In Which Zandar Answers Your Burning Questions

Tim over at Balloon Juice asks:

I get why Obama would tap Republican Sen. Judd Gregg (NH) for Commerce. Democrats get a 60 vote majority in the Senate, Obama gets bipartisan cred and a vetted Commmerce nominee who seems like a reasonable guy. That’s fine, but why does Gregg want the job?

It does seem like a rather nifty coup. New Hampshire Governor John Lynch, a Democrat, would then appoint a Democrat to Judd Gregg's seat, giving the Dems 60 votes in the Senate (once Al Franken is seated). So why would Gregg basically cut the GOP's throat in the Senate like that?

Whatever the pluses (e.g., he escapes a radicalized caucus that hates and abuses moderates like him), Gregg can look forward to the kind of hate that only Jim Jeffords and a sick twelve year old kid can possibly understand.

Before Judd Gregg makes up his mind, I suggest that he sit down with Graeme Frost and talk about living as a magnet for hysterical rightwing hate.

I've said before that since the GOP insists on doubling down on its massive losses, GOP moderates will simply leave the party. Gregg's been given the perfect opportunity to do so. Why shoudn't he take it? As a moderate Republican Senator, they right wingers will already hate him.

It's the wrong question, however. The one you should be asking is "If Judd Gregg voted against the EFCA, Ledbetter, and SCHIP on multiple occasions and as recently as the last couple weeks in the case of SCHIP and Ledbetter, why is he even in the running for the position?"

Honestly, what the hell business does Gregg have being Commerce Secretary if he doesn't believe in something as simple as equal pay for women? (Which is now law of the land, by the way).