News - Local/State

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008

Report: Obama settles on budget chief

Spratt appears likely to remain in Congress

President-elect Barack Obama appears close to naming a former Clinton economic adviser to direct his budget office, a choice that would end speculation over whether U.S. Rep. John Spratt is a possibility for the job.

Obama has settled on Peter Orszag, who worked in the Clinton White House and now serves as chief of the Congressional Budget Office, the Associated Press reported today.

The apparent decision means Spratt will keep the 5th District seat he’s held since 1982 — and hold onto his posts as budget committee chairman and second-ranking member on armed services.

A spokesman for Spratt said Wednesday the congressman would comment when Obama formally announces a selection.

For many years, the feeling in Washington was that Spratt would be a logical choice to direct the Office of Management and Budget in a Democratic White House.

The 66-year-old York Democrat has long been known as a budget expert on Capitol Hill, where he now chairs the House Budget Committee.

Congressional Quarterly, in an article last month about Obama's possible Cabinet members, wrote of Spratt: "His budgetary expertise, along with his amiability and wonkishness, has won him broad bipartisan admiration."

But Spratt distanced himself from the chatter, saying he would be content to finish his career in the House.

Now, it appears he’ll work with Orszag, who at 39 is young enough to be his son. The two know each other well, having collaborated to balance the federal budget in the 1990s when Orszag worked in the Clinton administration.

Others will have to wait

Spratt’s departure from Congress would have set off a frenzied political season in the 5th Congressional District, which covers all or part of 12 counties.

More than a half-dozen names surfaced as potential entries into a special election, including Rock Hill developer Ralph Norman, a Republican who said he would run if Spratt resigned the seat. Norman lost to Spratt in 2006.

On the Democratic side, attorney and state Sen. Vincent Sheheen of Camden was mentioned as a viable successor.

Spratt said he could do more to help Obama by guiding a budget proposal through the House. He’ll apparently get the chance to do that, and others who wanted his job in Congress will have to wait.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.