Gregg Goes From Bipartisan Symbol to Top Obama Critic

Sen. Judd Gregg, who was President Obama's commerce secretary nominee until withdrawing his name from consideration, has emerged as the toughest critic of the president's handling of the economy and has helped galvanize Republican opposition to Obama's policies.

FOXNews.com - Saturday, March 28, 2009

At first, the relationship between President Obama and Sen. Judd Gregg looked like love at first sight, proof that opposites do attract.
Obama is a 47-year-old left-leaning Democrat who believes in the power of government to solve people's problems. Gregg is a 61-year-old New Hampshire Republican who advocated limited government and made millions through business investments.
Their unlikely partnership seemed destined to transcend partisan lines and symbolize the change that Obama promised to bring to Washington.
But Gregg, who was Obama's commerce secretary nominee until withdrawing his name from consideration, has emerged as the toughest critic of the president's handling of the economy and has helped galvanize Republican opposition to Obama's policies.
He warned on Monday that Obama's $3.6 trillion budget proposal will lead to unsustainable debt levels and send the country on a fiscal path resembling that of a "banana republic."
Gregg kept up his attacks on Obama's budget request Saturday in the weekly Republican radio address, saying the path to prosperity is not the excessive spending proposed by the president but limited spending that holds down the growth of government, taxes and debt. (continues...)