Top Items:
CNN:
BREAKING: Gregg withdraws — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire released a statement Thursday withdrawing from consideration to be President Obama's Commerce Secretary. — Full statement follows: — “I want to thank the President for nominating me to serve in his Cabinet as Secretary of Commerce.
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The Politico:
'I couldn't be Judd Gregg' — Republican Sen. Judd Gregg abruptly withdrew his nomination as President Barack Obama's commerce secretary Thursday, telling Politico that he “couldn't be Judd Gregg” and serve in the Cabinet. — The White House - where some aides were caught off guard by the withdrawal …
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Gregg Was Pwned — It gets clearer. When Judd Gregg approached the Obama administration to see if he could be a part of it, he was assuming that his own party wasn't going to adopt a policy of total warfare against the newly elected president in a time of enormous economic peril.
Discussion:
The Atlantic Politics Channel
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
The GOP Has Declared War On Obama — This much is now clear. Their clear and open intent is to do all they can, however they can, to sabotage the new administration (and the economy to boot). They want failure. Even now. Even after the last eight years. Even in a recession as steeply dangerous as this one.
Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Gregg Withdraws as Commerce Nominee — New Hampshire Republican Sen. Judd Gregg has withdrawn his name from consideration as President Obama's commerce secretary, a major blow to an administration seeking to put a series of Cabinet problems behind it. — “It became clear to me to me that …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Washington Monthly, TalkLeft, Shadow Government, Federal Eye and Althouse
Jeff Zeleny / New York Times:
Judd Gregg Withdraws as Commerce Nominee — WASHINGTON — President Obama's choice for commerce secretary, Senator Judd Gregg, withdrew his nomination on Thursday, saying there were “irresolvable conflicts” between him and the administration. — “It has become apparent during this process …
Discussion:
Washington Wire, CBS News, Matthew Yglesias, Open Left, Pajamas Media, ScienceInsider and TPMCafe
David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:
TIMING — According to our Matt Cooper, Gregg called New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch (D) a few hours ahead of releasing his withdrawal statement to alert him. But the White House appeared blindsided by the Gregg withdrawal, according to various reports, so much so that some officials were first learning of the news from reporters.
Discussion:
TigerHawk
The Huffington Post:
Judd Gregg's Refusal To Vote On Stimulus Provokes Firestorm At Home And In Washington — New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg's decision to abstain from voting February 10 on the economic stimulus bill has not only left officials in Washington confused but has provoked a firestorm of protest in his home state.
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Breaking: Gregg withdraws at Commerce; Update: White House gobsmacked?
Breaking: Gregg withdraws at Commerce; Update: White House gobsmacked?
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, The Corner, The Daily Dish, Democracy in America, First Draft, The Campaign Spot, Gateway Pundit and Erick's blog
Amanda Carpenter / Townhall.com:
Gregg is OUT as Commerce Secretary, Will Leave Washington in 2010
Gregg is OUT as Commerce Secretary, Will Leave Washington in 2010
Discussion:
Political Machine
Marc Ambinder / The Atlantic Politics Channel:
The Granite Cracks: Judd Gregg Withdraws
The Granite Cracks: Judd Gregg Withdraws
Discussion:
Portfolio
Byron York / www.dcexaminer.com:
Who will investigate the Obama administration? — The census controversy brings the first test of accountability and oversight in the new administration — Rep. Darrell Issa is not working from a position of strength. As the ranking Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee …
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NPR Blogs:
Juan Williams, NPR and Fox News — Juan Williams. — NPR has more than 400 reporters, editors, producers and analysts on its news team, and none is more of a lightning rod than Juan Williams. But it's usually not for anything he says on NPR. — Williams joined NPR in 2000 …
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, AmSpecBlog, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Media Blog, NewsBusters.org, The Other McCain, TVNewser and The Daily Dish
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Washington Whispers:
Congressional Offices Don't Have the Stimulus Bill, Lobbyists Do — We're receiving E-mails from Capitol Hill staffers expressing frustration that they can't get a copy of the stimulus bill agreed to last night at a price of $789 billion. What's more, staffers are complaining about who does have a copy: K Street lobbyists.
The Huffington Post:
Press, Milbank Protest David Plouffe's Speech — Barack Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe, is slated to appear at the National Press Club to deliver the keynote speech for the Georgetown University and Politico sponsored event “Transition 2009.” Except, before he even took the stage, things started to unravel.
Tahman Bradley / Political Punch:
D'oh! Caterpillar CEO Contradicts President on Whether Stimulus Will Allow Him to Re-Hire Laid Off Workers — EAST PEORIA, ILL. — President Obama today repeated the claim we asked about yesterday at the press briefing that Jim Owens, the CEO of Caterpillar, Inc., “said that if Congress passes our plan …
Washington Times:
Pelosi's mouse slated for $30M slice of cheese — UPDATED: — Talk about a pet project. A tiny mouse with the longtime backing of a political giant may soon reap the benefits of the economic-stimulus package. — Lawmakers and administration officials divulged Wednesday …
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Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
HOW MANY WILL BREAK RANKS?.... By now, the numbers are familiar — zero House Republicans supported the stimulus package when it reached the floor, and only three Senate Republicans voted for it. I've assumed, as have others, that we'd see similar vote totals when the chambers consider the compromise version announced yesterday.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog
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Blue Texan / Firedoglake:
Joe The Plumber Conducts Live Hearing On Long-Term Economic Ramifications Of Stimulus Bill — I guess those clowns at Pajamas Media are gluttons for ridicule (beginning of video here). — After it's over, you must watch Joe's “investigation” of the stimulus bill, in which he shares priceless insights such as,
Mark Tapscott / www.dcexaminer.com:
Obama is headed for a one-term presidency — Well, that didn't take long. — Less than a month ago, Barack Obama was sworn-in as chief executive amid historic promises of “change we can believe in.” But there won't be a second Obama term if he doesn't admit that, no matter how adroitly …
Discussion:
AmSpecBlog
DealBook:
Greenspan Says He Was Mystified by Subprime Market — Alan Greenspan, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, told CNBC in a documentary to be shown Thursday night that he did not fully understand the scope of the subprime mortgage market until well into 2005 and could not make sense …
Michelle Malkin:
Here it is: All 1,434 pages of the porkulus conference report; Detailed spending tables added; More paper waste to come; Update: Look what's back — Scroll for updates...updated with more details, docs... Okay, people. Now, hurry up and digest this entire 1,434 legislative text …
Megan McArdle:
It's just like a gang of white thugs are ransacking my house — THe “evidence” that Arnold Kling is racist rests on two quotes. One seems to have originated with Adam Serwer of TAPPED, and I'm frankly shocked that his magazine let it stand, it's such a grievous selective quotation.