Gregg pulls out of nomination - NOT ENOUGH TAX CUTS

[Padfoot]

Maybe Lincoln Chafee could move to NH and then Lynch could appoint him.  That doesn't seem like a terrible compromise candidate to me.

[© tweed]

Lynch doesn't seem to be that kind of partisan hardball player and Gregg could almost certainly get what he wants if he requests it as part of the deal, so why wouldn't he

because he might not want to risk several hundreds of thousands of dollars so the Republicans can have 41 seats instead of 40.


and a governor appointing a member of the same party =/= partisan hardball

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Maybe Lincoln Chafee could move to NH and then Lynch could appoint him.  That doesn't seem like a terrible compromise candidate to me.

Except it's not only blatant carpetbagging, it's carpetbagging for an APPOINTMENT.

[Sam Spade]

Haven't touched this thread until now, but I think I should.

Folks, Gregg is not going to accept the post unless a Republican is named to replace him and he will likely insist that he gets to name who the Republican is.  Gregg is no idiot, nor turncoat. 

It is certainly possible that the person would be a placewarmer for two years.  That might be part of the compromise.

Any other potential scenarios are just wishful dreaming.

[Brittain33]

he will likely insist that he gets to name who the Republican is.  Gregg is no idiot, nor turncoat. 

That's a distinction without a difference, given that there are no longer any high-profile Republicans in the state. If Gregg gets to name his successor, he's either going to be a seat-warmer for all intents and purposes or one of his children.

A Gregg appointment under any circumstances is good news for the Democrats. The only matter for discussion is how good the news is. Even if he stays in office, he's voting like a Democrat now.

[perdedor]

Democrats, I wouldn't be too excited about the possibility of Lynch getting to appoint a successor to Gregg. Lynch isn't the most progressive of the Democrats...

Even if Lynch appoints a Rethuglican, he or she still won't be as strong as Gregg and thus much easier to knock out in 2010. Honestly, there really is no way to defeat Gregg sans Lynch but any other thug would be beatable.

Gregg isn't unbeatable, the last poll I saw only had him leading Hodes by seven points. Either way, I'm less worried about Lynch appointing a Republican than I am about him finding some DINO to drop in the seat until hell freezes over.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Democrats, I wouldn't be too excited about the possibility of Lynch getting to appoint a successor to Gregg. Lynch isn't the most progressive of the Democrats...

Even if Lynch appoints a Rethuglican, he or she still won't be as strong as Gregg and thus much easier to knock out in 2010. Honestly, there really is no way to defeat Gregg sans Lynch but any other thug would be beatable.

Gregg isn't unbeatable, the last poll I saw only had him leading Hodes by seven points. Either way, I'm less worried about Lynch appointing a Republican than I am about him finding some DINO to drop in the seat until hell freezes over.

True, as the Republican party really stops being any sort of viable alternative party, bad Democrats will get away with more and more. It was a lot of work to narrowly primary Joe Lieberman, primarying Democrats doesn't usually work. The liberal base does not have the power to do these kinds of things. Trash like Lipinski and Bill Jefferson survived primaries.

[Sam Spade]

he will likely insist that he gets to name who the Republican is.  Gregg is no idiot, nor turncoat. 

That's a distinction without a difference, given that there are no longer any high-profile Republicans in the state. If Gregg gets to name his successor, he's either going to be a seat-warmer for all intents and purposes or one of his children.

A Gregg appointment under any circumstances is good news for the Democrats. The only matter for discussion is how good the news is. Even if he stays in office, he's voting like a Democrat now.

You may view it as a distinction without a difference, but that will be part of the terms if it does happen.

There's nothing that says that both of our points can't fit together either, actually. 

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Sen. McConnell said, on CBS Face the Nation, that Sen Gregg assures him that if he takes the position it will not change the composition of the Senate. So there might be some kind of deal btw Obama/Lynch/Gregg.

[justfollowingtheelections]

If Republicans were in the same position Obama and Lynch are, they would have never made such a deal.

[TheresNoMoney]

If Republicans were in the same position Obama and Lynch are, they would have never made such a deal.

True, although no Republican president would ever appoint a Democrat in the first place.

I love how Democrats are expected to be bi-partisan but Republicans are not.

[Brittain33]

If Republicans were in the same position Obama and Lynch are, they would have never made such a deal.

True, although no Republican president would ever appoint a Democrat in the first place.

I love how Democrats are expected to be bi-partisan but Republicans are not.

John Breaux turned down the appointment to Sec. of Energy rather than be replaced by a Republican. There haven't been any other examples.

Really, I think both parties would behave the same way in this kind of situation.

[Daniel Adams]

If Republicans were in the same position Obama and Lynch are, they would have never made such a deal.

True, although no Republican president would ever appoint a Democrat in the first place.

Incorrect. See, for instance, Norman Mineta, Secretary of Transportation.

[justfollowingtheelections]

If Republicans were in the same position Obama and Lynch are, they would have never made such a deal.

True, although no Republican president would ever appoint a Democrat in the first place.

I love how Democrats are expected to be bi-partisan but Republicans are not.

John Breaux turned down the appointment to Sec. of Energy rather than be replaced by a Republican. There haven't been any other examples.

Really, I think both parties would behave the same way in this kind of situation.

That's our point.  He had to turn down the cabinet appointment because he would have been replaced by a republican.  The GOP would not make a deal to replace him with another member of his own party.

[Brittain33]

If Republicans were in the same position Obama and Lynch are, they would have never made such a deal.

True, although no Republican president would ever appoint a Democrat in the first place.

I love how Democrats are expected to be bi-partisan but Republicans are not.

John Breaux turned down the appointment to Sec. of Energy rather than be replaced by a Republican. There haven't been any other examples.

Really, I think both parties would behave the same way in this kind of situation.

That's our point.  He had to turn down the cabinet appointment because he would have been replaced by a republican.  The GOP would not make a deal to replace him with another member of his own party.

But if Obama hadn't made the deal (which we assume he has), then Gregg wouldn't have accepted it. It's all the same. I'm sure we could imagine a mirror scenario with Arnold Schwarzenegger promising to appoint a D Senator if McCain invited Feinstein into his Cabinet. I really don't think there's any double standard here. Any difference is accounted for by the nature of partisan politics in the particular state.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

On Meet the Press, Sen Kay Bailey Hutchinson(R-TX) said that Gregg would never accept unless he knew for sure he would be replaced by a Republican.

[Verily]

On Meet the Press, Sen Kay Bailey Hutchinson(R-TX) said that Gregg would never accept unless he knew for sure he would be replaced by a Republican.

Of course the other Republican Senators will say that. And it may well be true. But, more likely, it's just an attempt to put pressure on Gregg to actually include that stipulation. Unless Gregg says it, it's all politics.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

On Meet the Press, Sen Kay Bailey Hutchinson(R-TX) said that Gregg would never accept unless he knew for sure he would be replaced by a Republican.

Of course the other Republican Senators will say that. And it may well be true. But, more likely, it's just an attempt to put pressure on Gregg to actually include that stipulation. Unless Gregg says it, it's all politics.

May very well be the truth. I was wondering why they didn't just interview Gregg and ask him directly.

[Keystone Phil]

So what happens if Obama doesn't push for a Republican (or even an Independent) to replace Gregg? Curious how Obama's first choice (Snowe) was another Republican from a New England state with a Democratic Governor.

Hmmmm...think he'll admit that he might not actually really care if Gregg gets the spot and admit that this was just some hack move to get 60 Democrats?

[Ronnie]

I'm afraid that the appointed Republican will not have the gravitas of Judd Gregg, thus losing reelection in a Democratic leaning state.  Paul Hodes should be able to beat pretty much any Republican other than Gregg.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

If the Republicans insist on having Gregg replaced with a Republican, how about David Souter?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I don't understand why Gregg, anyways. If for some crazy hair-brained reason Obama wants to appoint a Senate Republican to Commerce, Grassley would be better, anyways.

[Lunar]

Gregg is competent and is not the "Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging"

I'm afraid that the appointed Republican will not have the gravitas of Judd Gregg, thus losing reelection in a Democratic leaning state.  Paul Hodes should be able to beat pretty much any Republican other than Gregg.

The appointed person, should they be a Republican, will almost inevitably be a liberal/moderate Republican who won't be able to survive a serious primary challenge and has a good chance to old enough that they'll simply be a seatwarmer for an open seat.

A liberal Republican is a concession to the GOP without Lynch having to give up on his ideals

[Joe Republic]

If the Republicans insist on having Gregg replaced with a Republican, how about David Souter?

Why would Souter want to take a $40k pay cut?

[Lunar]

McConnell just stated "Senator Gregg has told me that if he were to take this appointment, it would not alter the makeup of the Senate in terms of the majority and the minority,"