Senate approves John Bryson, Obama’s nominee to head Commerce Department, after 5-month delay

[Tx4obama]

Source: The Washington Post

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Thursday to approve President Barack Obama’s nomination of former utility executive John Bryson to head the Commerce Department, easily overcoming conservatives’ objections that his pro-environmental views made him unsuited for the job.

The chamber’s 74-26 vote came five months after Obama chose the former head of Edison International, the holding company that owns Southern California Edison, to head the agency. Bryson has also served on boards of major corporations including the Boeing Co. and the Walt Disney Co.

Twenty-one Republicans joined all 51 Democrats and two independents in backing Bryson, while 26 Republicans voted no.

Bryson’s nomination had become entangled in the dispute between Obama and Republicans over free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama when some GOP lawmakers said they would block his approval until the president sent those pacts to Congress. The House and Senate approved those pacts last week.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senate-approves-john-bryson-obamas-nominee-to-head-commerce-department-after-5-month-delay/2011/10/20/gIQAE5Ld1L_story.html

[annabanana]

1. I dunno.. Edison, Boeing, Disney... What took them so long?

He sounds like a great Republican.

[No Elephants]

4. wiki lists him as a Democrat, but you can't tell the players without a scorecard anymore.

And, if No Labels has its way, we may not even have the scorecard for much longer.

[Tx4obama]

2. Statement by President Obama on the Senate Confirmation of John Bryson

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
October 20, 2011
Statement by the President on the Senate Confirmation of John Bryson as Secretary of Commerce

As Secretary of Commerce, John Bryson will be a key member of my economic team, working with the business community to promote job creation, foster growth, and help open up new markets around the world for American-made goods. At such a critical time for our economy, I nominated John because I believe his decades of experience both in the public and private sector have given him a clear understanding of what it takes to put America on a stronger economic footing and create jobs. I’m confident he will help us do that, and I look forward to working closely with him in the months and years ahead.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/20/statement-president-senate-confirmation-john-bryson-secretary-commerce

[No Elephants]

3. So, Inhofe put a hold on him because of allegedly pro-environment views and Bryson "easily" overcame

that objection. Am I supposed to rejoice that Bryson easily proved he is not pro-environment?

I also echo annabanana's comment. He sounds like a great corporatist.

Yet another nomination by Obama of which I disapprove. Started with Rahm and has been pretty consistent since.

I can't even get too excited about the five month delay. Locke was there until August 1, 2011 and the Acting Secretary seems far preferable.