Well, the Geithner bank bailout roll-out was bad but Obama’s week got a whole lot worse. As Abe mentioned, Judd Gregg threw in the towel and declared: “It has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the Census there are irresolvable conflicts for me.” Well, that’s one way to put the Census power grab by the White House above the fold. And the spirit of bipartisanship seems more an idea than a practice.

A Republican on Capitol Hill expressed the widespread view that Gregg is very smart and valuable to the Republicans, but wryly commented: “I’m baffled as to how he didn’t see this coming. Who knew that going to work for a Democrat administration would mean working with Democrats to implement Democrat policies set by other Democrats.” And seeking to manipulate the Census out of the White House.

Yes, he’s going back to the Senate, apparently. He never resigned. Which come to think of it was the only smartly played move in this entire fiasco.