Judd Gregg Is Nominated President Of Commerce!
Yay a new era has dawned in Washington, bipartisanship forever, etc! After Barack Obama's pudgy comic foil had to renounce the Latino Consolation Prize due to a corruption investigation, people wondered who could possibly replace Bill Richardson. And then the name "Judd Gregg" was floated, and people said, "well, he was pretty good in Fast Times at Ridgemont High," plus he was a Republican, which meant that sneaky Barack Obama could get Gregg's Democratic governor to appoint a Democrat to replace him in the Senatewithout a single Republican noticing!
But the Republicans did notice, and they said, "Fine, you can take this senator, as long as you give us another 'un," and Obama capitulated. Yay bipartisanship! So now we'll have another Republican in the Cabinet, which is good for Democracy, and Obama has a gym buddy:
Mr. Obama’s secret interview with the senator at transition headquarters last month, aides say, was one of the few serious one-on-one conversations between them. In Mr. Obama’s brief time on Capitol Hill, they barely knew each other, aside from occasional chats in the Senate gym.
Nobody really cares about Commerce, except as an adjunct to Treasury and HHS, so basically Judd Gregg will get to spend his golden years shilling for his Democratic president's complete overhaul of taxes and healthcare.
Obama Set to Add Republican to Cabinet [New York Times]