Judd Gregg Suckered Into Commerce Post

UPDATE 2/12 - Gregg withdraws from Commerce post over census/Porkulus issues.

Republican Senator Judd Gregg will apparently be Obama's choice for Commerce Secretary:

Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire is President Obama's pick to become Commerce secretary, FOX News has learned and the White House has confirmed.

An official announcement is set for Tuesday morning.

If confirmed by the Senate, Gregg would be the third Republican to join Obama's cabinet, joining Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood.

Gregg signaled Monday that he would only leave the Senate if he's replaced by another Republican.

Insiders say his work on the financial bailout with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was part of what sparked the Obama administration's talks about tapping Gregg for the commerce post after Bill Richardson withdrew his name.

But his status also makes Republicans wary that they could lose a key seat should he join President Obama's Cabinet.

In a written statement Monday, New Hampshire Sen. Gregg said he has made clear to Senate leadership and New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch that "I would not leave the Senate if I felt my departure would cause a change in the makeup of the Senate."

Oh, but it will. The replacement being talked about is a very liberal Republican who probably doesn't have a prayer of winning in 2010, thus turning the seat liberal before it official becomes Democrat.

Mickey Kaus has some thoughts:

What could Sen. Judd Gregg possibly do in a second-tier cabinet position--Commerce--to advance his conservative philosophy that would possibly make up for giving his ideological opponents a 60-seat majority in the Senate? Stop card check? Achieve a free trade agenda? ... Quick, name Bush's last Commerce secretary. ... Even if New Hampshire's Democratic governor angers his party by appointing a Republican to replace Gregg, will it be an anti-card-check Republican? ... Gregg could go down as the biggest sucker since Arthur Goldberg, who let Lyndon Johnson con him into giving up a lifetime Supreme Court seat to become Ambassador to the U.N.

There is some thought that Obama wants Gregg not so much for the Senate seat as for some political cover when his economic plans require tax increases. I personally think Gregg is getting suckered. He won't be an influential member of Obama's cabinet, but he will be the country's chief weatherman. The National Weather Service makes up a large part of the Commerce budget.