Gregg Expects to Vote ‘No’ on Stimulus,Downplays Concerns Over Census

ABC News’ Teddy Davis reports:

<img src=”http://plsdontcallme.info/wp3/wp-content/uploads/gregg-expects-to-vote-no-on-stimulusbrdownplays-concerns-over-census-1.jpg&#8221; alt=”Gregg Expects to Vote No on Stimulus,
Downplays Concerns Over Census” title=”Gregg Expects to Vote No on Stimulus,
Downplays Concerns Over Census” />

 

Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., withdrew from consideration for Commerce Secretary at a Feb. 12, 2009, press conference on Capitol Hill.
Ferdous Al-Faruque/ ABC News 

Barack Obama’s erstwhile pick to run the Commerce Department said Friday he expects to vote against the president?s stimulus package when it comes to a vote in the United States Senate.

“I presume I will be, yes,” Gregg told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” when asked if he would be voting against the stimulus. “I haven’t made a final statement on that, but that’s philosophically where I probably am.”

Gregg discussed his inclination to vote against the president’s stimulus plan one day after announcing that he was withdrawing his name from consideration to be United States Secretary of Commerce.

In a written statement released Thursday, Gregg identified the stimulus and the census as two “irresolvable conflicts” with the Obama administration. But when Gregg was specifically asked at a Thursday press conference how he would vote on the stimulus, he deflected, saying, “Well, can I save that for tomorrow when we vote on the stimulus bill?”

Back on Feb. 4, Gregg said that he would not be voting on the stimulus bill, or any other legislation, while he was under consideration for Commerce Secretary.

In Friday’s CNBC interview, Gregg critiqued the stimulus by saying that a “tactical error” was made in allowing “the appropriators” to write it. He said this made it “unfocused” and “disjointed” although he also said that the stimulus has gotten better as it has gone forward.

Asked how the stimulus could be re-worked in order to win his support, Gregg said: “They don’t need to rework it now. They got their votes.”

When asked if White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel was going to try to “hijack” the census for partisan purposes, Gregg said: “That’s a good question. We’ll have to see what happens. The way it was explained to me was that it was — the census would still report to the Commerce Secretary, but the White House wanted to have a major interest in the census process also.”

Asked if he felt comfortable with that, Gregg said, “I actually hadn?t concluded as to how that was going to play out, to be honest with you. I thought that when I got there, I could probably straighten that out if it was a problem.”

He then added that he was “a little surprised, in fact, disappointed, that some of the groups basically prejudged” his ability to manage the Commerce Department before he even got there.

When Obama first nominated Gregg to head the Commerce Department, the Congressional Black Caucus and an organization representing Hispanic elected officials publicly raised questions about whether Gregg could be trusted not to undercount minorities.

In his CNBC interview, Gregg voiced confidence in Ken Pruitt, the person whom the White House has proposed to manage the census. Gregg worked with Pruitt in 2000 when the New Hampshire senator chaired a congressional committee with oversight over the Commerce Department.

“I thought he did an excellent job,” said Gregg. “I think the people in place will do a good census, and we?ll have to wait and see.”

Update: Gregg: ‘Stimulus Measure Falls Short’

At 5:49 pm ET, Gregg released an official statement, “Stimulus Measure Falls Short,” explaining why he decided to vote against the stimulus bill on Friday evening.

See below for the full text of Gregg’s written statement:

“Our country is facing one of the greatest economic challenges of our lifetime, and I believe sizable action is needed to help our economy begin moving forward again. Today, the American people are worried about their jobs, home values, retirement savings, and Main Street businesses, and we need an economic plan that brings immediate relief, creates jobs, and strengthens American production to get our nation back on course.”

“However, I am concerned that this so-called stimulus bill falls short of what is needed. What was initially advertised as a well-intended effort to boost economic growth has become sidetracked by misplaced spending and lack of attention to the true problems facing the nation, especially housing. Massive amounts of money will be spent years after this bill is signed into law, thereby undermining claims that it is stimulative. Also, the bill?s tax relief provisions will not adequately spur investment and business activity, which are critical for job creation and economic growth.”

“This bill, therefore, is not timely, targeted, and temporary, which is what a stimulus bill should be. And with a deteriorating budget situation, we cannot afford a proposal that will saddle future generations with massive amounts of debt with little to show for it in return.”

ABC News’ Z. Byron Wolf and Ferdous Al-Faruque contributed to this report.

Politics Live: Gregg Out of the Running, Obama in Need of Commerce Secy.

Republican Sen. Judd Gregg’s withdrawal from consideration for the commerce secretary post adds another hiccup to President Obama’s transition plan.

The New Hampshire senator announced Thursday evening during a press conference on Capitol Hill that he would not be a “good fit” for the Obama administration.

“For me, I just realized as these issues started to come at us, and they started to crystallize, that it really wasn’t a good fit. And that I wouldn’t be comfortable doing this and that it wouldn’t be fair to be part of a team and not be able to be 100 percent on the team,” said Gregg.

So, who is left with egg on his face? Tune into Friday’s edition for Politics Live for more details on what the political stumbles will mean for Obama.

Census, Stimulus Differences End Gregg Bid

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.

Judd Gregg Won’t Vote on Stimulus

ABC News’ Jon Karl Reports: Here’s one Republican vote President Obama won’t get for his stimulus bill.

In an interview today with CNBC, Senator Judd Gregg said he won’t be voting on the economic stimulus bill. He’ll remain a Senator until he gets confirmed as Commerce Secretary, which likely won’t happen for several weeks, but, he told CNBC, “I’ve recused myself from voting during the pendency of my nomination.”

That’s too bad for Obama. Gregg is one of the very few Republicans who seemed like he was poised to vote in favor of the bill. “I’ve been supportive of a very robust stimulus package from day one,” Gregg said in the interview. “I think this economy has to have a major stimulus initiative because the only person — the only group that’s got liquidity around here is the federal government.”

REGAN: You have a lot of influence within the Republican Party. You’ve — you’ve been a senator for many years. With that in mind, how — how might your connections and your influence help or shape the stimulus bill as it now stands in the Senate?

GREGG: Well, I’m not really engaged in the stimulus bill. I think we need one. We need a robust one. I think the one that’s pending is in the range that we need.

I do believe that it’s a good idea to do it at two levels, which this bill basically does, which is immediate stimulus and then long- term initiatives which actually improve our competitiveness and our productivity.

But this — I’m — I haven’t been appointed, so…

REGAN: So will you be voting then?

GREGG: No, actually, I’ve recused myself from voting during the pendency of my nomination

Senate Republican Leader: Gregg’s Exit Won’t Change Senate Makeup

ABC News’ Tahman Bradley reports: Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” this morning that Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., has assured him that if he leaves the Senate to fill the vacant Commerce Secretary post in the Obama administration that New Hampshire’s governor would replace him with someone who would caucus with the Republicans.

“Sen. Gregg has assured me that if this were to happen, if it were to happen, it would not change the makeup of the Senate. In other words, whoever is appointed to replace him would caucus with Senate Republicans so I think it would have no impact on the balance of power in the Senate,” said the Kentucky senator.

Gregg is believed to be President Barack Obama’s top candidate for the vacant Commerce Secretary post.

There was concern among Republicans that New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch (D) might appoint a Democrat to replace Gregg, which would give Democrats a filibuster-proof 60th Democratic vote in the Senate pending the result in the contested Minnesota Senate race. But, it appears that the White House, and Lynch may have reached some sort of deal that would move Gregg from the Senate.

Reached by ABC News, Lynch’s spokesman, Colin Manning, declined to comment on any agreement, saying only that “There has been no formal announcement. This is a situation that is still between the White House and Senator Gregg.”