Gregg: Would Be Hard to Be Part of Team, Not 100%

Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), after abruptly withdrawing from consideration as President Obama’s Commerce secretary nominee late this afternoon, said that working for the new administration would not have fit with his personality and that it would have been difficult to be part of the team “without being 100 percent” on board.

Gregg also said he will not likely seek reelection to the Senate in 2010.

“That was my mistake, not his [Obama’s] to say yes, because it wasn’t my personality,” Gregg said of his initial acceptance of the nomination. “After 30 years of being myself, it would have been hard to be a part of a team where I couldn’t be 100 percent.”

Gregg spoke at a news conference at the Capitol this afternoon after withdrawing his name. In a statement shortly beforehand, the White House stressed that Gregg had initially approached the Obama administration with a desire to serve as Commerce secretary, not the other way around.

In his written announcement this afternoon, Gregg cited “irresolvable” differences with the administration over the economic stimulus package and the administration’s decision to remove authority over the census survey from the Commerce Department.

“Am I going to run? Probably not,” Gregg said when asked if he would seek reelection to the Senate.

cgood@digital-stage.thehill.com