During the Clinton administration, Judd Gregg fought hard to deny the Commerce Secretary the ability to use the latest techniques to ensure the most accurate Census count. The goal of this effort was to make it harder for the Census to count minorities, young people and the poor, groups the Republicans do not view as part of their coalition.
This history should disqualify him from ever serving in a Democratic administration. In this last election, the American people rejected the politics of the Southern Strategy once and for all, and those leaders who have a history of exploiting race for political gain have no place in an Obama administration.
We at NDN are glad to see Senator Gregg go. His withdrawal says much more about the inability of the modern Republican Party to let go of its failed and anachronistic politics than it does about the vetting capacity of this young administration.
crossposted from NDN
How anyone with all those "years of experience" in our government could have thought that, as a cabinet officer, he would not have to actively support the White House agenda is beyond me. Now he can "be his own man" again... and possibly he could just go on home and disappear from history altogeather. We have enough fools in Washington as it it is... too many in fact for these perilous times... especially in the republican party.
This is a win for the Obamas. Another free lesson in "post-partisan" politics. It takes two to tango and the republicans just don't want to dance.
Byron York confirms that it was Rethuglican pressure that forced Gregg out.
From Atlantic.
Byron York confirmed that it was Republican partisan pressure that forced Gregg to pull out. The idea that a Republican could help give Obama cover on entitlement reform and that he would preside over a big increase in Hispanic representation in the Census was too much for the Rovian partisans. Shill Kristol lets the cat out of the bag:
they were worried that clever “post-partisan” or bipartisan tactics by Obama could split and weaken an already uncertain and demoralized GOP.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/02/the-gops-war-on.html
it is self evident that the republicans will just say no to everything Obama asks for. Maybe it is time that Obama's aides and other people in the democratic party give more interviews, write opinion columns and just show how their ideas will work fo the common man, uplift this economy and make life better for everyone; and also compare it to the ideas (or the lack of it) from the republicans.
Everyone has complained that there seems to be a permanent campaign mode in Washington from the time Bush took office. Maybe Obama should keep and mould the campaign mode to a compare and contrast mode.
Basically, shame them to submission!!!
O's strategy is beautiful... give it time... He will keep reaching, keep treating them respectfully, and they will come off looking like cynical political calculators who are willing to bring down everything, the country, the economy, everything, if only their party can regain power.
"The administration then pulled the Census from the control of Commerce in order that it not be politicized" - But pulling it did exactly that, politicized it. Even though it's your politics it doesn't make it any less politicizing.
"if Gregg had approached the administration for purely cynical political reasons." Now it's an "if". You have no clue if he did or didn't.
Totally agree with your last para, but it also, is just your opinion. mine, too.
Think of the campaign....Dems- Obama's campaign machine (nerdy); Repubs- Joe the Plumber, Sarah Palin, rabid, violent crowds etc.
Media....Dems- Rachel Maddow, Keith Olberman, Randy Rhodes etc; Repubs- Rush Limbaugh, Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, etc.
The stimulus package....Dems- trying to do something; Repubs- Trying to intimidate and bully
The Bush administration....you get the point.
The republicans are going to get smashed for the next couple of years until they change their tune and get smarter. The conscience of the people has awakened. They are educating themselves on the political process. Republicans still think the public is stupid, and they run their agenda based on this mindset. It's going to be a fun 4 years.
Note how the heat rose on Rick Warren when he was chosen for the prayer at inauguration. Before, not that many knew of Rick's insanity about gays...afterward, Rick had no where to hide and had to straighten up.
Same thing with Daschle, the "lovable little lout" until all the news came out of his lobbyist ties and tax scoffing. No problem to Obama...he knows how to operate.
When you are this brilliant, not much is going to get by you...and when you have this much heart, not much is going to stop you...Gobama.
Gregg is too old to claim that he's been struggling to find his true self against the Obama backdrop. Please. This guy's no teen-ager. He either knows exactly what he's doing in a tactical sense, or he's batshit crazy and attained his esteemed political position through means that do not demand rationality and maturity.
I think it is far more important to have someone in charge of Commerce that will reflect the principles that Obama ran on, basically, time to look out for the lower and middle class and avoid a Secretary who will simply be a lobbyist for big business, been there done that.
This was a very annoying selection for most liberal democrats and I am happy to see him resign.