Yes, the Judd Gregg story is still driving me nuts. All indications are that Gregg will be named as Commerce Secretary today, which means Gov. Lynch will name a Republican to replace him. The thing that bothers me the most is that Obama needs a fiscal conservative Republican in his cabinet more than he needs 60 Dems in the Senate right now, which makes less and less sense to me the more I think about it.
Yes, the logical assumption is that there's some sort of major deal here, and there's several theories behind what that deal (or deals) may be. But the bottom line is this: the Obama administration has done a lousy, lousy job selling the stimulus package to the American people and instead has chosen to sell it to the GOP. The Republicans know two things, that a majority of Americans increasingly hate any idea of a stimulus package whatsoever, and that if they filibuster it and block it, the GOP can honestly claim they are doing America's will as the brave resistance.
What is Obama getting from Gregg that he specifically needs Gregg for? It's not 60 votes in the Senate. It's not a strong progressive voice in Commerce. If he blows the stimulus package and the GOP blocks it (and the GOP has to block it, they have no choice now as they have repeatedly portrayed the bill as "something they can't vote for") it's not going to really matter what Gregg does in Commerce, Obama's administration looks like a bunch of losers and the Village will forever push the notion that the GOP saved America from the Liberal Menace Of Nancy And Harry.
Who knows? Is Obama a genius, or is he getting completely owned by the Republicans on this? Obama cut some sort of deal? Great. Why is Obama cutting deals with the GOP in the first place? Why is Obama acting like he lost when supposedly "I won?" What's with the contrite act?
Obama's playing by the rules, by a code of honor. The GOP is playing to destroy the Democratic Party and establish a permanent rulership of what's left of the country. Who's the bigger fool here?
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