Gregg "Lobbied" for the Position initially, meaning he's Confused, Undecisive or was BlackMailed!

[FrenchieCat]

He obviously is a wishy washy guy.

Perhaps he was threatened by his Republican "Brothers" that if stayed on, information might be revealed to make him look bad.

He looks bad anyways.

The media will try to spin as a negative for the Obama administration, but they have nowhere to go with that story, although they will try.

[demo dutch]

1. I'm sure he got enormous pressure from the GOP to quit

[FrenchieCat]

2. Then he was weak.....cause when you lobby for a position, means you want it.....

and if you wanted something badly enough, to retreat from your decision publicly like this means you felt you had no choice.....which points to blackmail. No heads up to the WH, means lack of manners on top of it.

[demo dutch]

19. They must have found something on him ... more dirt from Abramoff?

[Cha]

21. He's very weak and wouldn't be good

as Commerce Sec. I think it's the Universe working in mysterious ways again.

[Window]

25. You know it.

[annabanana]

3. Just another confused old republican't.. like McCain

The creakiness never ends over there, does it?

[K Gardner]

4. We need to start digging. There's something else here other than a spineless thug. Someone has

something on him and they're using it. Sounds Rovian.

[demo dutch]

9. One of his aides was tied to Abramoff see link

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view/2009_02_04_Former_Gregg_staffer_caught_up_in_Abramoff_corruption_probe/

[Barack_America]

11. It was me. Here's a source.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/washingtonpostinvestigations/2009/02/former_gregg_staffer_may_be_li.html

[demo dutch]

14. just found this link too

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view/2009_02_04_Former_Gregg_staffer_caught_up_in_Abramoff_corruption_probe/

[K Gardner]

16. Staffer F left Gregg's office 4 years ago. Not sure this would be enough to make Judd drop

out. I still smell GOP Operatives behind this.

[demo dutch]

17. maybe there was more to it??

[Bluerthanblue]

33. i think there is something more substantial- I also think that

the republicans couldn't have liked the fact that Pres. Obama's choice of him showed him (the pres.) to be much more sincere on the issue of bipartisan cooperation. Barack has pointed out that the repubs talk about wanting 'change/to work together' while refusing to actually DO so. This should be seen as more proof of just that.

[starroute]

34. I found this in my files linkng him to Abramoff

It's not clear from the quote whether Abramoff was an organizer or just along for the perks -- but since Abramoff later sponsored his own trips to St. Andrews, he might have been a major factor. I'll see if I can find more.


http://www.firedupamerica.com/abramoff_ashcroft

In September of 1999, Congress Daily reported that Senator John Ashcroft was among a group of six Senators and a few dozen lobbyists who took part in a NRSC sponsored trip to St. Andrews, Scotland.

According to National Journal, Abramoff was among the lobbyists who attended.

"Numerous duffer/donors were on the invite list for the trans-Atlantic trek, including Washington lobbyists Jack Abramoff and Steve Hart, National Rifle Association Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, and a bevy of corporate and trade group executives, including representatives of AT&T, Bacardi-Martini Inc., Bell Atlantic, BellSouth, BP Amoco, Brown and Williamson, Fannie Mae, the Southern Co., Sprint, United Airlines, and UST Inc. Among the GOP senators joining the lobbyists were Majority Whip Nickles, NRSC Chairman Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Murkowski and Sens. John Ashcroft of Missouri and Judd Gregg of New Hampshire."


On edit -- here's a little more about the event. It's not enough to tie Gregg directly to Abramoff -- but it does suggest he was among the group of GOP senators that Abramoff was trying to ingratiate himself with at the time.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/28/AR2005122801588_pf.html

In the Senate, Abramoff befriended Republicans and their staffers, along with some Democrats on the appropriations committees. In August 1999, he signed up for the National Republican Senatorial Committee's "Tartan Invitational," in which a half-dozen Republican senators and their aides spent a few days with about 50 lobbyists golfing at the exclusive St. Andrews Links in Scotland.

The following year, Abramoff figured out how to use his clients to fund his own trips to St. Andrews with lawmakers. The first guests were DeLay and his aides.

[Parker CA]

5. They've already tried. Suggesting the move shows how tough the pukes believe Obama is to work with.

Pathetic spin. They will hit a brick wall with this. Convenient they did this while Obama and his key press team was in IL speaking about the benefit of the stimulus. Once they are back in DC and ready to respond, the truth will begin to become clear.

[Life Long Dem]

6. All depends on who pulls his strings - I guess?

Maybe Obama is playing it safe and let the strings go. Then the repubs took over the act.

[demo dutch]

7. blackmailed by the GOP to drop out?

[Mme. Defarge]

8. Blackmailed or extorted --

he's toast.

[jenmito]

10. John Harwood: "This is a big blow to the Obama administration." n/t

[Barack_America]

12. So stay tuned!

:eyes:

[ErinBerin84]

13. yeah, that pissed me off

But then it started to sound more like he meant "Bad sign of things to come, they aren't going to cooperate on ANYTHING, like health care reform". THe media can STFU about bipartisanship, Obama HAS been trying, it's a two way street.

[Jane Austin]

15. Jane Austin to John Harwood: Bite me.

Mostly, nobody cares who the Commerce Secretary is.

This is a win/win for Obama.

Judd Gregg looks both wishy-washy and stubborn. President Obama looks like the generous guy he is and demonstrates once again that he is not afraid of people disagreeing with him.

[City Lights]

28. How predictable!

:puke:

[Cha]

18. No way does this make Obama look

anything but having tried to reach out to repubocons and getting snubbed on some bullshit "stimulus bill" reason.

And, since gregg lobbied for it..it makes him look even more indecisive..we're so fortunate he withdrew his name.

[Fleshdancer]

20. Gregg: The Ross Perot of commerce

:rofl:

[firedupdem]

22. Tweety: loosey goosey census that democrats like because

it counts more democrats.

What the fuck is up with these idiots? Fuck this guy, he's a repub piece of shit. He's the only pick I couldn't figure out anyway. Let him go, fuck these obstructionist assholes. They look bad, not my President.

[Vinca]

23. He made a point of saying it was nothing about the vetting, so . . .

maybe it's something about the vetting. He's a POS (and my senator). I can't stand him.

[Phx_Dem]

24. No matter how you slice, Gregg looks really bad. Weak, a liar or hiding something.

[Life Long Dem]

26. Yeah, Gregg is toast.

He's out in 2010.

[City Lights]

27. Smells fishy to me.

It'll be interesting to watch more information come out.

[windbreeze]

29. blackmailed fits for me..

but on some sites I visit, there's been much controversy over Obama taking the census away from the Dept of Commerce....seems there's lots of people worried about what Obama intends to do with those particular statistics...I read some stuff that left me with my head spinning...as I am thinking, are these people for real???.....wb

[annabanana]

30. one more rec . . . . . n/t

[Bluerthanblue]

31. I think the repubs have dirt on him, and threatened him- I also

think the statement from the WH saing that he approached them, is going to make it very hard for him to save face.

I'm native NH and looking forward to his being out of the senate permenantly- but he wouldn't have been good in the Obama admin. either.

[Born_A_Truman]

32. Looks like he did Obama a favor then

I haven't read the spin on this but my first impression was it almost looks like he wants to make Obama look bad. He comes off looking like a WATB. Did he really think he wasn't expected to adhere to Obama's policies?

[Kahuna]

35. Or..he intentionally only wanted the job to "finesse" the census. nt

[Divine Discontent]

36. you mean indecisive - and yes, I go with that one... the comment from McCONnell says it all

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) praised Gregg's decision as "principled" and added: "It's great to have him back."

He was hammered by his 'friends' for being a turncoat. Heaven's forbid they act in the best interests of the country and help the president accomplish what the nation JUST elected him to do!

[AlinPA]

37. If Gregg had any rapport with Gov. Lynch and Bonnie Newman he lost it with his lie.

No trust there anymore. Likewise in the senate- if he had any rapport with Democrats he damaged it.

[Divine Discontent]

38. I'm going with indecisive and weak - y'know --- like a GOPer! the comment from McCONnell says it all

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) praised Gregg's decision as "principled" and added: "It's great to have him back."

He was hammered by his 'friends' for being a turncoat. Heaven's forbid they act in the best interests of the country and help the president accomplish what the nation JUST elected him to do!

[Raine]

39. Blackmailed or payed off

would be my guess, somthing stinks here. x(