Couuld Warren Rudman be a placeholder for Gregg's seat?

[Perky]

He is a Republican I know but you have to know that Gregg is getting tremendouse pressure to stay right where he is and Gov Lynch is a moderate Dem
Rudman would placeate the deficit hawks in both parties and is reveared. He has a propensity to reach across the aisle as well.


He is too old to run on his own in 2010 so he would only be a place golder. the fillibuster-proof senate is a bit of a cunard anyway. SInce there are rarely party line votes and there are some republicans who will want to horsetrade to block a fillibuster.

[Captain Hilts]

1. Good choice!

[geek tragedy]

2. A deficit hawk when we're voting on a stimulus package.

No effing thanks.

[grantcart]

12. He was a deficit hawk when it made more sense to be one

Many such hawks have a completely different point of view when a possible depression looms.


For the record (and I hate "for the record remarks") I have a lot more respect for Republican deficit hawks than for the Republicans who created massive deficits by huge tax breaks for the rich.

[karynnj]

3. You might be right

He also is currently allied with American Security Project, which is a bipartisan think tank that was founded by people like John Kerry. The current chairman is Gary Hart. (Remember the report on terrorism written by Hart and Rudman?) It is interesting that Mitchell, Craig and Dr Susan Rice are also involved with this. An author of Gramm/Rudman would certainly be liked by the deficit hawks - the question might be whether he sees the need for stimulus in times like this.

Here's a link - http://www.americansecurityproject.org/about/board_of_directors

[lapfog_1]

4. A deficit hawk in the single stupidest person

to have at a time of a great depression.

Deficits are EXACTLY what the government should be doing. Big massive deficits.

Our problem has been in the non-depression years, we didn't run up a surplus and eliminate the debt.

[ClarkUSA]

5. Any Democratic governor who'd put a Republican in place should be voted out.

I hope Team O is making sure the governor knows that a Democrat would be a smarter long-term political choice
for the governor's party and for the nation. NH Republicans had their chance for eight years and they fucked it up.

[grantcart]

13. I disagree. If he takes out an incumbent Senator who has a good chance for reelection

and puts in an obvious place holder that is going to be a very weak candidate then it is still a change for the better, especially if that is the only way to get the incumbent out.

There is a side effect here. If Gregg leaves and it is almost certain that the Democrats are going to pick up that seat then there are going to be more and more incumbent Republican Senators who will start retiring as they have no interest in staying around as a permanent minority when they can't even stop a filibuster.

Once we get to 60 several Republican Senators who don't really like the fundraising, etc. will simply give up.

[ClarkUSA]

18. Let's skip all that and appoint a Democrat. I can't believe it's even being considered...

... unless Gregg is making that conditional to his leaving the Senate, which is pure conjecture at this point, '
probably spread by the RNC in order to pressure the governor.

[Bluerthanblue]

19. you don't know Gregg. I'd love to see him

lose his stranglehold on his seat- Even though he'd suck at Sec. of Commerce. As for your comment on Lynch- he's not a very strong Dem, but he's a HELL of a lot better than the fool he replaced- (Benson) And better than any republican who has run against him. Gregg has name recognition, and was gov- and is the son of a gov. His seat is pretty well entrenched.

[ClarkUSA]

22. I know enough but thanks for the extra info. I'd love to him leave the Senate, too.

Because I'd like to see a Democrat appointed to replace him and reach 60 in the Senate. Commerce Secretary is a second-tier
job and he'll be harmless there because he'll have to support the POTUS.

[grantcart]

24. Not conjecture at all. It is widely reported that the governor and Gregg, who are friends

have had several direct conversations about it already.

[Thrill]

6. It makes no sense to give the job to Gregg. If there isn't a Dem to replace him. NONE. No reason

[elocs]

9. Since it makes no sense to give the job to Gregg, doe that mean that Obama has no sense?

It would be my guess that there just might be an outside chance that Obama knows what he is doing if he is considering Gregg.

[nichomachus]

7. A Republican is a Republican is a Republican

none of them can be trusted. It's a party of traitors.

[floridablue]

8. That is one of Harry Truman's quotes isn't it?

Something like, if it talks like a Republican it must be a Republican, or something to that effect.

[AtomicKitten]

10. Lynch should appoint a Democrat because he can. n/t

[PBS Poll-435]

11. Might jeopardize the high approval rating that he is so f'ing proud of.

:shrug:

[SoxFan]

15. Preach it!

:yourock:

[SoxFan]

16. Lynch isn't a Democrat, he's a "Democrat"

Endorses Republican state senators, proposes a cockamamie scheme that underfunds public education, rolls over for the utility companies, works behind the scenes to weaken lobbyist disclosure requirements...

[AtomicKitten]

17. Doesn't matter what kind of Democrat Lynch is, it matters who he appoints.

This may be one of those rubber meets the road moments for Lynch where he proves exactly where he stands ideologically and politically.

[Bluerthanblue]

20. wish I believed he'd have the backbone to appoint a Dem-

but I'd be very surprised. It would be a really smart move on his part though, because I don't think he's going to have an easy time getting re-elected if he has any real competition next time around. Hope he surprises us if he gets the chance to prove himself though!

:hi:

[AtomicKitten]

21. I'm a big fan of tilting the balance of Congress

in this case ----> a Democratic filibuster-proof majority.

Hey, we can dream! :hi:

[SoxFan]

14. While I respect Rudman...

he is a very, very partisan Republican on most day-to-day matters, and would be a pain in the ass for Obama.

The conventional wisdon here in New Hampshire is that Lynch would appoint Walter Peterson, the 70-someting year old former governor who chaired "Republicans for Lynch". He's a "pelvic liberal", but I don't trust him at all.

[CitizenLeft]

23. I don't live in NH, so I don't know a lot about Rudman...

...but what I do remember is his very harsh remarks to Ollie North during the Iran Contra hearings. He gave him hell, and I've respected him ever since. From what I remember, he got out of politics because he got sick of all the partisanship. If that's true, I think he'd be a great pick, if it must be a Republican.