ABC News? Rick Klein reports: President Obama is going to have to look for a third Cabinet nominee to head the Commerce Department, after Sen. Judd Gregg?s abrupt withdrawal from consideration Thursday afternoon.
Gregg, R-N.H., issued a statement citing ?issues such as the stimulus package and the census there are irresolvable conflicts for me,? and taking the blame upon himself for not working those conflicts out before accepting the nomination last week.
?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,? said Gregg, R-N.H.
The census issue in particular has become a heated one for Republicans. They have been increasing their pressure on Obama over an arrangement the White House announced that would have the census director report to both the Commerce secretary and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
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