Dems Circle the Wagons for Daschle
Senate Democrats just emerged from an hour-long meeting to discuss the tax filing errors that have thrown Tom Daschle's nomination as health secretary into disarray. That Daschle's former colleagues are vociferously supporting him is to be expected, but Democrats were surprisingly confident that the former Senate leader would ascend to President Obama's Cabinet.
Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), powerful chairman of the Finance Committee, gave Daschle his vote of confidence, followed by Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Kent Conrad (D-ND). Daschle will have his confirmation hearing before Finance next week.
Other Democratic senators provided silent support in the background, with Republicans apparently sneaking out of the meeting in order to avoid the press.
The pro-Daschle appearance, staged in a corridor outside the Finance Committee's marble-walled hearing room, boasted only one mea culpa -- that of the nominee himself. The Democratic senators were more than happy to point fingers at Leo Hindery, the telecom mogul who paid for Daschle's private car and driver, for not sending the nominee a 1099 form indicating that Daschle would need to declare the "gift from a good friend" (Daschle's phrasing) on his taxes.
"The American people have high expectation for those of us who serve the public good," Daschle told reporters. "That is especially true when it comes to taxes." He described the errors -- for which more than $100,000 in back taxes was eventually paid -- as "inadvertent, but that's no excuse."
Daschle left the area without taking questions. His last words were almost wistful, given the media scrum that his nomination has become -- Daschle reiterated his commitment to helping the White House give Americans "lower cost, higher value insurance ... sometime soon."
Late Update: Here's the video of Daschle's apology:
Josh
Matt
Eric
Obama doesn't throw his nominees overboard. He ain't no bandleader!
February 2, 2009 7:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Tell that to John Brennan.
February 2, 2009 11:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Brennan was never nominated. It was "said" he was the administration's pick, but he was never picked. You can't be thrown overboard if you were never on board in the first place.
February 3, 2009 7:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nominee, genius. That means someone who is nominated. Brennan never was nominated but he is now officially in the administration.
Next!
February 3, 2009 9:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
If it's true that Daschle withheld his tax issues from Obama, it wouldn't be "throwing his nominee overboard," would it?
Daschle was clearly instrumental in helping Obama win when Obama needed help, so I can understand Obama's loyalty and gratitude. But Sen, Daschle essentially "threw Obama an anvil" and has put a lot at risk for the sake of his own advancement.
I say his own advancement because there are many other progressive, capable people Obama could pick for this post who do not have a six figure tax problem, and Daschle still could be involved substantially in health care reform without being the Cabinet Secretary.
Coming in the wake of Geithner, it makes Obama look way, way too much like the Republican good 'ol boys he replaced. How does the president tell middle class people who make the same "mistake" that they deserve harsher treatment from the IRS than his Cabinet?
Frankly, I can believe Daschle is putting the President in this position instead of doing the honorable thing: withdrawing his name, admitting he concealed the tax issue and protecting Obama's reputation.
February 3, 2009 12:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
"lower cost, higher value insurance ..."
Sure sounds like an insurance agent to me!!
I guarantee you that anyone who believes the issue is one of insurance is not one who will work to deliver on universal health CARE.
But then anyone who can inadvertantly overlook $300,000 in compensation is so totally out of touch with Americans that he probably is completely clueless that there is a difference between selling insurance and receiving health care.
February 2, 2009 7:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just for the record, there's no reason that a unversal healthcare plan - even a single payer universal healthcare plan - couldn't be delivered by an insurance model. That's how they do it in Germany and several other European countries. You simply leave insurers intact but regulate them extremely heavily (they can't deny coverage to anyone, limits on profitability etc.). Then, instead of employers paying the bills out of workers' wages, the government pays it out of taxation.
I'm not saying this is what Daschle is advocating, but it IS a model that has worked elsewhere, and there is an argument that it may be the least dangerous (as in, making the biggest change without fundamental system breakdown) way for the US to get from where we are to a single payer system. Read Atul Gawande on the need to start from where we are - very interesting:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/01/26/090126fa_fact_gawande
February 3, 2009 5:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
>>I guarantee you that anyone who believes the issue is one of insurance is not one who will work to deliver on universal health CARE.>>
Where were you during the election? That's exactly what Obama campaigned on so why the surprised he's picked a HHS secretary who agrees with him?
February 2, 2009 7:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
You will never locate any post of mine supporting Obama on health care or any policy but the vain hope that he'd get us out of Iraq. Obama is a lot like Daschle. Obama is in it for what is good for Obama, cars and drivers included.
February 2, 2009 7:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
If you knew what Obama's position is, why the newly found outrage at Daschle's?
Please spare me they're in it for the "cars" bullshit. In 2007, Obama made $4.1 million; Daschle made $5.1 million, enough to afford all the cars and drivers they want. The Obamas have one car (a Ford escape), really, really greedy.
Greedy Obama took his Harvard magna cum laude law degree and worked for a small civil rights law firm and taught at a university instead of going to Wall Street. Real greedy and desperate for cars and drivers.
The notion that Daschle is giving that up because he wants the cushy life that comes with being HHS secretary for $200K is absurd.
And, please don't say it'll help him lobby later on because (a) if that was all he wanted, he could stay right where he is and (b) taking this job precludes him from lobbying as long as Obama is in the WH.
February 2, 2009 8:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe he could get one of those "exceptions" to the "strict rules" that Obama seems to be giving out left and right. OK, two so far, but still...
February 2, 2009 10:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, that makes a LOT of sense. Give up $5 million/year to work for $200K/year for four years. ($800K).
Then you can leave the government, and *possibly* get a waiver so that you can lobby the government where you can -- again -- make $5 million/year.
And this little foray into public service to get a job you already had has only cost you $19 million total in lost income. Brilliant!
February 2, 2009 10:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
It won't preclude his wife from lobbying right now and for the foreseeable future.
February 2, 2009 11:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
So? What's your point? She already lobbies the government and makes a shit load of money. She has a zillion connections in the government since her husband was not only majority leader, he's also a close personal friend and advisor of the president.
Tell me what they gain by Daschle going into the government--other than losing $20 million in income!
February 2, 2009 11:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greedy Obama took his Harvard magna cum laude law degree and worked for a small civil rights law firm and taught at a university instead of going to Wall Street. Real greedy and desperate for cars and drivers.
What does that have to do with Daschle?
February 2, 2009 11:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bluebell says BOTH Obama and Daschle are in this for the limos, etc.
February 2, 2009 11:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Obama is in it for what is good for Obama, cars and drivers included."
That's gratuitous, mate.
February 3, 2009 7:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama's health care plan sucked, but so did Hillary's, so that was a Wash. Edward's health care plan was a little better, but unfortunately he was an idiot.
February 2, 2009 11:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Was an idiot and still is. But he screamed "fight, fight, fight" like a high school cheerleader and the netroots ate that shit up with a splinter. Never mind that the guy was a Blue Dog when he was in the Senate and NEVER advocated for any of the things he ran on when he had the chance.
February 2, 2009 11:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Daschle is pretty damn slimy. I mean his his tax issue is a lucky distraction for him.
February 2, 2009 7:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Speaking of slime
February 2, 2009 7:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Must be self-parody hour
February 2, 2009 7:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
If only the Senate Dems would band together to promote Obama's stimulus package they way they are banding together for Daschle.
I am not a fan of Daschle but I do like to see the President and the Senator Democrats unite together during adversity.
They are going to need that unity against the GOP who are themselves trying to be obstructionists.
February 2, 2009 7:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Howard Fineman, no populist himself, says that they're coming off as elitists. No message is getting sent to Americans that Democrats have a passion to deliver for them. Sure, the Congress critters will deliver for each other. They better watch out or the Republicans are going to get them with faux populists while the Dems are busy admiring their new offices and practicing centrist talking points.
February 2, 2009 7:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think that they are coming off as elitists at all. They are more coming off as standing by their fellow Senator.
Some of the stuff that Howard Fineman says I don't believe like him calling Obama an elitist during the General Election.
At this moment I just don't see the outcry against Daschle that I would have expected. Perhaps that will come in time.
February 2, 2009 8:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't expect any outcry, just increasing cynicism as it becomes evident that nothing is changing.
February 2, 2009 9:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
End of torture. Closing Gitmo. Expanding SCHIP. Pay Equity. Higher environmental standards. Repeal of family planning gag order.
Yep. Nothing is changing.
See, this is why people like you aren't taken seriously.
February 2, 2009 9:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not to defend bluebell, I really am not familiar with him or her, but I do not think that that what they were refering to. It sounded to me like their comment ("nothing changing") was on point to the thread, which was the general hippocracy and sleazyness of politics in general, the Daschle appointment in particular.
Again without leaving the point, and without discounting the tremendous differences between the GOP and Obama (so far) that you've listed, I took bluebells reference to be to the stated Obama policy against lobbyists that hs already been excepted twice. Or does Daschle make a third time. Maybe not because he only "advised" the lobbying firm and was not actually "registered". How many lobbyists did you say could dance on the head of a pin?
I could leave the point of this thread and get into the right leaning tilt of most all of Obama's apointments, from a war hawk Sec State to this weeks free trader union busting nomination to Commerce, but I won't.
I'm afraid we've just gone from the right wing to the left wing of the Corporate Party (tm). Get used to it. Only four more years. Sigh...
February 2, 2009 10:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, dude. After eight years of seeing the constitution shredded, tax breaks for billionaires, the environment destoryed, dissent labeled as unpatriotic behavior, needless war, I simply have no patience for nitpiking shit like a cabinet official paying his/her taxes late. None.
In 2000, I recall folks like Bluebell saying "there's not a dime's worth of difference between Bush and Gore." One Democrat even argued with me that "Bush and Gore are the same when it comes to the environment." This is a classic example of allowing the perfect to become the enemy of the good. And it's exactly why we've been clusterfucked by that poo-chucking ape in the WH for eight years.
We have a pro-choice, pro science president who believes in the constitution and the rule of law. He's been in office for two weeks and made good on a dozen campaign promises. Yet, instead of looking at the actual policies, these folks are having a cow over a cabinet appointee who left his first wife 25 years ago.
When Bluebell posts that Obama and Daschle are in this for the cars, etc., my BS-detector goes off. As if guys who make $4-5 million/year will take a job making 1/20th of that to get a free car service.
February 2, 2009 10:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I simply have no patience for nitpiking shit like a cabinet official paying his/her taxes late. None.
Who cares if you're to lazy to worry about government corruption if your "team" is in charge. the fact is, it's worse if you're "team" is in charge because that means your "team" is is the one who eats the poisoned fruit, and your representatives are the ones who are more interested in pleasing their big dollar donors then enacting the laws you want.
ultimately, corruption in the Democrat will lead to the downfall of the democratic part just as it did in '94 and just as corruption ate away at the republicans and helped hasten their demise. Corruption needs to be guarded against vigilantly, or we'll just end up losing power again, and deserving it.
February 2, 2009 11:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's corruption and there's personal fucking up. I put Daschle's in the latter category. If you have evidence that this administration has its hand in the till or someone is using his office for personal gain, I'm interested.
But if they're screwing around on their spouses or returing a dress after it's been worn or claiming a bigger charitible deduction . . . YAWN. Not interested. Wasn't intersted if/when Bush folks did it either.
People like you hold your public officials to standards you could never meet yourself. And, please, don't even bother saying that you've never shaved a few points here and there.
February 3, 2009 12:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't care about forgetting to pay his taxes, I'm more concerned by the fact that he was getting millions in "speaking fees" while "not lobbying" from the very same people who have been doing everything they can to prevent people from getting universal health care. The tax issue is a minor point.
February 3, 2009 12:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
1. He got $200K from speaking before the healthcare industry. Not millions.
2. I choose to wait until he's actually in the cabinet before I conclude that he's already sold us out. But that's just me.
February 3, 2009 12:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
>>Who cares if you're to lazy to worry about government corruption if your "team" is in charge. >>
Since when is "worrying" about anything been worth a warm bucket of spit? If you want to waste your time spinning "what if" fantasies and wringing your hands about what *could* happen, knock yourself out. I'm sure all of this pre-emptive castigating the administraion makes you feel more "pure."
Let me know how that works out for you in the end!
February 3, 2009 12:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't like Free Rider. I don't often agree with Free Rider. But Free Rider is absolutely right about this. We're in the shit, people. This is no time to let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Absolutism on the left is even more absurd than absolutism on the right -- because we should know better.
February 3, 2009 7:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think that they are coming off as elitists at all. They are more coming off as standing by their fellow Senator.
Just like how they "stood by" Convicted Felon Ted Stevens and gave him a 10 minute standing ovation. Different rules for senators then normal people, how's that not "elitist" Where's the virtue in "standing by their fellow Senator" when most people view the congress as a whole as a bunch of corrupt bastards. The democrats are perpetuating the cycle of corruption in D.C. and it's disgusting.
How will we ever fix this country if congress is more interested in "standing by their fellows" then doing what's right?
February 2, 2009 11:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
1. You're making shit up. They applauded Stevens but they did not stand by him. In fact, his Republican colleagues were figuring out how to have him expelled from the Senate until it became clear that he lost.
2. If most people believe Congress is a bunch of corrupt bastards and still vote for them, they won't give a shit if Daschle is in the cabinet. It's par for the course.
February 3, 2009 12:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Howard Fineman is a clown. He was on Hardball saying "Daschle's real problem may be with Educap because he's close with their CEO and that company has some problems."
When asked if Daschle is in any way connected to the problems he said "not that we know. But *if* his name sufaces, it could be a problem."
Where do these guys get off with their unsubstantiated speculation?
February 2, 2009 8:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well the GOP is now championing the idea of adding mortgage cost cutting provisions to the stimulus bill. That's pretty populist...
February 2, 2009 8:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
And not actually a bad idea, as far as I can see.
February 3, 2009 7:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
You would be the expert on "faux populists" for sure.
February 3, 2009 8:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Surprise surprise the Senate still takes care of its own
The tragedy is that this horsesh*t has another week to run, eats up time that should be devoted to making Congressional Republicans pay for their stimulus games
February 2, 2009 8:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
the republicans ducked out and ran from the press because their new mortgage avoiding leader has issued his decree that republicans ought to oppose daschle; this way they get a little more time to stomp their feet and be the hypocritical attention wh*res that they are before they go ahead and do whatever their real leader el rushbo decides.
February 2, 2009 8:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
The fact that no Republican Senator came out and blasted Daschle yet says a lot.
The next 48 hours will determine whether Daschle stays or goes.
February 2, 2009 8:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bullshit Elana. Are those your words or theirs? You don't "need" a 1099 to declare income, you just declare it. In over ten years as a consultant I've been 1099'd for less than three quarters of my income. AND I declare it all, 1099 or not.
Damn right that's no excuse. When your unpaid taxes alone are twice the median income and you describe your cheating as "inadvertant" you are severely out of touch.
There you have his disqualification in a nutshell. Americans by overwhelming numbers do not want "insurance" they want "health care". And they do not want it "Sometiome soon" they want it now, just like every other western nation. Yet another corporate lackey for the insurance industry is the last thing we need.
February 2, 2009 10:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Lower cost, higher value insurance ... sometime soon"?
(Sigh!) Well, we can all see where THIS is going.
February 2, 2009 10:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not my call but..... paging Dr. Dean, indeed.
February 3, 2009 12:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Seriously???
THAT'S what you jackasses are willing to fight for???
Our congresscritters fucking FAIL.
February 3, 2009 5:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Screw Daschle. He's a leech. Obama could make a lot of political points by publicly admitting his transition team made a mistake and dumping Daschle.
February 3, 2009 6:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed by Daschle's problems. I am simply whelmed.
I live and work in Washington (well, actually, I live near Annapolis, but it's all the same thing, really, once you get within 45 miles of DC).
And I am not at all surprised that people like Daschle come back to Government. I understand it, and it's common. If anyone thinks that we are ever going to separate lobbyists from the process, and congresscritters from becoming lobbyists, that's naivete writ large.
As for Daschle himself, I have no opinion. His ability to do a good job is separate from his ability to pay taxes, in my opinion, and it is probably separate from his lobbying.
But the optics on this just sucks at a time when Obama needs all the shine he can get, and needless tarnish--justified or not--remains tarnish. Obama laid down some pretty tough ethics requirements, and regardless of whether the taxes issue is an ethics problem, l'affaire Daschle just appears to run counter to the clean and good government thing Obama has going.
Presidents have to compromise principles at times. It's a fact. Washington did it, Lincoln did it, FDR surely did it, and Obama is going to have to do it, too. I just wish it didn't look like he was bending so soon over something like this.
February 3, 2009 9:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
IMO, the fact that he knew and didn't tell obama sucks.
btw, NYT editorial today asks for daschle to withdraw.
February 3, 2009 10:11 AM | Reply | Permalink