Feb 12, 2009 5:11pm
Gibbs Slaps Gregg
EmailA rather pointed statement from White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs:
“Senator Gregg reached out to the President and offered his name for Secretary of Commerce. He was very clear throughout the interviewing process that despite past disagreements about policies, he would support, embrace, and move forward with the President’s agenda. Once it became clear after his nomination that Senator Gregg was not going to be supporting some of President Obama’s key economic priorities, it became necessary for Senator Gregg and the Obama administration to part ways. We regret that he has had a change of heart.”
- jpt
Sen. DeMint: GOP Race Could Go Until Convention 
Obama Avoids Questions on Contraception Rule
Yeah, they were all sweetness and sorrow when Daschle pulled out. Daschle who cheated on his taxes- the day he left was just heartbreaking for Obama.
But Gregg decided to pull out based on ideology and the Obama people get nasty.
Isn’t that all the evidence you need that Gregg was not going to be treated by the Obama administration like one of the more equal animals?
Posted by: MayBee | February 12, 2009, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
Darn straight.
Gregg was for the stimulus package and for working with the Obama agenda before he was against them…or before he felt he could no longer fend off the angry republican mob who think partisanship first and country last.
Good riddance, Judd.
Posted by: jefferson | February 12, 2009, 5:22 pm 5:22 pm
Is this the beginning of the Macbeth aftermath on the stage of the PBO theater?
It takes only 2 hours to have an effect!
Wow… Voodoo is a believer now, too.
Posted by: Voodoo | February 12, 2009, 5:24 pm 5:24 pm
Dull it is to hear
Gibbs and the Obama Man.
Sour grapes are sharp.
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Posted by: kim | February 12, 2009, 5:28 pm 5:28 pm
jefferson: or before he felt he could no longer fend off the angry republican mob who think partisanship first and country last.
====
Again I ask, what pressure could the republicans have put on him? They couldn’t do anything to him once he was in the Administration.
Posted by: MayBee | February 12, 2009, 5:33 pm 5:33 pm
Gibbs might want to dial back the faux outrage or Gregg will tell us the REAL reason why he left the administration. I’d bet my mortgage free house that Gregg couldn’t stomach that Obama is giving Syria money and lifting the sanctions. Obama says we’re in a near depression and find it important to give Syria money? I’d have quit too. At least Gregg has handled it with class instead of outting the president for what he is.
Posted by: Peach | February 12, 2009, 5:35 pm 5:35 pm
The “key priorities” Gregg couldn’t support included the unprecedented gargantuan spending bill and the unprecedented politicization of the census. Plans for the latter were announced after Gregg’s nomination, and the horror of the latter continues to unfold.
Just saw Gregg’s televised statement about leaving. He was very gracious to Obama. I’m sure the administration would have reciprocated if it didn’t see a benefit to attacking him.
Posted by: bgates | February 12, 2009, 5:36 pm 5:36 pm
Maybee…… Daschle cheated on his taxes? Please!
He used a car and driver without reporting it as income.
Care to compare tax records to any politicians that you are supportive of?
Posted by: Truth Matters | February 12, 2009, 5:37 pm 5:37 pm
Maybee, why do you consider it to be nasty when somebody explains a situation?
Are you anti-truth? Are you Republican?
Posted by: Truth Matters | February 12, 2009, 5:39 pm 5:39 pm
To MayBee–It wasn’t that Gregg was going to be treated different, it was that Gregg had a serious difference of opinion and he was unable to work with people who don’t march in lock step behind the Republican flag. Some people are actually able to work with people who don’t blindly follow the party line. Some can’t….Gregg obviously decided he was ore comfortable being a lacky of McConnell, instead of working for the betterment of the entire country.
Posted by: algwriter | February 12, 2009, 5:39 pm 5:39 pm
Thank God Gregg is gone. We don’t need a Republican Judas in the White House. Where do I sign up to donate to the defeat of this clown in the New Hampshire 2010 election. Guess we will have to get all of Obama’s web donars to start working on it.
Posted by: Kate1149 | February 12, 2009, 5:39 pm 5:39 pm
Peach
you dont even know how to lie.
Posted by: Norm | February 12, 2009, 5:40 pm 5:40 pm
What do you expect from the GOP? Childre all.
Will there be any GOP left after the next four years?
Posted by: Thinking | February 12, 2009, 5:42 pm 5:42 pm
Truth matters to few.
Obama mistook Daschle
And refunded him.
===================
Posted by: kim | February 12, 2009, 5:43 pm 5:43 pm
Did the President happen to mention he would be pulling the Census at the time of the offer? If yes, Gregg is wrong. If no, Gregg is right.
Bill Richardson is still available.
Posted by: morgan | February 12, 2009, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm
Norm – which part of what I said is a lie? Oh, you can’t detail what it is can you? LOL. Obama did lift Syrian sanctions today and IS sending them money to rebuild their airline industry. Look it up.
Posted by: Peach | February 12, 2009, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm
I appreciate President Obama’s attempt to reach across the aisle. However, most of us couldn’t care less what the Republicans have to say these days. Judd Gregg was already getting to be a problem by not voting for the President’s economic recovery package.
If Obama was going to pick a Republican, I wanted him to pick Mitt Romney, who actually — as his very successful profession — turns failing companies around.
However, now I hope he picks Rahm Emmanuel for Commerce, just to keep Fox’s panties in a twist. LOL!
Posted by: Jan | February 12, 2009, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm
I saw a report on Politco that Right Wing nuts in New Hampshire politics put pressure on Gregg because he wasn’t going to vote no on the Stimulus Bill, but was going to abstain because of a conflict of interest. Gregg is in danger of losing his seat in 2010, but he stands a better chance of winning as an incumbent than does someone new that the Republicans would have to put up if he took the Commerce seat. Gregg was pressured by people in his home state and he caved. If Democrats win that seat in 2010 there will be NO Republicans in all of New England execpt for the two ladies from Maine who are voting with the President. Democats need to work hard to defeat this coward in 2010.
Posted by: Kate1149 | February 12, 2009, 5:47 pm 5:47 pm
This is a truly unconscionable move on Gregg’s part, pulling an embarrassing and hyper-partisan Brett Favre on the President of the United States. Gregg knew his own far-right principles before HE offered his name for Commerce. but superficially appeared to be willing to put aside ideology and work with the other party and the new president.
Gregg is a smart guy, but he’s obviously clueless when it comes to thinking beyond his party’s best interests and his own partisan ideology.
Posted by: matt | February 12, 2009, 5:48 pm 5:48 pm
Silly to think that Gregg didn’t know from the beginning he wouldn’t be able to back the administration. I see a posing jerk who should never have evinced interest to begin with. Maybe some past Abramoff ties were too ticklish?
Meanwhile, Concerned in OH needs to spend some time reading up on Tom Delay and the K Street Project. It’s fine to be concerned, but you should also spend a little time becoming informed.
Posted by: Melissa | February 12, 2009, 5:49 pm 5:49 pm
“I wouldn’t call that a “slap”. More like a doughy tickle.”‘
Well, in one way it was a “slap”, given the unlikely implication that coarse ole Senator Gregg FORCED his flinty Republican attentions on the Revlon-Girl administration, which was innocently flirting with “bipartisanship”.
Everything out of Gibb’s mouth (or machine) is worse than the LAST thing. Maybe he should take to accompanying the Campaigner-in-Cheap.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 12, 2009, 5:51 pm 5:51 pm
I think his Republican collegues leaned on him to get the lamb back to the flock. Can’t be a Republican and be an Independent thinker…doesn’t happen.
Posted by: indy_voter | February 12, 2009, 5:57 pm 5:57 pm
So much for reaching out. I hope Mr Gregg sleeps better now, I’d hate for him to work for a President that did anything to trip up his moral compass. Good President Bush was OK in his book otherwise he would be a real sneakfeet creep wouldn’t he?
Posted by: Bonnie Kimberly | February 12, 2009, 5:57 pm 5:57 pm
Obama is sad when a tax cheat drops out.
Angry when a politician stands by his principles.
Principles and integrity–BO is not used to them.
Posted by: sally | February 12, 2009, 5:58 pm 5:58 pm
Can Gregg simply go back to the Senate after his replacement has been named by the Governor? Hmm….
Posted by: Catfish Watkins | February 12, 2009, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm
kate1149:I saw a report on Politco that Right Wing nuts in New Hampshire politics put pressure on Gregg because he wasn’t going to vote no on the Stimulus Bill, but was going to abstain because of a conflict of interest.
=========
But he was not going to run for reelection if he was in Obama’s cabinet. There was nothing the GOP could do to him once he was in the Administration.
Posted by: MayBee | February 12, 2009, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm
as much as I like the idea of post-partisanship it seems clear that President Obama is not going to get any help from them for anything.
After nearly ruining the country you might think they would want to prove that they can govern and cooperate. They remind me of the Wall Street bankers who are so in their own world they don’t get how repulsive much of their outlook is to the rest of us.
All the Republican leaders can think of anymore is how to be as negative as possible while they pray that everyone else will fail and return to them. Good luck with that. You would have to be nuts to believe them capable of anything worthwhile again.
Posted by: Liv | February 12, 2009, 6:02 pm 6:02 pm
“Obama did lift Syrian sanctions today and IS sending them money to rebuild their airline industry.”
And He DID do it through … ahem … the Commerce Department:
“News emerged this week that the U.S. Department of Commerce has just approved a license allowing Boeing to go ahead with major overhauls of two 747 jetliners belonging to Syria’s state-owned Syrian Arab Airlines. The administration itself has been coy on the subject. In response to my query, a Commerce spokesman e-mailed a statement that such license requests are granted on a case-by-case basis, and Commerce cannot comment on specific instances.”
– Claudia Rosett, Forbes
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 12, 2009, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm
Obama selects a token Republican to show how wonderfully bipartisan he is.
Then he takes away his most important job in the Commerce and gives it to fellow Chicago thug Emmanuel.
When will Obama realize that everyone will not worship him?
57 million of us new all along that Obama is a big huge fraud.
Posted by: riley | February 12, 2009, 6:04 pm 6:04 pm
Sally: “Angry when a politician stands by his principles.”
Really? Where has Obama given ANY indication of being angry? Do you personally speak for him now?
Posted by: jhw539 | February 12, 2009, 6:04 pm 6:04 pm
riley: “Obama selects a token Republican to show how wonderfully bipartisan he is.”
A third ‘token’ Republican actually, but what’s reality and the truth have to do with Your Opinion?
Posted by: jhw539 | February 12, 2009, 6:06 pm 6:06 pm
Not to be snarky (well, maybe a little bit snarky), but did it perhaps develop that there were some ethical problems (like tax evasion) that might have come up in the confirmation process?
I mean, after all, that has ‘done in’ a few of Obama’s nominees so far.
Posted by: dream | February 12, 2009, 6:06 pm 6:06 pm
The surf at shore froths
Grinding granite into sand.
Just say Nobama.
====================
Posted by: kim | February 12, 2009, 6:08 pm 6:08 pm
Concerned in Ohio – Where did you get your information about Capitol Hill staffers expressing frustration that they can’t get a copy of the stimulus bill agreed to last night at a price of $789 billion, and that K Street lobbyists have copies?
Posted by: algwriter | February 12, 2009, 6:08 pm 6:08 pm
Mr. Gregg supporting Mr. Bush more than Mr. Obama speaks volumes, doesn’t it? I guess torture is OK on Mr. Judd’s moral compass.
Posted by: James | February 12, 2009, 6:09 pm 6:09 pm
Anger management;
Oh, how easy for the O.
Gibbs doth speak for him
========================
Posted by: kim | February 12, 2009, 6:11 pm 6:11 pm
Hyper-partisan? Sounds to me like Gregg is playing according to the rules the Democrats have laid down. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
Gregg apparently believed that his appointment would allow him to have a heard opinion within the White House. When it became obvious to him that it wouldn’t, that he wasn’t nominated for his expertise or valued input but for political reasons, he backed out.
There is nothing wrong with standing on a little principle. Somebody’s got to do it.
Posted by: NPage | February 12, 2009, 6:13 pm 6:13 pm
” … Capitol Hill staffers expressing frustration that they can’t get a copy of the stimulus bill … ”
There’s a Politico piece by Glenn Thrush, “Um the Bill”:
“If the House votes on Friday, as expected, the late posting means the text will be available for less than 24 hours — far short of the 48 hours Dem leaders had previously pledged.”
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 12, 2009, 6:17 pm 6:17 pm
“Concerned in Ohio – Where did you get your information about Capitol Hill staffers expressing frustration that they can’t get a copy of the stimulus bill agreed to last night at a price of $789 billion, and that K Street lobbyists have copies?”
It was an anonymous tip received by Washington Whispers dutifully carried by right wing media outlets.
Posted by: Ryan C | February 12, 2009, 6:17 pm 6:17 pm
Sen. Gregg is too ethical to work for an administration that daily says we’re nearing the great depression but then turns around and lifts the sanctions and gives money to Syria. Look it up — Forbes is carrying the story today complete with White House administration quotes.
Posted by: Frank | February 12, 2009, 6:23 pm 6:23 pm
Shun the sight of that
Ophthalmologist’s evil.
Syria built nukes.
======================
Posted by: kim | February 12, 2009, 6:24 pm 6:24 pm
Gregg’s statement is evidence that republicans are only interested in their own points of view and not the administration they work for, so much for “country first”.
How much of his “change of mind” is from being pounded by the GOP for daring to act in a bipartisan way?
Posted by: JR | February 12, 2009, 6:26 pm 6:26 pm
Gregg pulls out on principle, and all you name-calling Dems can do is berate him for it. Classic. Obama is in WAY over his head, so you just keep holding him up! LOL
Posted by: DeeInHouston | February 12, 2009, 6:54 pm 6:54 pm
The administration may have neglected to inform Senator Gregg that they intended to hijack the census away from Commerce before he accepted the nomination.
Posted by: Bridget | February 12, 2009, 6:57 pm 6:57 pm
Hey jr…..Keep in your mind that NO congressman, Representative or Senator, works for the administration…They work for the people…Those who elected them!!
Posted by: don fallon | February 12, 2009, 7:06 pm 7:06 pm
Maybe Gregg couldn’t stomach that the democrats locked Republicans out of the hearings yesterday. So much for that “transparency” that Obama and Pelosi keep promising.
As of today, Republicans don’t even have a copy of the bill they are expected to vote on. And Obama has gone back on his promise to put legislation up on the WH web site so we can read it. Not that anyone ever believed the liar-in-chief anyway.
Posted by: Rhonda | February 12, 2009, 7:09 pm 7:09 pm
Don’t worry Senator Greg I changed my mind about Obama to. Now I think we should impeach him for he makes things worse.
Posted by: Jerry | February 12, 2009, 7:16 pm 7:16 pm
Odumbo just threw another hissy fit. Look out or he’ll hold his breath until he turns blue!
Gregg probably took a look at what they did to Hillary and decided “no thanks.”
Odumbo told Hillary she would have a major voice in foreign policy. then, after she left the Senate, he buried her, appointing “special envoys” to just about every part of the world bu Siberia! Hillary won’t be able to get into the White House even for a tourist tour!
Posted by: Bubba1984 | February 12, 2009, 7:54 pm 7:54 pm
Slightly off topic, but relevant here…I’ve got it! Forget baseball players, we need to get these congressmen on those performance enhancing drugs…
Posted by: Wendy in OK | February 12, 2009, 8:16 pm 8:16 pm
Obama probably wasn’t nearly as surprised as Gregg was when he found out his Department would be stripped of the Census — after he had agreed to serve. This is no bipartisan administration, it’s a butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-your-mouth charade.
Posted by: JM Hanes | February 12, 2009, 8:20 pm 8:20 pm
Thank God Gregg had enough sense left not to join what will go down in history as one of the WORST administrations ever! I can safely say that Obama will even outdo Carter as the worse. Of course, the fawning media will never admit it, but the American people will. Only after he exists the WH, the country may be beyond repair…
Posted by: Dirty Harry | February 12, 2009, 8:46 pm 8:46 pm
The withdrawn appointment of General Zinni to the ambassador post in Iraq was full of confusion and lack of communication. There are shades of the same confusion in handling the Gregg withdrawl.
Posted by: mad | February 12, 2009, 9:06 pm 9:06 pm
Give old Jed Klampett a whack for me too Gibbs.
Posted by: Omentum | February 12, 2009, 11:45 pm 11:45 pm
Maybe Obama should just bring Governor Richardson back and call it a day. I mean, with all the tax cheats in Obama’s cabinet, who cares about a little old federal investigation into Richardson’s shady dealings?
Posted by: Peach | February 12, 2009, 11:55 pm 11:55 pm
My best friend said: “don’t vote Obama” and now I am facing the reality that I made a huge mistake. He’s a disgrace.
Posted by: Nicole | February 13, 2009, 12:34 am 12:34 am
When Obama was caught meddling in the US Census for 2010, Gregg had enough of him and did not join the Obama admin as any decent person would.
Posted by: Greg h | February 13, 2009, 2:01 am 2:01 am
Did Gregg, upon a last close look before his leap, decide the ideological divide was just too treacherous? Live for a better opportunity Mr. Gregg.
Posted by: picomanning | February 13, 2009, 2:52 am 2:52 am
Mr. Gibbs is Obama’s worse WH’s spokeman.
Sen. Gregg did the right thing.
Posted by: anonymous | February 13, 2009, 5:15 am 5:15 am
This is like watching a train wreck. Obama can’t even vet his cabinet. What does it say about his ability to vet intelligence information when we have an emergency?
Posted by: Ron | February 13, 2009, 7:54 am 7:54 am
Maybe Ashton Kutcher would like the job.I think he took some creepy blood oath to Obama and certainly he doesn’t have appreciably less experience than the king himself.
Posted by: Karen | February 13, 2009, 11:40 am 11:40 am
I and many people who stupidly voted for Obama applaud Senator Gregg. Taking away the census and giving it to an absolute idiot like Emanuel is ridiculous. Many people regret voting for you Oscama , you are an embarrasment to our nation and your fradulent activities are showing every day. Any plans to visit Rezko or Blago and talk about the good old days. I sure their would be cash gifts for you and Rahm if they did not get caught. And as such a proponent of public schools why do your kids go to nice sweet private schools instead of with regular black folk in the public schools of DC? those kids not good enough for you? Absolute disgrace.
Posted by: dtimm | February 13, 2009, 11:57 am 11:57 am
“This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it.
Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government,
they can exercise their Constitutional right of amending it
or their revolutionary right to dismember it or overthrow it.”
- Abraham Lincoln
First Inaugural Address
March 4th, 1861
Posted by: Ron | February 13, 2009, 12:07 pm 12:07 pm
Wouldnt it be nice if people would stop demonizing each of the parties and lets deal with the mess we have like mature and responsible adults…..
Posted by: Richard | February 13, 2009, 12:08 pm 12:08 pm
One more thing for Obama and his Kool Aid drinking idiots who the nation now sees are incompetent and an embarassment in front of the world.
Do not screw up the healthcare system like you were planning on. People who receive healthcare in socialized countries such as Canada and Britain hate the low quality and waste of their government controlled system. It costs them over $300 month as well in taxes for garbage care. I work with nurses from Canada and the head attedning physician in my department. They would actually cross the border everyday to work in the US for a better wage and would constantly berate their system for the garbage it is; citing unreal waiting times for neccesary procedures we can get in America instantly because they are life saving. We in the American hospital across the border have to take care of Canadian patients because they could not get an interventional heart catheterization for an acute heart attack in their country and would be dead if we in America did not perform the procedure in a timely manner?!! It really is unbelievable. We have a great system and the doctors and nurses work very hard for what they earn here. To the idiots in the White House-dont screw it up for American patients which means eventually your family as well.
The country should look to Bobby Jindal in LA. Moving a bloated program like Medicaid from a several hundred million dollar deficit to a surplus is amazing. An outstanding job Gov. Jindal. Your model should be replicated across this nation. Put a copay on Medicaid like everyone else has to pay.
You make something free and people will abuse it. Look at the Medicaid Mom in California with the new 8 kids to add to her other 6 who receive food stamp and disability benefits. Who is going to pay that $1.3 million dollar bill for their care in the hospital? The taxpayers of California? they cant? The rest of the nation then? We cant either you Democratic idiots! This was in the stimulus bill and thankfully the Republicans took this pork and garbage out so we dont have to burden our children with these ludicrous undpaid bills in the future. I used to be a democrat but never again. The pendulum is swinging against them and it is the beginning of the end for the Dems.
Posted by: dtimm | February 13, 2009, 12:36 pm 12:36 pm
What’s with the snarky remarks by the doofus, Robert Gibbs? Senator Gregg gave a very gracious speech, complimenting the Messiah and Gibbs has to throw him under the bus. What a jerk! And, for the record, this guy is the absolutely WORST press secretary we’ve ever had, including the nutwad Scott McClelland!
Posted by: Peggy | February 13, 2009, 1:03 pm 1:03 pm
How refreshing..To see a man, Gregg, not compromise his values just to make history..He refused to vote on Obama’s stimulus bill or go along on Obama’s policies so he did what any person of character would do..he resigned.
Posted by: Parallax View | February 13, 2009, 1:21 pm 1:21 pm
gregg was bullied by the gop that lost the election and several seats in the congress and senate, the gop are acting like a bunch of spoiled brats
Posted by: frankc | February 13, 2009, 1:35 pm 1:35 pm
Blah,Blah,Blah,name calling, jr. high personal attacks = Republicans! You lost folks! get over it and grow up!
Posted by: hallie | February 13, 2009, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm