White House: 'We regret to say he has had a change of heart'

GOP SEN. GREGG DUCKS COMMERCE NOMINATION

Report: Gregg notified White House of plans several days ago

Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) is no longer President Obama's nominee for commerce secretary.

"We regret that he has had a change of heart," said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, responding to Sen. Gregg's announcement."

The fault lies with me," Gregg told Politico. "He refused to discuss any conversations he had with Obama, saying, 'I may have embarrassed myself but hopefully not him.'
"According to a late-breaking MSNBC report, Sen. Gregg notified the White House and outlined his plans several days ago.

Citing "irresolvable conflicts" on the census and President Obama's economic stimulus package, Judd took himself out of consideration mid-afternoon, after Republican criticism of the White House's indication that it may assume greater responsibility for the Census Bureau, currently under control of Commerce.