I know it’s unfair to our old friend Bozo the Clown, a happy go lucky francise of the early years of TV, but it’s irresistible to say it about the departure of Judd Gregg as Commerce Nominee. Dear President Obama — they don’t like you! Reach out to those who have some redeemable qualities, not just those wearing elephant pants.

Mr. Gregg said it had become clear that he had made a mistake in accepting the president’s offer to join the cabinet. “That was my mistake, not his,” the senator said, adding that he admired President Obama and the team he has assembled.

Gregg Withdraws

The double bonus is that he said he was unlikely to run again as Senator for New Hampshire — leaving a wide open barn door to drive the 60th Democrat through in 2010.

More at HuffPo and here.

I don’t know who was driving the Gregg nomination but if it was Obama it was surely the triumph of hope over experience… The Black Caucus complained loudly that Judd had voted to withhold funds from the census, and of course he “recused” himself (aka chickened out) from the stimulus package. As Sam Stein says, you have to wonder what is going on in the vetting department…too many of those Wednesday afternoon cocktails?