in the job? Obama hired him. I thought the buck stopped with Obama? What does this say about Obama’s judgment, and character? If I reach out to Obama for a job, do I get one, too?)

Linda C.

I thought that Judd was pushed by the RI gov? I am very confused by all of this of why would a Dem Gov recommend of Republican neo-conservative to oversee a department that he didn’t believe in? Why would Obama go along with all of this anyway? How could anyone think “we can just move the census” and everything would be okie-dokie? None of this makes much sense from the get-go.

Diana L. C.

The ONE’s too used to getting it his way no matter what dirty tricks he plays. He’s used to it because of his Chicago experience, and I think he just got lazy and thought he could get away with it in Washington, too.
beebop

The whole political thing is just so confusing in this new post partisan era. In the old days, I would have thought that the Democratic (sic) governor was going to fill Gregg’s 17 year Republican seat with a Democrat (sic), but now, I have to chastise myself and remember that it was probably a female republican …. oh, the old ways die so hard.

With all of the slickness of a Detroit auto magazine, 0mama rolls out the cabinet. But. Post production is sooooo important. And one by one, the staples start to come out. Showing what shoddy workmanship the new administration put into the job.

So long as the conversation continues, the question ultimately comes back to “what was 0bama thinking?” The more times we hear that, the more likely it is that we will begin to hear a more impartial answer.

And. Excuse me? Did I see Judd Gregg’s name on the ballot last November? hmmmmmmmmmmm I think it’s usually the president who leads.

I’m a Linda too

The Buck rarely stops with Obama if it’s on TAILS.

This is the man who will try to spin for weeks and months, that he “barely knows the man, just did about 5 hours of work for him” (good friend, fundraiser, business assoc, Realtor, Tony Rezko), or is just someone who lives in his neighborhood (years of close personal and business relationship) and a Pastor whom he sat in the pews for 20 years preaching divisive, hateful, bigoted and racist comments that Obama claimed he never heard (Rev Wright).

It takes a lot and will have another reason that we probably won’t know for sometime for him to accept fault, as in Tom Daschle. He couldn’t very well blame Daschle for wrong doing when he promoted him as the best man for the job and his stimulus is loaded with giveaways Tom Daschle put together for his Lobbying Clients and connections, and that he was one of the strongest to help him get the parties nomination for the position he now holds.
AlexisM

I’m glad yet another Republican distanced himself from what will go down in history as a worse “Presidency” than Bush’s. The more they keep their hands clean and out of this disgrace, the better we will do in 2010 and 2012. And yet again it shows that the GOP is showing backbone and responsibility with respect to this joke of an administration.

wodiej

couldn’t agree more….
Diana L. C.

And which was more than you could ever say for the wimpy Dems under Bush–when Bush needed to be called on too many things that I can mention.

NoBamaNoWay

exactly; that’s when dems started to lose me. the final straw was of course the hillary gang-rape and foisting anti-american, unqualified Ozero on us.

beebop

If they get the census in the WH it is game, set, match. Without Gregg resigning, it would have been a quiet little interlude. Now it is out in the “transparency.”
I’m a Linda too

good observation.

Scranton4Hillary

Obama’s judgement? When has he ever demonstrated good, sound judgement that the American people can trust? Rezko, Wright, Ayers. Sealed college transcipts, sealed vital statistics info. What is he hiding?
BO is a calculated, conniving man whose behavior is always geared toward his own benefit–always for HIS benefit.

http://americanpumainitaly.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

i was being sarcastic.
I don’t think *Linda too* got that either, about my comment on the buck stopping with him.
;O)

I’m a Linda too

well, I did. I was agreeing with you. I didn’t mean for it to sound like I was trying to correct you.

I got your “supposed to”….and I was giving more examples of the fact that he doesn’t. Sorry I wasn’t clear.

….But I am right there with ya’!

http://americanpumainitaly.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

ok, good! :O) I never know if I make sense… haha

http://www.rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/ Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

Oh, you most definitely do! Great post, American Girl!

And, um, not to be nit picky or anything, but isn’t the census under the Commerce Dept by LAW??? Not that that really seems to matter anymore, but just sayin’.

And no – Obama takes no responsibility for ANYTHING. Besides his very clearly rehearsed statement abt Daschle (“I screwed up”), absolutely NOTHING is his fault.

And if I was Gregg, I would have been pretty darn insulted. It is insulting for Obama to take away something so important from the Commerce Dept for the reasons he did (and funny how so little abt the Black Caucus was discussed regarding this).

Sheesh.

Thanks, AG!

http://americanpumainitaly.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

Thanks RRRA!

Law? What law? We have LAWS? ;O)
JozefAL

Yep. The Census falls under the Commerce Dep’t's jurisdiction based on the US Code Title 13.
As best as I can make out the wording, the Secretary of Commerce has no direct say over the Census itself, aside from having to work closely with the Director of the Census. The Director has to be nominated by the President AND then confirmed by the Senate (technically, the Director is also supposed to be nominated under the same “advice and consent” procedures applicable to Cabinet nominees”) but, for obvious reasons, should be someone with whom the Commerce Secretary will have a good working relationship as the Secretary has the authority to “borrow” personnel from other agencies as needed to help the Director do his job.
Obama probably doesn’t understand any of this since he’s only a *Constitutional law* scholar, while most Federal law pertaining to the Census is found in the US Code.

Collen

It’s really interesting that you put this spin on Obama and Gregg. Obviously you have not been listening or paying attention – Gregg absolutely did approach Obama – he and his people put his name out there to be considered. Obama, in his attempt to be bipartisan in all of this, accepted him and made him the nominee for commerce. Gregg himself admitted that he never should have accepted the nomination for commerce because he could not be what he was not. and, he made the condition that a Republican be appointed to his senate seat – the audacity of such a big man!

He took it and then threw it back – HE was the one who was dishonest – he had no intention of accepting Obama’s policies – this was probably a set-up by the Republicans, to make Obama seem the fool in being punked by the Republican senator, who wanted to serve with a Democrat but when given the chance decided he really is a republican. What a farce! Gregg looks like the idiot and a big liar to boot. The White House is better off without that flake.

But of course American Girl – continue with your obama-hate spin. what are you going to do on a day that you just can’t find anything about Obama that you can distort to serve your hateful purpose? Don’t you have anything better to do?

HARP

Obama flips a coin and wants it to land on its edge every time.

lorac

Ha! Good one!
Doc99

I’m thinking Obama is more like Batman’s Two-Face, flipping his two-headed coin.

JozefAL

Um, sorry for the nitpick, but Two-Face’s coin, while “two-headed”, has one side which is marred or scarred in some fashion to allow Two-Face to make a firm decision. (Usually in the comics, the coin is shown either with an X scratched on one surface or marked with a colored X. In The Dark Knight film, the bad side looked as though acid had ruined it.)
Your comment implies that Two-Face’s coin is “rigged” to come up with the “right” decision and it most assuredly is not. Several times (in the comics, at least), Two-Face has been very surprised when the coin has gone the “wrong” way but he’s always stuck by the coin’s decision. (AFAIK, there’s only been one instance in the comics where Two-Face lied about the result, but he said it was because of April Fool’s Day.)

Gary McGowan

So did Obama (or someone from the transition team) ever sit down with Judd Gregg and discuss this? Or do they communicate through the cartel media?

I wonder what would happen if an administration just stopped watching and reading cartel media for a few months and attended to running the country?

Frankly, I wish EVERYONE would do that.
Andy

Obama rewarded him with a slap in the face, basically saying that Gregg was incapable of handling the census in a fair and non-partisan way. I see no other way to look at it. Obama was pressured by the Black caucus, and folded, which resulted in an insult to Gregg. This, in my opinion, is why Gregg stepped down.

American Girl in Italy:

You aren’t alone thinking this. I for one think the same.
But even Daniel Schorr on NPR Saturday AM said the same thing:
“Week In Review With Daniel Schorr”
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100714482

And as Scott Simon pointed out the last Census was while WJC was POTUS
and Commerce was under a Democrat.

So if the Black Caucus was upset about undercounting in the last Census then they should have blamed Dems….

http://americanpumainitaly.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

thanks for the link! i am listening now!
Ellen D

Look, if Obama could get the nomination by dirty caucus tricks and ACORN, why wouldn’t the black caucus think they could get him to skew the next census in their direction?
Idiocracy08

I wonder if Obama’s illegal aunt is included in the census.

http://americanpumainitaly.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

HA

Peggy Sue

I agree, AGI. The Census thing was most likely the end of the road for Gregg. And it’s something the Republicans need to howl over. Add that to the “Stimulus Bill” and the die was cast.

BTW, I just heard that at present interest rates 4+%, the interest on this sucker will be $500 billion a year, making it the fourth largest US expenditure [just paying the debt] behind Social Security, Medicare, and Defense. Of course, we’ll be putting the greatest onus on our kids and grandkids. Makes a mockery out of that addage: making the world a better place than we found it.

Oy!
Andy

What is Pat Buchanan saying? That it was true that it was Judd Gregg the one who went (first?) seeking the job???

If you hear Obama carefully he says “he approach us with interest” That to me means that when he was asked he replied to teh overtures with interest.
But I find impossible to believe that Gregg would go out of the blue seeking this
job without being sought by the Adm.

http://americanpumainitaly.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

i don’t know…pat was sounding a little bit like someone slipped him a kool-aid mickey.

Andy

Indeed he was…I think he was pissed more at Gregg for even considering and so it went after him with a sledge hammer. But he was lying there.
Gregg himself denied this immediately and frankly I find it hard to believe…
Obama chooses his words to mean whatever you want to and he says
“approached us with inetrest and enthusiasm”
That doesn’t mean “first” although he wants to imply it.
So it is quite disappointing to have Buchanan going along with Obama’s word games.

http://americanpumainitaly.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

Uncle Pat is on TV 20 hours a day! He probably talks so much he gets confused sometimes. He might not even have read yet that Gregg said he didn’t seek out the job.

I’ll cut Pat a little slack, and give him some time to get his facts straight. ;O)

Idiocracy08

He needs to get away from Morning Mika.
I hate that show now – she has totally ruined it.

I liked it back when it was Morning Joe. Joe and Pat aren’t on enough for me to watch it anymore.

http://americanpumainitaly.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

it is still morning joe, isn’t it??

I think Joe has been taking some time off for family reasons. I know his wife had baby problems (I forget exactly) and then think something was up with his dad.

I kind of like Mika. I know a lot of people don’t, but I do. I don’t like negative cranky people all the time, and she is pretty upbeat.

Idiocracy08

I couldn’t stand her during the primaries. Every time someone would try to talk good about Hillary, she was making all kinds of noises in the background “ummmm…..welllllllll…..sssssss…i dunno……..”

I kinda liked her at first, until I realized she was the worst bot. I used to say I was tired of seeing her ‘gasm at everything Obama, and that I’d hate to be her when Michelle found out how much she was in love with him. I guess it just puked me out too much to see grown women giddy over him. (I’m a girl – but at least I have good taste!)

PamFlorida

Pat needs a new job-preferably off the air.

beebop

Maybe Pat figures that by appearing to be a koolaid sipper, he keeps himself on the airways saying “bwak, bwak, bwak?” Just a thought …..

Andy

BTW: Gregg denied that he sought/approached the WH first. So what is Pat Buchanan saying with “The President cut Gregg dead when he said he came seeking the job…” ? This is on minute 1:42 in the video.
Collen

What language do you speak? you are hearing what you want to hear – ‘approach us with interst’ means just that – he approached the Obama people with interest, NOT that he was replying to overtures!

Gregg clearly said the census had NOTHING to do with his taking himself out of consideration – the director of the census was to report to both the white house AND the sec of commerce – what’s the big deal??? or do you think Rahm and his buddies are going to go counting people themselves?

Get. Over. It. She lost and is now SOS and seems to enjoy her role. Let’s look to the future and hope its better than the past 8 years.

http://americanpumainitaly.blogspot.com/ sarainitaly

Gregg said he did not approach obama first:

“Well, one of the nice things about this business is everybody has a different recollection of what happened,” Gregg said at a Capitol Hill news conference, according to a transcript. “I don’t think they sought me out, and I didn’t seek them out. I think an intermediary suggested me, and they thought it was a good suggestion.”

gregg also said “It has become apparent during this process,” Mr. Gregg said, “that this will not work for me, as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the census, there are irresolvable conflicts for me.”

why the hostile tone? I guess one could ask you what language you are speaking? You might want to get your facts straight, befor you attack people.

OxyCon

Once again, Obama throws another victim under the bus.
Obama is a shameless creep.
Diana L. C.

I just hope I live long enough to see all the books that come out after O is no longer in office written by all the people who have tread marks on them from being thrown under the bus. I also want to read an honest account from Hillary about her feelings about the primary!

Peggy Sue

Agreed, Diana. In the future, I would truly love to read Hill and Bill’s perspective on what really went down during the primaries.

cathnealon

I can honestly say that I have never heard a truth come out of BO’s mouth. In fact, a good rule in listening to this man is whatever he says assume the exact opposite, always. This is like a mathematical formula when it comes to this fraud, it never fails. He says Gregg came to him, no, he and his thugs approached Gregg trying to pull a fast one.Looking bipartisan but pulling out the carpet with the census from underneath them. Over the weekend I heard him say, “we don’t want to nationalize the banks, we want to preserve the ideal of private property.” I laughed, he’s going to do the opposite and this goes on and on and on. I for one am sick of the money grabbing by the Black Caucus and all their Acorn type operations that should be shut down. This census business is related to that and I fear for the next appointee he puts in.
Julie

~~Who cares about Gregg? More gossipy BS. A total sideshow of no relevance. Kind of like people harping about Octomom on here.~~

What is more important is the huge victory Obama has had with the stimulus package. A positive for the country and the economy. Despite the naysayers, political cheap shots and Republican games, he got it done. Now he rolls out his mortgage plan this week and the banking plan to come. 1.2.3… .pretty amazing piece of leadership.

Great piece in the Washington Post that puts it all in prospective.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/13/AR2009021303475.html

“Twenty-four days into his presidency, Barack Obama recorded last night a legislative achievement of the sort that few of his predecessors achieved at any point in their tenure.

In size and scope, there is almost nothing in history to rival the economic stimulus legislation that Obama shepherded through Congress in just over three weeks. And the result — produced largely without Republican participation — was remarkably similar to the terms Obama’s team outlined even before he was inaugurated: a package of tax cuts and spending totaling about $775 billion. [...]

[E]ven before the plan passed the Senate last night, the president’s top advisers were crowing. “We’ve been in office, what, 2 1/2 , three weeks? We’ve passed the most major sweeping comprehensive legislation as relates to economic activity ever in a three-week period of time,” White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said Thursday evening in the West Wing.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) credited Obama’s leadership on the legislation yesterday, saying, “The American people know, and historians are judging, that this is one remarkable president.”

Now release your anger all you haters on NQ…

Off topic.

AlexisM

So I was right…they get paid by the word these days?

http://americanpumainitaly.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

hahaha

Ellen D

Hi Julie,
As my mom used to say “I’d like to help you out. Which way did you come in?
beaniedabhudda

Yeah, I will agree with you and Nancy on this one ~ he is one remarkable president alright. Remarkably weighted down with mental stability issues…
JulieDarlingNotJulieOBOT

Julie –

First – stop using MY NAME! Back to the SUBJECT, but you just hate to discuss POSTS like how PBO BLEW IT!!

Greg managed to do exactly what PBO as a blight on US most fears – he let some disinfecting sunshine in on the Daley machine’s DC branch.

PBO clearly aims to take-over America…

Having already bought an election -

(Remember his campaign finance lies anyone?) -

now $4Billion to ACORN of the dead and felon voters later –

he wants to let “Rahm The Terrier Ballerina” run the Census the Chicago way – where dead people still count several times!
Liberty Belle not for Obama

Julie (is it really a girl writing?) – quoting Nancy Pelosi say BHO is “one remarkable president”. Yeah, gave her free reign to craft the darned bill, loaded with pork, and dubious “stimulus” initiatives for the economy. After all, Nancy did call Barry, “The One”.

Q. If it was so darned urgent to pass the blasted package, without the 48-hour period to review, as Congress had voted for, then why is Obama waiting until tomorrow, and in Denver, to sign it?

Because Barry, Michelle and family were spending a Valentine’s weekend in Chicago? Not convenient for his schedule? (yet he needed the Valentine’s gift from Congress?)

sowsear

If it was so urgent, why will most of the money not be released until after 2010?
Duh?
The Gift that Keeps on Giving for 2012.

cynic

Interesting observation. I can suggest two different theories, and bet I already know which one you’ll probably like:

1. It would be stupid to just throw billions out there all at once–particularly considering how the first allocation of financial bail-out money has been essentially stolen by private interests. Each allocation in the stimulus package will therefore require its own careful planning, to maximize its effectiveness and to allow effective oversight; or
2. Obama just wants to stimulate the economy most vigorously during the two years immediately before his own reelection bid. The timing is purely a matter of self interest. (Of course, that assumes the democrats in congress aren’t worried about the 2010 election. Obama may have simply hypnotized them, too.)

Was I right?

candymarl

Colorado is the leading state for the states rights issue. I’m sure he’ll tell a group there that this bill will give all of them their jobs back. Then the CEO of said company will directly contradict him (/snark).

News flash Obama – you can buy votes and rig caucus results (ACORN) but you can’t pay off an entire country. Every place ain’t Chicago.

wodiej

you seem to still be hungover from your Kool Aid party…go sleep it off.
jangles

Changle: What will be left for the rest of us after Obama and his lovers take what they want.

Scranton4Hillary

I read recently that Daschle was vetted in JUNE and was told about his tax issues being problematic for his HHS nomination. Supposedly Dash-it-all said it would be taken care of. My take on the reason why he didn’t “fix” it then is that he was waiting to see if The One actually won before he paid his back taxes. So if McCain won chances are Dash-it-all would still owe the IRS. Another example of change we can believe in.

jbjd

You got it!
sowsear

The IRS got the 2003 and 2004 back taxes that Daschle owed, but the 2000 and 2001 years were beyond the statute of limitations. He didn’t plan on paying those two years until the vetting team said he should. Methinks he thought Obama could whip him in there regardless, and he might havem if those other failed appointments hadn’t occurred first.

JozefAL

I think that “statute of limitations” comment is bogus. According to Roni Deutch’s website

The Statute of Limitations on Collections is the amount of time that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has to collect a back tax liability from a taxpayer. The date that owed back taxes expire is referred to as the “Collection Statute Expiration Date” (CSED). According to the Internal Revenue Code, Section 6502, the IRS generally must collect the back taxes “within 10 years after the assessment of the tax debt.” Depending on the taxpayer, the assessment of tax may be the date a taxpayer files a tax return with a balance owing back taxes or the date that the IRS files a tax return on behalf of a non-filer taxpayer. Thus, the statute of limitations will begin once the tax has been “assessed” by the IRS.

(Taken from http://www.ronideutch.com/articles/19 )

Unless the IRS is using some new math techniques, 2000 and 2001 are STILL within the IRS’s official statute of limitations period.

Peggy Sue

Yes, great accomplishment. But perhaps you should consider this:

National debt:

One thing about the president’s $790 billion stimulus package is certain: It will jack up the federal debt.

Whether or not it succeeds in producing jobs and taming the recession, tomorrow’s taxpayers will end up footing the bill.

Forecasters expect the 2009 deficit — for the budget year that began last Oct 1 — to hit $1.6 trillion including new stimulus and bank-bailout spending. That’s about three times last year’s shortfall.

The torrents of red ink are being fed by rising federal spending and falling tax revenues from hard-hit businesses and individuals.

The national debt — the sum of all annual budget deficits — stands at $10.7 trillion. Or about $36,000 for every man, woman and child in the U.S.

Interest payments alone on the national debt will near $500 billion this year. It’s already the fourth-largest federal expenditure, after Medicare-Medicaid, Social Security and defense.

This will affect us all directly for years, as well as our children and possibly grandchildren, in higher taxes and probably reduced government services. It will also force continued government borrowing, increasingly from China, Japan, Britain, Saudi Arabia and other foreign creditors.

Pushing us over the ledge: Amazing piece of leadership all right!!

Linda C.

Just wait until we nationalize the banks for several trillion. We are in a mess. Not doing anything is one disaster. Doing something will cause another. Pick your poison.
nothalf

Where were those complaints when Reagan ran $200 billion deficits, Bush Sr ran $300 billion deficits
and Bush Jr ran $500 billion deficits

Republicans call Clinton Tax and spend and but reduced the deficit.

Bush Jr more than doubled the national debt, increasing it by $5.7 trillion.

At $787 billion that is 7% on the deficit to supplement a $2 trillion drop in demand. 40% of that in tax cuts to help the lowest paid.

Why are you all fiscal Conservatives now?

candymarl

Some of us were pointing this out at that time. But there was compliant media then as there is now. Bill Clinton didn’t get a supine media, hanging on his every word, that touted him as a Messiah.

I’m for fiscal responsibility. As you pointed out so was Bill Clinton.

Scranton4Hillary

The only place I want swift action to be demonstratd is in an ER. Other than that I’d appreciate carefull deliberate consideration when dealing with my family’s future and the future of our nation. Our children will be paying for this stimu-LESS package for the rest of their lifes.
PamFlorida

With each passing day, Obama appears to be a figurehead, with a very small,tight-knit group attempting to call the shots behind the scenes. Rahm Emmanuel is obviously demanding the driver’s seat, but who are the rest and do they have any idea of how to govern or do they just know how to run a flawless political campaign? Judging from disparity between public statements and the chaos in the background, I wager it’s the latter. Why else would Obama still be traveling all over the country campaigning instead of in DC working?
There is a Keystone Kops scenario playing out in DC and nobody appears to be disciplined enough to get this administration organized enough to function.

Idiocracy08

I’m just waiting for Ashton Kutcher to come out and tell us we’ve been punk’d.

AlexisM

ROFLMAO. That’s the best comment of the day idiocracy.

DAB

When his faux bipartisanship efforts failed regarding the stimulus bill, BO blamed the Republicans for refusing to be taken in by his “cocktails & charm offensive” replying that although he is an “eternal optimist” he isn’t a “sap”!

Very classy comment, Mr. Prez — combined with your stiletto response to the Gregg witdrawal I can only imagine HOW MUCH MORE we have to look forward to under your regime.

beebop

It’s the Chicago way ….

cynic

Why does Obama feel necessary to blame everyone else for his mistakes.

I actually thought the entire business of Gregg’s change of heart was handled graciously by both he and Obama. As usual, it’s the talking heads on either side who attempt to spin the situation to political advantage.

Should Obama be criticized for having offered the job to a Republican who initially wanted it? Should Gregg be criticized for realizing a bit late that filling the position might entail unacceptable philosophical compromise?

I look at this as just one of those things that didn’t work out. It’s better for all concerned to have discovered that now instead of later.
jangles

When Buchanan said the Prez cut Judd dead with his comment, I knew right away that Judd did not go to Obama—Obama’s statement was carefully worded to give that impression so that is what would be reported and spinned and once the lie was out there recovering from it would never really happen.

We are in the political spin amped up by the Chicago Combine mind games and played beyond anything Rove and Bush could dream. Obama, Emanuel and Axelrod make Rove and Bush look like the country wannabe no cattle cowboys they are. It’s the difference between inner city street thugs with ak47s and those guys in pickups with a rifle rack and an open container.
Scranton4Hillary

And all the while we thought the economy was the most pressing issue in Washington? Not really–the real burning issue is planning for the upcoming Stevie Wonder concert @ 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Just picture it: The One dancing to Little Stevie’s band under the big top at O-bla-bla’s 3 ring Washington circus.
Retired

Now that Gregg is out of the picture, it seems that Obama is free to appoint a political loyalist that can be relied upon to do his bidding without question. Oh, I forgot, Panetta is already over at CIA. Perhaps he can be lured away from there with the promise of an upgrade to a cabinet post now that we’ve got the “torture may be necessary” thing settled.
Scranton4Hillary

I wonder if BO will offer the job to
Clair “Mama” McCaskill? She’s so far up his rear they’ll need a proctologist to get her two feet back on solid ground.
ford

I live in NH, and I can tell you that Gregg is popular with R’s and D’s here.
He is fiscally conservative, but environmentally attune.
He is a quiet , honest, hard working man.
BO should have been proud to have him on his team, but cut Gregg off with his gross porkulus bill and the cave in to house black caucus….speaking of an agenda that Gregg could not fathom.
Gregg did the right thing stepping down, a rare act of honesty in politics, that caught many people by surprise. BO , of course said he just found out about the decision on Thursday, but according to Gregg he told them on Tuesday, and spoke out on his own after his decision was not made public, for spin we cannot understand.
BO speaks a different language that I do.
susan h

Does Bi-partisan mean you want ideas from the other party or do you want that other party to just agree with you on all issues, in which case why choose someone from the other party, you may as well take someone from your party who agrees with you. Perhaps Gregg at first belived Obama when he wanted bi-partisanship, which meant he would be open to ideas unlike his own. But when Gregg realized that was not to be the case, he could not be a “yes” man for Obama.
Greyledge Gal

I don’t believe Gregg ever approached Obama.

I think Obama/Rahm Emanuel/Axelrove had this all planned out from the beginning. They may have already had a bug in the ear of the Dem Black Caucus leaders to achieve just this outcome.

Why don’t I believe Gregg was the one to make the first overture? Because Gregg made it very clear that he told PBO he could not accept unless a Republican was chosen to replace him. That’s pretty unusual considering the New Hampshire Gov. is a Dem. But the NH Gov. agreed — now, do you think that is normal or wouldn’t you figure that Obama would have to apply some pressure to NH Gov. to get that to happen?

Obama obviously wanted Gregg and probably for exactly the reason that he could say there were objections about the Census so he had to take it over.

It’s all about making Gregg look like he is too partisan to play on Obama’s “Post-partisan” team (gag me with a spoon).

Additionally, it put Gregg in a positino that he felt he should not vote on the original version of the Porkulus bill that came out of the Senate. Obama is a demon and I don’t mean that in a Speed Racer way.

You cannot underestimate the craftiness and conniving of Obama and crew.

sal

I 100% agree with your assessment.

sudarshan

Gregg was caught between a rock and a hard place. The GOPers asked him to accept the nomination because New Hampshire is trending blue. But that would have meant Gregg following Obama’s stipulation to a T – my vision, you execute. Simple. So that would have turned Gregg from a guy who would rather deny candy to kids and deprive them of healthcare, into a raving blue’er. So what does he do now? And worse still Gregg rightly surmised that with his well known ties to Jack Abramoff, he would raked over the coals by the Dems. It was looking v.bad and even liars like Bernie Goldberg would not help. So he had to step down at last. EPIC FAIL!
Sassy

I think Gregg made a good decision. He is far too much of a conservative to work in a dem White House.
One thing that surprised me though…I heard someone say that he will not run for the Senate again.
Me thinks someone made a better offer!
TexasMirth

Whatever his reasons, Gregg made a smart decision distancing himself from Obama. Allies will become fall guys whenever Obama screws up.