"WTF?" will be an occasional series of entries on Conservative Blogger when a politician does something so mind-boggling, that the first response out of my mouth is...well..."WHAT THE F***?"The inaugural WTF? goes out to the senior Senator from New Hampshire--my Senator--Judd Gregg.
Today, a mere ten days after being nominated to head up the Commerce Department by President Barack Obama, Judd Gregg withdrew from the nomination.
What. The. F***.
Judd Gregg has to be the most politically inept Senator in Washington.
"However, it has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the Census there are irresolvable conflicts for me. Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and other potential differences, but unfortunately we did not adequately focus on these concerns. We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy." ~ Judd Gregg, February 12, 2009.
It's not like the "stimulus package" was a surprise. It absolutely was on the table ten days ago. The Census? I can't believe that he'd give up a cabinet appointment over something as mundane as the U.S. Census.
I also find it incredibly hard to believe that Judd Gregg didn't or wouldn't know what Barack Obama's policies would have been ten days ago to force him into this epiphany. He can't stay on in the cabinet because he doesn't agree with the policies of the Obama Administration, but in the same breath he also believes that he can contribute to Obama's agenda better from the Senate.
WTF?
He can't "be Judd Gregg and serve in that cabinet" but he can support Obama's initiatives in the Senate? Did he really say that? If Gregg and Obama really are "functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy," then how could he accept that appointment in the first place?
In my mind, one of two things has to be true. Either Judd Gregg honestly didn't know what Barack Obama's policies were--which seems completely ludicrous since every Republican and their mother figured it out before he was even elected--or Judd Gregg did not understand the political ramifications on either decision he made.
He's effectively neutered himself politically which is why he's now decided to not seek re-election in 2010 after saying he would run again just days after the November election. Judd Gregg has "lame-ducked" himself in the Granite State with his constituents and he's made himself thoroughly unreliable to his party in Washington.
Many Conservatives this afternoon were congratulating Judd Gregg for "standing on principle," and I don't think that's what he's done here. While at face value it may seem that way, he's emasculated himself politically, in my opinion. Gregg has failed to see the big picture--something that's been a hallmark of his entire political career. Instead, he chose what was best for Judd Gregg either time and not what was best for the citizens of New Hampshire.
The vast majority of people congratulating Judd Gregg today are people who don't have him as their Senator. Those of us who do know that this is just "Vintage Judd."
Way to go, Judd.
Other folks with Judd the Spud coverage:
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