Nussle confirmed over Dem objections

The Senate on Tuesday installed former House Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle (R-Iowa) as the new White House budget director, shaking off opposition from several Democrats concerned by Nussle’s record on spending issues.

{mosads}The Senate Budget panel’s chairman, Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), announced his opposition to Nussle hours before the 69-24 vote. Conrad said he sought to prevent the Bush administration from depicting the Nussle vote in a fashion similar to the confirmation of Gen. David Petraeus, after which the White House rapped Democrats for approving Petraeus but opposing troop increases in Iraq.

“This is not a vote against Mr. Nussle personally,” Conrad said. “But I refuse to have my vote for Mr. Nussle portrayed as a sign of support for the president’s failed fiscal policy.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) came out against Nussle early on, noting in a statement that his opposition had “much less to do with Mr. Nussle and much more to do with the current failed trickle-down economic policies of the Bush administration.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) also announced his opposition to Nussle in advance, as did Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), whose office initially referred to Nussle as the Congressional Budget Office nominee, rather than the Office of Management and Budget.

Yet 24 Democrats and every Republican present supported Nussle, including Sen. Pete Domenici (N.M.), who had signaled last month that he might oppose Nussle over White House inaction on an energy loan program of importance to New Mexico.

Among Democrats’ leading presidential hopefuls, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) voted no and Barack Obama (Ill.) was not present.