YOUR COMMENTS

Don't all you damned Liberals have enough other media outlets to go and voice your opinions on? Both parties are responsible for the economic mess we're in and anyone that thinks otherwise is the misinformed one. Non government working, non political hack democratic voters will get what you wanted. Your wages will be taxes to hell just like everyone else after this 4 years of god knows what.
- Mike, Londonderry

Jan of Nashua, did you just make a threat?
- Nick, Manchester

The Republicans have already shown how much they are willing to be bi-partisan -- not at all.

Barack Obama made a choice. Now, Judd Gregg gets to make his own choice, and then John Lynch gets to make his own choice.

How long will it take before Republicans get the message that elections have consequences?

We already made a decision on John Sununu. And, we're willing to make another one on Gregg in 2010 if he turns down Commerce.
- Jan, Nashua, NH

Hmmm, let's review, every left wing whackjob koolaid drinking socialist on this post thinks it is a great idea that Gregg should take the job. Interesting. Obama's mob bosses know exactly what they are doing. What law has Gregg broken that qualifies him for a position in the little dictators cabinet? Let's hope this country can survive the next 2 years, then the voters wake up, and vote Democracy as the reborn form of government for the US. The economy will not get better with a socialist government in power. Did anyone catch the article about how the obama regime has turned america into a "lamb". Here it is http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.073ba2ee2f1f00668848a4655420fedc.411&show_article=1. Who is john Galt?
- Allan, Rochester

Mr McQuaid could not be more wrong. Mr. Sunnunu voted for the bankster bailout also.

Who's kidding who here.
- Charles, Tuftonboro

Can anyone imagine the Union Leader suggesting, if the tables were turned, that a Republican governor name a Democrat to the Senate? In fact, name a single instance ever where a Republican governor in any state, unless required by law, has named a Democrat to the Senate!!!
- Debbie, Dover

Sorry, I could not disagree more.
Mr Sunnunu voted yea on the bankster
bailout also.

Who is kidding who here.

Tuftonboro
- Charles, NH

Evidently the publisher is as dense as the Senator.

How on earth does anyone think a Democrat Governor will appoint a "Gregg-minded" Senator?

Only idiots ask the bully for another beating.

For God's sake, this party up here needs to grow up.

Jeez.
- William Simpson, Concord

Here's some "change" McQuaid and his merry men can believe in:

(1. After appointing John E. to the other Senate seat (after he lost his own), Lynch should resign. Immediately. And every democratically elected NH Democrat (because all liberals are nothing but communists who wanna rob true patriots of their hard-earned tax money) can turn themselves in to the county jails.

(2. After Obama "starts" the only bipartisanship this paper would ever endorse, he can resign too, We can appoint a real patriot, like Bernie Madoff, to the presidency. After we abolish the IRS. Instead of handing over all our tax dollars to the IRS, we can just give 'em all to Madoff. Nothing like having an honest cheat in power.

(3. Then, after all that's done, you can repeal the First Amendment, which you never much cared about anyway if anyone actually disagreed with what you published.
- Beverly Hillsdale, Goffstown

I have nothing against Sununu -- I like him better than Shaheen -- but he should not be appointed to Gregg's senate seat should he take the commerce post. Right or wrong, Sununu was voted out of office last November. That he's out of office is the will of the people. To go against that would be distasteful. The seat should go to someone who pledges not to run for re-election in 2010, since the incumbency would give him or her an unfair advantage.
- Michael, Atkinson

Tom, Campton

Don't you ever check in with reality?

Keep dreaming pal, you are so drunk on GOP koolaid you are a joke.
- Joyce, Concord

Joe - Your side lost the election. Its policies and their implementation were shown to be disasterous. Judd Gregg will be lucky if he can escape to the Commerce Secretary position. As to the one commentor who blames the Democrats for him having lost his job, I can only say that you're obviously very misinformed about the causes of this economic mess were in and who was at the helm to cause it.
- ed, londonderry

I disagree on Sununu replacing Gregg, as the people of NH (Republicans & Democrats) voted him out on the last election for good reason. I do believe that Gov Lynch should name a Republican to replace Gregg if he does accept the position. Lets keep the balance where the people voted for it to be. We've had enough of the Sununu legacy.
- Dick Muse, Rochester

Just a hunch, but I highly doubt that Mr. McQuaid would be tolling the bell of bipartisanship if the roles were reversed and the Republicans were still in power. It is a nice plea, but a little ridiculous. Enjoy your time in the wilderness Joe.
- Justin, Whitefield, NH

I note that Gary in Littleton says that “Obama and the Democrats took full control”. Actually, Obama and the democrats did not take control. Control was GIVEN to them by the voters.
- Pete, Somersworth

This editorial is perfect. Despite Mr Obama's claims of bipartisanship (and the media's frequent repetition of that word), he still seeks to ram his liberal expenditure plans through the Congress. Looking at the details of that bill, one can see all the pork and waste in it. No wonder why every Republican in the US House of Representatives voted against it. I highly doubt Mr. Obama will concede much of anything to Republicans, including a request to Mr. Lynch to fill the potential vacancy with another Republican.
- Nicholl, Manchester

Mike Lane, we really need great men during this national crisis? You are not going to find much of that in DC.
What you would most likely find, if we had a Dept. of Justice that would investigate and an IRS that would audit every politician and their family members, is that we have elected officials that have taken kickbacks from CEO's and other corporate officers in the form of campaign contributions. I believe we have a serious case that falls under the RICO Act.
But that won't happen because these Depts. have been compromised and politicized.
Self reliance is what made this country great. Not waiting for some political hack doling out the scraps to the great unwashed.
Great men like Frank, Dodd and Pelosi?
I won't be one of those, "Republicans good Democrats bad" individual. Three quarters of these officials, in both parties, should be fitted for orange jumpsuits and shackles, then handed over to Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Arizona. Beats tar and feathering. On second thought.
- Michael, Manchester

Does anyone else realize how obvious it is that someone higher up in the Democrat circles are making fake names and blogging on this article? They all have first names and half of them sound exactly alike in bashing Mr. McQuaid and trying to make it sound like this isn't a political stunt and that "NH should be so happy" that it is being USED for Obama's shady attempt to stack the senate.

I would bet a lot of money that the person blogging is form out of state and trying to manipulate NH public opinion. This is exactly what the Democrats did in the election, so I'm not surprised they are up to their old tricks once again.
- Ryan Feltner, Manchester, NH

Obama DID help create the current economic situation: for example, he blocked regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, he backed and voted for the $700 billion TARP bailout.

Ironically, one of the causes of the problem is being looked at as the solution! The consequences of this are predictable.
- Tom, Campton

Well stated. Gregg's aptitude to be Commerce Secretary is not the only issue here. The ramifications of handing another Senate seat to the Democrats must also be considered.
- Tom, Campton

With Obama sounding economic defeat nearly every single day, why would anyone want to serve in his cabinet? Since Obama and the Democrats took full control, The US lost 40,000 jobs in less than 2 weeks. Instead he's allowing the auto industry to be regulated for emissions on state by state basis. This new Executive branch mandate is a real job killer.

Newly unemployed in NH thanks to the DEMOCRATS!!
- Gary, Littleton, NH

If Gregg accepts the position, Lynch should pick a Democrat as the people of this great state overwhelmingly voted Democrat this past November.
- DM, Hampton

Gregg wouldn't need to be "forgiven" because he would be lauded over the next eight years, and probably run for governor after that and win. Is it possible that what the Union Leader actually sees is it's own descent into irrelevance?

How about the Union Leader give Sununu an editorial position, maybe replacing the utterly unresponsive Drew Cline? Oh right, that's not a fancy enough position for the now jaded Sununu.
- Tom Labrie, Rochester

Hey UL, bipartisanship starts at home! How about YOU take a Democrat tack in your op-eds and general propaganda? No way, right? Thought so.

Paul in Portsmouth is correct; Joe McQuaid should step up and stick his folksy/nasty neck out, air out the right wing's talking points once and for all.
- Larry, Somersworth

Assuming that Gregg accepted the offer and Gov. Lynch had to appoint someone to fill Gregg’s senate seat, what would be wrong with appointing someone who is interested, qualified and has the best interests of NH and the nation at hand?
Would that person have to be a republican as McQuaid wants? What would be wrong with selecting the “right” person no matter what party s/he belongs to?
1 other thought: If Joe McQuaid is so knowledgeable of all things why is he not in the oval office?
- Pete, Somersworth

Joe McQuaid for Senate. Then maybe we can get the paper back on track
- Paul, Portsmouth

All bitter snarkiness aside, the Republicans really do need to stop whining. They are really starting to look desperate and without direction. They have some great ideas, but refuse to admit some of their horrible ideas. Of course we don't want to pay more taxes than we have to. But please, don't blindly say "cut taxes, cut taxes" and then spend recklessly. The Republican party has become so infatuated with borrowing and credit at the expense of preserving their rallying cry; "cut taxes". The Republicans have only been able to say "cut taxes" but that has equalled "insane budget deficit!" Modify your primary theme (aka "cut taxes" and figure out how to balance that with reduced spending!!! PLEASE!!!
- John, Portsmouth

Talk about mindless political illogic: Mr. Obama reachs across the aisle; pays New Hampshire, and its financially astute, fiscally conservative Judd Gregg the respect of considering him for a cabinet post; and the Union Leader demands that the Governor reward the gesture by appointing a Republican to fill Gregg's seat.
- Arthur B. Cunningham, Hopokinton

Rick: Obama was talking about bonuses. He said during profitable years sure, but now is not the time for bonuses when your comany is in the red. You think Obama wants every company in the US to lose money? Use your brain.

Last I checked, Lynch works for NH citizens, not the entire U.S. Considering that NH Has thrown out a repub every time they had the chance a at the federal level, why would Lynch appoint a repub? Its clear the majority want NH represented by dems.

I think Gregg will take the spot if offered because he knows his days are numbered as a senator.
- Chip, Wilton

Your editorials and newspaper are so irrelevant! I am sure if this was the other way around the state GOP would do the "right" thing, especially with Papa Sununu at the helm. Haaa, doubtful. In John Lynch we Trust.
- Gary, Rochester

Mr. McQuaid, when is this paper going to start looking at facts? Your editorials consistantly blame the democrats for every problem the Republicans have caused or allowed to unfold. Senator Gregg betrayed NH when he sponsored the Bush bailout of Wall Street that resulted in looting and plundering of the taxpayers coffers to the tune of $18 Billion in bonuses for ruining the economy. Wake up and smell the coffee. The heart of the problems wa are all facing is the result of unregulated Greed, aka, unregulated Capitalism.
- John, Franklin

Ha Ha!! Joe McQuaid, Hypocrite and typically myopic.
Suddenly you want bipartisanship.

Mike Lane in Manchester said it all, I won't repeat him.
- Leon, Manchester

Didn't WE, the people of NH, just vote Sununu out of office? Why in the world would we want him back? If he was so great, he never would have lost the election.
- Frank, Manchester

As much as I can't stand John Sununu, I say put him back in there and let us vote him out of office again. Apparently no one gets the message that his time has come and gone. We just made that crystal clear in November didn't we?

Although, maybe Daddy can save his job this time.
- Patrick, Exeter

I agree completely with Mike Lane & Mike King. All these Republican jokers, McQuaid included, seem to forget the fact that Obama didn't creat this mess. The right has proven without doubt that they have no better plan than to cut more taxes for the wealthy, ala Dubya. Have John Boehner explain how you make ends meet when you don't have the requisite revenue coming in. Giving the wealthy another tax break is what has helped put us in the shape we're in now. This is not a Plutocracy. If the Republicans hadn't botched the economy up by spending money like drunken sailors (my apologies to all former & current & future US Navy personnel) for the past 8 years, we wouldn't be here today. Hey, everyone's to blame, some more than others. How can you continue to knock Obama's efforts after witnessing the train wreck that was the Bush administration. Bush will likely go down in history as one of the weakest, most unpopular presidents since our own Franklin Pierce. One search in Wikipedia will show you how well it worked out for Pierce. Back off & give Obama a chance. After all, I didn't hear the right asking for bipartisanship when Dubya was at the wheel. Now that they're whistling in the dark they want back in the game. Hey, you should have thought about that while you were lining the pockets of your fat cat buddies on Wall Street.
- K. Blake, Milford

I agree with Mr. Lane, this is a bunch of hooey, except I believe this is an attempt by President Obama to stack the Senate in his favor. Just like the Executive Order which was issued to bar Lobbyists from serving in his administration, this is just another example of the road we are traveling. This is a prime example of why I deeply mistrust politicians. As in the past, the current President did and said anything to get himself elected. Now, I thinks it was 5 or 6 days into his election, he commented about his , “Legacy”, which tells me he already working behind the scenes to get re-elected.

I never thought I’d be worried about our way of life, but I am concerned about our future, not just our economy, but the stimulus bill which is also a bunch of hooey, and I praise the House Republicans for not voting for it. I would support the package if they got rid of all the BS in the package. We won’t be paying for it now, but wait in three years or so, hold on to your wallets.

No matter how much it makes my blood pressure climb I will support this President, but only to a point. I will not support the current move to socialism.

The comment President Obama made yesterday, regarding business profits, “now is not the time for profits”. I own a small business with 90 employee’s; if I don’t make a profit, I don’t get a paycheck, which means I can’t support my family. So, tell me why should I stay in business? If I find in the future I’m not supporting my family, I will lay-off staff, in order to provide for my family. I know it sounds cruel, but why did I take the monetary risk in starting my business?

Rick Szczesniak– Flint Michigan
- Rick szczesniak, Flint, MI

As usual, the only person who continues to practice this destructive partisan behavior is McQuaid and the Union Leader. When are you going to realize that a persons political affiliation is not the first thing to think about but is really the last. The country is in a shambles and your worrying about the political party instead of trying to fix the mess that the government and the disgusting pigs on wall street have gotten us into.
- Michael King, Haverhill, New Hampshire

Bring back John Sununu!! A real leader for New Hampshire!
- Harry, Wolfeboro

Mike Lane of Manch. you would be well served by looking at the facts.

Republicans in the house opposed the bill because it isn't a Stimulus Package but rather a Pork-ulus Package full of pandering payments to various Democrat Constituents and an overwhelming expansion of Entitlements.

Put bluntly it does little to stimulate the economy near term and little more in coming years except to expand government further.

Go read the CBO Report yourself http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/99xx/doc9968/hr1.pdf

Furthermore the Dems made no concessions to the Republicans and thanks to the Speaker of the House changing house rules which banned the minority from offering amendments to bills, the Republicans had absolutely no imput into the bill.

The funniest part are the so called “Concessions’ you refer to which are little more than minor tax cuts on the two lowest tax brackets which puts little if any money back into economy.

Several Republicans have offered alternative stimulus plans that for example include a tax holiday for everyone which will IMMEDIATELY put large amounts of money back into the hands of consumers and subsequently the economy.

To put things into perspective, if we were to apply the entire 850 billion to a tax holiday we would be able to take upwards of a 9 month tax holiday by most estimates….talk about stimulus!

The bottom line is that the Democrat Plan will do little to stimulate the economy while a tax holiday can be put into effect immediately to put large sums of money back into consumers pockets and restore confidence.
- JP, Warner

Gregg will see this as the bold faced power grab it is and reject it.
- Leo, Canterbury

What a load of hooey. A quick perusal of the comments section in any article posted on this site that mentions Judd Greggs name would quickly reveal Judd's name is already mud among his so-called "constituents." It's amusing how the Republicans want concrete actions from President Obama, yet after making concessions on the stimulus package and meeting with the House GOP members several time they voted against the stimulus package 177-0. Not a single bipartisanship-craving Republican voted for it. Isn't that rich? Now they want bipartisanship. Sort of like guy that's always sorry AFTER he's cornered. If Judd Gregg wants the job he should take it, but I believe President Obama is much too intelligent to set up any type of quid pro quo, as well he shouldn't.

Mr. McQuaid writes of the President having "championed costly and unnecessary new laws that would tighten government control over free enterprise." Which is code for saying the GOP wants no new regulations that would inhibit the GOP's Wall Street allies from robbing us blind. We've already seen where that got us - to the verge of another Great Depression.

President Obama does not owe the GOP anything, he extended his hand and they slapped it away, smiling all the while and saying what a great guy he is. Judd Gregg doesn't owe the GOP anything either. He didn't leave his Party, the Party left him. Let them continue their lurch to the right without him, he's clearly not comfortable with the direction he's being pulled in. During this moment of great national crisis we need great men. If the President feels that the Senator is one of those men then Judd Gregg should answer the call for the good of his country.
- Mike Lane, Manchester

If Judd Gregg would be a good commerce secretary and help us get out of this mess, than it would be politically selfish and absurd for anyone to care who Lynch appoints. The country has way, way bigger problems than who a junior senator from New Hampshire might be.
- Tom Graft, Strafford