".....GOooooooooooooooooooooooooo GDubya...."!!! Continuing the avoidance of Beltway Boobs....
Bush to Nominate Neb Gov as Ag SecretaryThu Dec 2, 2004 10:55 AM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush will nominate Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns to be the next U.S. agriculture secretary, farm industry and administration sources said on Thursday.
Johanns, 54, is a Republican now serving his second term as governor.
The White House said it would announce Bush's choice to head the $80 billion U.S. Agriculture Department at 11:30 a.m. EST (1630 GMT).
"They say it's Gov. Johanns in Nebraska," one farm industry source said. Another lobbyist said, "it's true" when asked if Johanns would be the nominee.
However, aides to Johanns in Nebraska said they knew nothing about his nomination.
"I have no knowledge that he's being appointed as ag secretary," said Larry Bare, chief of staff for Johanns in Lincoln. "Our phones are ringing off the hook, I can tell you that."
Johanns, born in Iowa and raised on a dairy farm, earned his law degree from Creighton University in Omaha. After clerking for the Nebraska Supreme Court, he practiced law with a private firm.
He began his political career in the 1980s with election to a county board of commissioners then the Lincoln city council. In 1991, he served the first of two terms as mayor of Lincoln.
As governor, he was an outspoken supporter of ethanol and sought to promote value-added agriculture. He led trade delegations to Japan, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Australia, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil and Chile.
Johanns also fought for federal assistance to Nebraska farmers during recent years of severe drought that parched crops and forced ranchers to sell off cattle.
Johanns has two children and is married to Stephanie Johanns, a former state senator.
reuters.com
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