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Obama to Judd Gregg: Zing!
Discussing his budget outline, President Obama just sent a nice shot across the bow of his erstwhile Commerce Secretary nominee, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH), who has rolled out some eye-poppingly hyperbolic metaphors to describe the administration's budget options.
"The critics tend to criticize, but they don't offer an alternative budget," Obama just quipped.
And wouldn't you know it, Gregg is the senior GOPer on the Senate Budget Committee ... and his side won't be offering an alternative budget this year. (House Republicans, by contrast, are taking that plunge.)
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I'm just glad Judd is not at Commerce.
March 24, 2009 8:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
So is Obama going the reconciliation route? Because what I heard was a coming-strong tone on the budget. 50 plus Biden.
God, i hope so.
March 24, 2009 9:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
KO just asked Axelrod, who said, 'I am not going to deal with that right now. People are concerned about whether we will move this country forward, etc. etc."
But Rahm, standing to the side, had the Emanuel-patented I-am-going-to-f*ck-some-people-up hands on hips pose.
This is not an Administration that is not backing off the big three of health care, energy and education (I hope).
I just hope Obama knows what the hell he is doing on the economic crisis.
March 24, 2009 9:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
"I just hope Obama knows what the hell he is doing on the economic crisis. "
That's the 10 trillion dollar question isn't it?
I was really impressed by his speech, and his answers to questions were just dazzling.
I liked most the point that something like the FDIC for non-bank financial entities, and further regulation of them, is needed to _fundamentally_ fix the problem. i.e. that the present debate, whether to nationalize or not nationalize, bailout our not bailout, risk catastrophic failure or not, are as Obama said the other day all "bad choices."
A good option would be having the tools to both regulate risk, and the power and agency to manage implosions such as AIG.
And he's absolutely correct. In the meanwhile, any temporary solution: bailout, nationalization, or bankruptcy will be flawed until that's put in place.
He also closed by emphasizing that real solutions won't be easy but require diligence to execute.
It's so refreshing to hear real solutions and enduring plans for the future as opposed to the kind of political hack-jobs we're accustomed to in the 24/hr news cycle.
It's nice to be addressed as adults for a change.
(btw, the MSM hasn't gotten that yet, and are stil going for the gotchas with no attempt to even address the complex issues. That question about why it took Obama two days to respond to the "outrage" was just idiotic. I loved his answer though "I like to know what I'm talking about before I speak." Wish that tool reporter would do the same.)
March 25, 2009 3:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Too many people missed the exchange between Gregg and Norah O'Donnell where, when asked this very question about Republicans presenting an alternative budget, the answer was (and I quote!)
We only have 41 Senators.
41 brains are not enough to come up with a plan. Not pass a plan, just offer an alternative.
In all fairness, 42 is apparently the magic number.
March 24, 2009 11:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jade,
Assuming your "42" reference is a 70s humorous science fiction allusion, I only say "Perhaps they are taking their orders from all those mice?"
So long, and thanks for all the fish!
March 25, 2009 3:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
You're assuming Repub senators have a brain. I have seen no evidence of that to date!
March 25, 2009 8:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Gregg also said, "It is not the job of the minority to offer a budget." But, I distinctly remember Republicans (Phil Gramm specifically) asking "Where's the Democratic plan", when they were in the Majority!
March 25, 2009 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink