Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Sioux Nation -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: SiouxPal who wrote (159526)	2/2/2009 5:07:29 PM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 362706

Gregg Open to Commerce Post -- if a Republican Replaces Him / By Anne E. Kornblut and Shailagh Murray The Washington Post Posted at 4:31 PM ET on Feb 2, 2009 Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) appears willing to serve as commerce secretary, on one condition: His replacement in the Senate has to be a Republican. And despite some other recent kerfuffles over Senate vacancies, Gregg is openly demanding a trade-off for his seat. "I have made it clear to the Senate Leadership on both sides of the aisle and to the Governor that I would not leave the Senate if I felt my departure would cause a change in the makeup of the Senate," Gregg said in a statement on Monday. Over the weekend, White House officials said that Gregg was the leading candidate for the commerce department, and that the announcement could come by Monday. It now appears likelier to happen later in the week, aides said. Senate Republicans said they were somewhat mystified by Gregg's potential move. As the ranking GOP senator on the Budget Committee, Gregg could play a potentially pivotal role in budget and entitlement reform, potentially the most challenging items on Obama's ambitious to-do list. But if Gregg takes the Cabinet slot, he would likely be replaced by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), one of the most conservative members of the Senate with a highly partisan track record. Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, declined to answer questions about Gregg during his daily briefing. "Obviously the president has great respect for Senator Gregg. I'm not going to get into personnel announcements before we are there," Gibbs said. "And as it relates to picking senators in states that need new senators, I think you can rest reasonably assured that this administration has had nothing and wants nothing to do with that going forward. And I would bold and underline that." Lynch is widely expected to appoint a Republican to replace Gregg, someone who could be a caretaker in the seat until the next election, in 2010. But Lynch has not officially said so. In a statement on Monday, Lynch said: "We are in the midst of a national economic crisis, and it calls for cooperation on all of our parts. We all need to work together to do what is in the best interest of our country and our state. I have had conversations with Senator Gregg, the White House and the U.S. Senate leadership. Senator Gregg has said he would not resign his seat in the U.S. Senate if it changed the balance in the Senate. Based on my discussions, it is clear the White House and Senate leadership understand this as well." Lynch continued: "It is important that President Obama be able to select the advisers he feels are necessary to help him address the challenges facing our nation."