The Bizarre Burgeoning Legend of Judd Gregg

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As patently mock-able as it is, this morning’s Politico story on the GOP emboldening wrought by Sen. Judd Gregg’s (R-NH) pullout from the Obama administration has a crazy kind of truth to it. Republicans are eagerly lionizing Gregg as a conservative hero whose conscience could not allow him to serve under a — gasp! — liberal president who believes that government spending can heal the economy.

Listen to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) on Fox this morning:

JORDAN: [Y]ou have Senator Gregg … he understands that the stimulus package is going to do nothing to stimulate the economy. So I think it is kind of the final thing of a really bad week for the administration for Democrats.

REPORTER: You know, I’m not sure it was a bad week. They got an $800 billion stimulus plan pushed through. That’s a pretty good week if you’re a Democrat.

JORDAN: That’s bad for the American people. That’s what Senator Gregg understands.

And that’s not even touching on control of the Census, which the GOP turned into a rallying cry to protect Gregg’s power in the Obama administration — before Gregg cited it as a major reason for his withdrawal. Suddenly the dry business of counting Americans, which helps determine congressional re-districting, has become a hot political debate for the GOP. Even our old buddy Hans von Spakovsky can’t help but get in on the act.

Yesterday Matt likened Gregg to Sir Thomas More, but I’m thinking he might be congressional Republicans’ William Wallace. “Tell our enemies that they can take our majority, but they’ll never take … THE CENSUS!!!”

Late Update: And the lionizing continues. Gregg’s party is now imploring him to reconsider his decision not to seek re-election next year.

What’s next, www.juddgreggisyournewbicycle.com?

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