Why Daschle Quit and Who's Next
I'm still reporting but what I've heard jibes with what's come out in the last couple of hours: That Daschle made the decision to go himself after the New York Times op-ed and the sense that the opposition could grow and not diminish over the next week. No one in the administration wanted to talk him out of it but they weren't going to pull the plug either. President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Congressional liasion Phil Schilero had all been making calls on Daschle's behalf through yesterday and Daschle's apologetic tone seemed to help. Still, White House officials knew that the story was likely to get worse next week when Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner is scheduled to announce more detailed plans for bailing out the financial industry. That is likely to once again raise the issue of executive compensation. "Those aren't good atmospherics to be discussing free limo rides," said one Democrat close to the White House.
While no Democrat in the Senate had come out against his nomination, Republican opposition to his nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services was growing. This morning he called White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel to say he was quitting. (Obama later spoke with Daschle from the president's private study off the Oval Office.) This morning's announced withdrawal of Nancy Killefer, nominated to the newly created post of Chief Performance Officer, made White House officials more appreciative of Daschle's withdrawal. Had he stayed in the administration would have been seen as sexist, backing two male candidates with tax problems (Daschle and Treasury Secretary Tim Getihner) and jettisoning one woman. Daschle saved them the trouble of explaining that one. That said, Obama has to go on all the network news show tonite and talk about these withdrawals rather than the economic crisis and the stimulus package, his original reason for booking the interviews with the Katie Couric, Brian Williams and Charlie Gibson.
The withdrawal of Daschle has not only scrambled things for the White House but for lobbies all over Washington who knew Daschle well and now have to deal with a big uncertainty about who will take over the largest cabinet agency--in terms of spending--as well as the health care czar post. (I was supposed to meet with the legislative team of one organization closely tracking health care this morning but they had to cancel to deal with the Daschle fallout.)
One Democrat close to the White House thought that President Obama was now likely to split the posts of HHS Secretary and health czar if he couldn't find someone with Daschle's outsized reputation to full both but this person thought the president still wanted someone with gravitas who might fill both jobs. A couple of names being tossed about include Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius but not former physician/governors Howard Dean of Vermont or John Kitzaber of Oregon who this Democrat didn't think would be considered, Dean because he's considered too partisan and Kitzaber because he's a bit of an odd bird. Rep. Vic Snyder of Arkansas, the only member of Congress who is both a physician and a lawyer, might be a dark horse but as a backbencher probably not a commanding enough figure to fill Daschle's shoes. This person did not think a policy aide like Jeanne Lambrew would be considered. Another long shot: Jay Rockefeller. He'd have to give up chairmanship of the Senate Intelligence Committee and he just won reelection in West Virginia. But the five-term Senator he has a long time interest in health care and the governor of the state, Joe Manchin, is a Democrat. But this was speculation. Said the source: "The problem with having a former Senate Majority Leader go down is that anyone who replaces him looks small by comparison."
Josh
Elana
Matt
Eric
Obama has to go on all the network news show tonite and talk about these withdrawals rather than the economic crisis and the stimulus package, his original reason for booking the interviews with the Katie Couric, Brian Williams and Charlie Gibson.
That's the most unfortunate thing about this entire incident. Hopefully he can move past it quickly and get on to what's most important.
February 3, 2009 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
"tonite"?
February 3, 2009 4:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
One thing that Obama really needs to address is his vetting. He doesn't have to mention it outwardly tonight, but, seriously, who the hell's checking up on people before they do a nomination? Yes McCain (thinking Palin's horrible vetting here) probably would be doing worse at this point, but this crap is really slowing down Obama's agenda.
February 3, 2009 4:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Taxes are nearly impossible to vet without the cooperation of the IRS. The tax problems wouldn't "exist" unless the IRS validated them through investigation. So, unless Obama has the nominee release their tax returns to an auditor on his staff (and even that auditor has to "interpret" the law), then taxes will continue to be an achilles' heel for full vetting.
February 3, 2009 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good point. Still, something needs to be improved.
February 3, 2009 5:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
"A couple of names being tossed about include Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius but not former physician/governors Howard Dean of Vermont... because he's considered too partisan..."
This makes no sense to me. I think that Dean would make a great choice. His chairmanship of the DNC reflects well on his competence. Rahm Emanuel was also labeled partisan, but became Chief of Staff.
February 3, 2009 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Kitzaber because he's a bit of an odd bird. "
This reason doesn't make any sense either. Odd birds have a way of thinking outside preconceived notions of what might work.
I'm for all the odd birds we can find.
February 3, 2009 4:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
My thoughts exactly! Maybe not an odd bird to run HHS, but to serve as health care czar. Someone who sees things from an uncommon angle is just the ticket, I should think.
Thenk again, I think what Obama really wanted was someone to shepherd the bill through Congress, and that's where you need an insider.
February 3, 2009 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kitzhaber is (literally) a country doctor with good small-town, small-state political instincts. As I recall, he was approached for national office during and after his governorship and was decidedly disinterested.
He certainly has the intellectual compentence to hold a position like HHS but I'd bet real money he would not accept the position if offered. If he had wanted to live in DC, he would have taken Gordon Smith's job away from him years ago.
Thanks.
mp
February 3, 2009 6:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love Dean, think he would make a great HHS secretary, and am miffed that after leading the Dems back into power he's been shut out of the administration. However, if your primary consideration is finding someone who can lead the charge in Congress for health care reform, Dean doesn't have congressional experience and I got the sense that he didn't always have the best relationship with Dem leaders in Congress (not only Rahm, but others). So there might be some legitimate reasons -- as opposed to personal animosity with Rahm -- why he isn't chosen.
February 3, 2009 5:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Selecting Dean would go a long way to make up for Gregg for progressives.
February 3, 2009 9:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is exactly the problem. Republicans want Dean as well. With Dean,they can pummel Obama as being hyper-partisan (your word being "progressive") and try to crucify him more generally, not only over health care which would become a pariah issue.
Someone wisely wrote on here that Obama was ready to fight for health care, but to be ready for that he wanted to the stimulus to sail through and be the nation's bill, not his. This is becoming a rough ride.
February 4, 2009 3:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Emanuel's job is fundamentally different from the role the Secretary of HHS will have. He is a hammer who needs to wield fear and intelligence equally to make sure the White House stays on message, stays on task, and to keep everyone on the range. Occasionally he is the man who will call upon wayward congresscritters and, dropping a colorful euphemism here and there, I am sure, whip asses into shape. Make the deals that will keep the agenda, once formulated, on track. He's the guy Mitch & Murray send to tell you second prize is a set of steak knives, and third prize is you're fired.
Health care reform is going to be a serious and herculean undertaking that requires different skills altogether. The Secretary (and for that matter, the point person in the WH, if they are still going to go that route) needs to be someone who NOT ONLY can manage a large federal bureau, but who also knows how Congress works, who can work the phones both with Democrats and with moderate Republicans, and who has the statesmanship and connections to help get things (including budget AND health care reform) through.
Dean does not fit that bill. Dean is a warrior (God love him), but he is not the guy to lead this fight. Because it is not a bare-knuckle fight. This is an issue where nuance and cooperation (yes, even with Republicans) are key, and I don't see either as Dean's strong suits. So he's a doctor. Big deal. So he's a progressive hero. Big deal.
You need someone who can get the job done. You need an insider. This is why Daschle's demise may help ensure that health care reform is not addressed meaningfully in the first two years, and may be watered down at the end of the day.
February 4, 2009 8:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
It wasn’t a New York Times Op-Ed. It was a New York Times editorial, the lead one as a matter of fact.
An Op-Ed is written by someone not affiliated with the paper, i.e., a syndicated columnist, or guest writer.
February 3, 2009 4:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yup, it was so much bigger than an Op-Ed.
February 3, 2009 4:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Only much bigger if you think the Time's ed board should set the agenda. I don't.
February 3, 2009 5:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Matt:
What was this organization?
February 3, 2009 4:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
And was that Democrat Rahm Emanuel? If so, he has a long-storied beef against Howard Dean.
February 3, 2009 4:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Senator Rockefeller is no longer chairman of the Select Committe on Intelligence.
February 3, 2009 4:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you. So far, two major glaring errors in Matt's blog post. A bit disappointing.
February 3, 2009 4:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sebelius was insurance commissioner before she was governor of Kansas and probably has greater expertise on the issue than some might think.
I've seen Rosa DeLauro's name mentioned -- I think she would be very good.
An odd thought just came to me -- what about John Dingell? Hasn't he (like his father before him) introduced a universal health care bill every session of Congress? Since he lost his chairmanship, this would be one hell of a way to end his career and he certainly knows how to move legislation through Congress.
February 3, 2009 4:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Sebelius was insurance commissioner before she was governor of Kansas and probably has greater expertise on the issue than some might think."
No "probably" abut it, there's no doubt her past experience positions her to defend the Little Guy from the Bigcorps. It is no stretch to say that is exactly how she gained her spot in the Governor's Office of Kansas.
To everyone who thinks Sebelius is some kind of political lightweight, all I can say is "do your homework." She's got quite a story, and apparently few people are willing to hear it before passing judgement.
The role she played as Kansas insurance commissioner was an excellent primer for what she would face at HHS. The work she did for rank and file Kansans is EXACTLY the kind of expertise we need in DC right now.
Don't form an opinion based on limited knowledge. Take some time to know of what you speak.
February 4, 2009 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ambinder says that Daschle was really hurt by the personal attacks. He believes he could have survived the confirmation but not with his reputation in tact. His brother is also dying.
http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/02/did_daschle_jump_too_soon.php
February 3, 2009 4:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Screw Daschle's feelings. He cheated on his taxes and didn't tell the transition team about his limo rides and big paydays from the health care industry. He sucks. He's lucky he's not being indicted for tax evasion. He failed to report significant income and overstated his charitable contributions.
February 3, 2009 9:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Y'know, Tom Daschle's sins are nothing compared to, say, Gonzales' before he was approved.
Daschle made enemies in low places, like Roger Ailes and others of that ilk, who now take great delight in exposing the relatively minor transgressions, when they were so wont to cover up much more egregious and illegal violations by the Cheneybots.
The sheer hypocrisy of the Republicans just won;t go away. And now that the public has begun to disown them, they are taking the money and running for the hills.
But before they go, they are going to make sure the Democrats struggle, for no other reason than political bitterness.
When Mitch McConnell laments a new era of "tax and spend" Democratic control, does anyone recall how he willingly enabled Bush to wreck our economy with his profiteer's war?
And now that the R's billionaire base has been spared the indignity of downgrades to millionaire status, due to our first round of bailouts, these pawns of the rich and sleazy are suddenly concerned about spending?
HYPOCRITES! There is no other word for them.
If you are a Republican and that offends you, you need to make some serious changes in your party, and stop denying the truth.
February 4, 2009 1:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fuck Rahm. Considering his boss's cabinet of rivals approach, can't he learn to put aside any personal grievances for the greater good?
February 3, 2009 5:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
You poor Dems.
Bush was the man and kept us safe all these years - and now Obama can't even find a Democrat who has paid thier taxes.
Tipical Dems - fighting amogst themselves.
I wonder if Ojesus will spend all of 2009 trying
to get these tax cheats elected to office.
Ya just gotta laugh.
Dems just ain't got a clue to the real world out there.
February 3, 2009 5:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
dickhead
February 3, 2009 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Very funny. Thanks for the laugh.
February 3, 2009 5:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hi Cl. Good to see you again. But, uh, er, could we not call them shite heads or some such?
February 3, 2009 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oops! Sorry about that DD! I can be so idiotic... Oops! Sorry about that idiotic! I need TheraP... Oops! Sorry about that...
Oh hell! I give up! you know what I meant!
:-)
February 3, 2009 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
You are the best CL. You keep up, keep on keepin on, against the real forces of evil!!!!
February 3, 2009 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think we's been snarked!
Neil B's a fake troll, and he just punk'd us all.
Surely no self-respecting Republican would write something so blatantly stupid...
February 4, 2009 2:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Democrats don't have a clue. That's why Republics got tossed out of office in bunches. Now, the Republicans' standard bearer is trying to sell the economic programs he was defeated on. Talk about not getting it.
February 3, 2009 5:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Tipical" (sic) GOP - too stupid to know your mother tongue.
Better hope your nativist breathern don't pass English only laws, given your accumen in typing incohherent mispelled gibberish.
February 3, 2009 5:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ack.. hit post before I checked my own spelling:
"Tipical" (sic) GOP - too stupid to know your mother tongue.
Better hope your nativist brethren don't pass English only laws, given your acumen in typing incoherent misspelled gibberish.
February 3, 2009 5:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
ROFLMAO!!!
A troll trying to convince us that the thugs know what they are doing. you had 8 years and look what happened. Bush did not keep us safe. We were attacked on his watch - remember - and this was because he wasn't even paying attention to the intelligence. It's documented facts but then trolls and thugs don't care about facts.
February 3, 2009 8:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Tipical response.
Not sure how safe Brownie kept us. Didn't feel too safe while the administration was stuffing DOJ with political hacks. C'mon, man, lighten up.
Bush turned cabinet cronyism into an art form. I'll bet they'll all paid every penny of their taxes, too.
February 3, 2009 10:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Neil B: Bush was warned in December 2000 and January 2001 by Richard Clarke and others that terrorism was of burning importance but they ignored that and pursued missile-defense tomfoolery at Defense and fruitless anti-porn pogroms at Justice. In July 2001, George Tenet drove to the White House personally to warn of an impending catastrophe but he was ignored too. In August the briefing papers spelling it out were also ignored. George Bush is responsible for 9/11, Neil B, you and your ilk like it or not.
Also fully responsible for terrible job dealing with Katrina (a) for putting a loyalist hack in there over competence, and (b) for lightly ignoring passionate last-minute warnings that not enough was being done ("We're ready"), talking about not keeping us safe. Also fully responsible for provoking Iran with his wanton gauntlet about axis of evil, and completely mismanaging ensuing events, such that now Iran is a fearful threat to the whole region and beyond, which was totally unnecessary and self-destructive.
And for, instead of hunting down Bin Laden in a targeted way, getting us into two difficult wars, one of which was based on smug lies and was greatly complicated by the breathtaking incompetence of Bush and his team. (And no, we are not now safe from much more potential trouble in Iraq, the thing may easily explode.) And to fund these over-wrought messes, he refused to raise revenue and led us into economic near-ruin, which he greatly aggravated by not regulating insane transactions leading to catastrophic instituional and structural failures. So our entire economic base is now totally unsafe and he did it and it's so bad, that nobody even knows how to fix it.
So on the above bases I have to kindly reject your patently absurd, ignorant sniggering.
February 4, 2009 3:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hey Neil B,
Why don't you try learning some grammar and spelling ? Your viewpoint might not be any more acceptable, but it would look nicer.
February 4, 2009 5:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am glad that Daschle is gone. This whole thing was becoming a distraction.
Too bad Obama has to talk about it in all the networks but perhaps that is a blessing in disguise for he can answer all the questions once and for all and get this behind him.
February 3, 2009 5:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
This shows why Daschle bowing out is a huge blow. No other candidate will have the stature to champion this issue.
February 3, 2009 5:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
I needed a laugh today and Karen Tumulty graciously provided it. She says Obama should pick Mitt Romney to replace Daschle.
http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/02/03/replacing-tom-daschle/
February 3, 2009 5:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sounds like she was at that party with Michael Phelps.
February 3, 2009 5:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL
February 3, 2009 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
My Gawd!!! These people must eat stupid with a side order of freakin' idiot every day before going to work!
February 3, 2009 6:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Matyra posted "One thing that Obama really needs to address is his vetting"
*****Matyra I agree with you;It seems like a high school vetting system.Obama has to be embarrassed by all these tax headlines.Seems a very shaky start in my opinion.Remember,Caroline Kenendy was the top dog of the vetting team if that gives meaning to anything.
February 3, 2009 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Caroline Kennedy was the top dog of the vetting team..."
I don't think your statement is correct. My understanding is that Caroline Kennedy was on the team for selecting/vetting the Vice President and that's all.
Ultimately the vetting responsibility would have been John Podesta's since he lead the entire transition team.
February 3, 2009 5:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, then Podesta's been sleeping on the job. Yeah, you can argue that he's been busy, that he's done OK since even Hillary Clinton got through... But, seriously, this is getting annoying.
Nancy Killefer is another one who could have stopped the shenanigans and bought herself a copy of TurboTax: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/02/another-tax-pro.html
February 3, 2009 5:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Except Geitner used TurboTax (as do I) and still almost shot his own dick off with it. A piece of tax software won't stop you from fucking up or game the system if you are not crossing the t's and dotting the i's in the former, or if you are sleaze in the latter.
Just sayin'
February 3, 2009 5:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks, I love a good point that also makes me laugh out loud.
February 3, 2009 5:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kitzhaber was governor of Oregon for 8 years, never heard there was anything odd about him, except he wore jeans and cowboy boots. Seemed to be honest and ethical. Is a doctor, and this is from Wikipedia:
After leaving elected office in January 2003, Kitzhaber was named President of the Estes Park Institute, a Colorado based education organization for community hospital and healthcare leaders.
Kitzhaber serves as the Director for the Center for Evidence Based Policy at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon. He holds an endowed Chair on Health Care Policy with The Foundation for Medical Excellence,[3] an Oregon based public, nonprofit educational foundation.
On January 13, 2006 Kitzhaber launched the Archimedes Movement, an organization seeking to maximize the health of the population by creating a sustainable system which uses the public resources spent on health care to ensure that everyone has access to a defined set of effective health services. The goal is to create not only this vision for a more equitable and sustainable system but also the tension necessary for its realization. Throughout 2006 Oregonians participated in taking this vision and developing principles and finally a legislative proposal. That proposal was introduced in the 2007 Oregon legislative session, beginning the process of building a new health system.[4]
February 3, 2009 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think what Matt means is that Kitzhaber is a dirty fucking hipp, and doesn't stand a chance with the Beltway mavens.
God forbid Obama appoint an actual liberal to his cabinet.
February 3, 2009 5:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
And not from the east coast, probably didn't even attend one of the "right" schools either.
February 3, 2009 5:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
First, Matt's just reporting what he is hearing are the issues from people in the know, and second, the not-standing-a-chance thing could even be right.
February 4, 2009 3:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
John (aka "Dr. No") was/is a iconoclastic guy who I respect and admire. He is not a team player and it's always his way or the highway. He did great when he was holding the line against the then GOP dominated legislative assembly, but he might not do well at all in a cabinet position carrying out someone else's program and agenda.
While he was/is a medical doctor, he was an ER doctor, and not in general practice or trained in whole care. We was trained in triage, so his medical background, while not a bad thing at all, is not the best type of health-care person to look at long-term health solutions.
While starting and heading The Archimedes Project, he has taken it basically nowhere closer these past two years than it was 5 years ago, giving the same speech with no commitment to even a general outline of a solution to healthcare.
Don't get me wrong, I respect John for who he his and his accomplishments, and I may not be giving him the benefit of doubt about his ability to go beyond what he has done so far since leaving Salem, but I can see why the would be some reticence in tapping him for the Secretary position.
Of course, I want him to run for the Governorship again as my Governor since Ted Kulongoski is term limited and he would clear the field on both sides if he ran again (now that he can).
February 3, 2009 5:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know about his particular qualifications, but have to disagree that emergency medicine is by definition poor preparation for this or any health care leadership role. Emergency medicine requires the ability to think systemically, not just within one's own organization (where one must draw on a wide variety of specialists) but in a more universal way, since trauma care is (ideally) a national delivery system.
February 4, 2009 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dean wasn't considered because he was too partisan for the new central party of America. Right and wrong are irrelevant, it's all about a big base and the longevity it brings.
February 3, 2009 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
There is no ongevity in failure.
February 3, 2009 9:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
I want me some Howard Dean, no imitations.
February 3, 2009 5:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Matt you're really gonna have to do better than this "over the largest cabinet agency--in terms of spending". Since when is HHS budget anywhere near what the Dept. of Defense spends? Hell the VA spends more than HHS.
February 3, 2009 5:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Because he is counting Medicare. CMS is part of HHS.
The $500 billion they spend, of course is not discretionary.
February 3, 2009 6:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bill Bradley could be a very interesting candidate.
February 3, 2009 6:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ooooh, now there's an interesting suggestion. Bradley was my first choice for president in 2000.
He was behind Dean for DNC chairman, though. Don't know if that will scotch him with Rahm.
February 3, 2009 6:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Olympia Snowe
Bill Bradley
either ... or perhaps ...... both? (HHS and Czar)
Sometimes the closed door leads to the open window or something like that.
After the last few days, it would be nice to feel some positive excitement again, and I could for either (or both) of those.
February 3, 2009 6:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
bradley is a very interesting suggestion indeed. Good one
February 3, 2009 8:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Am I the only one who looks askance at the prospect of having Jay Rockefeller head up the battle for universal health care? I realize that he is (or at least was; not sure about his current assignments) chairman of the subcommittee on Health Care, and that he was a principal backer of the Clinton health care effort, but is he really the best guy to go toe-to-toe against Republican and insurance industry opposition to overhauling the current system?
February 3, 2009 6:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
dingell or sibelius or bradley would be good choices. or dean of course
February 3, 2009 6:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dingell eh? Interesting pick. He could be just the kind of person needed since Dean unfotuntely won't even be considered.
February 3, 2009 9:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Two words: "Olympia" "Snowe"
I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'... A more progressive Democratic governor than Lynch in NH, and Snowe's voted with Democrats 91% of the time since Jan 20.
"Snowe says she wants to work with the Obama administration to achieve universal health coverage.
Snowe and Daschle have known each other for years. They both entered Congress in 1979 and worked together on health-care issues in the Senate.
Citing a firm commitment to healthcare reform, Senator Snowe stated that "with one in four Americans either uninsured or underinsured, and less than half of our smallest businesses able to offer health coverage to employees, we must find a way to provide affordable health care in this challenging economy.
Senator Snowe touted the Durbin-Snowe Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP Act) as an avenue to improve access to competitive, quality coverage, and to assist small businesses with tax credits to ensure that coverage is more affordable. As the current State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) expires in March, Senator Snowe called for a quick reauthorization in order to meet the growing demand for health care."
February 3, 2009 6:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Another very interesting suggestion. And Maine's governor is a Democrat. But would we have to settle for another Gregg-style deal? And if so, would it end up replacing a likely pro-Obama vote in the Senate with one that is less reliable?
February 3, 2009 6:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I would ask what Obama's end game is and really what's more preferable for the future of accomplishing things in Congress and convincing the country that he's not interested in partisan wars, even if the wingnuts are forcing him in that direction.
However, should the goal really be to have a filibuster proof majority? Or, should Obama enable and empower moderate Reublicans with avenues to separate themselves from the Limbaugh faction of the GOP? This might be better politically and ensure that moderate Repubs are not only more active in government than their fire-breathing counterparts, but making cloture votes in the Senate against them, effectively rendering wingnut filibustering less possible, if not rare, again.
Personally, while I would love to get back at Republicans for all of their filibustering obstructionism last year, I hardly think Harry Reid deserves a 60 seat majority. He certainly hasn't earned it.
Then again, it seems opportune that after giving Gregg the freedom to negotiate a Republican replacing him, maybe Obama could appoint Snowe without such demands and Governor Baldacci would naturally choose a Democrat to give him more leverage. I doubt Maine would kick up a fuss.
It would actually be an ideal political maneuver, as far as I can tell. Who would complain?
February 3, 2009 7:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why not Traitor Joe? He'll sail through. Then Obama can fire him 3 months later! Ooops. Governor Jodi Rell is a Republican. Damn. She won't appoint a Dem. Oh well, best laid plans.
February 3, 2009 6:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Matt,
That "odd bird" comment on Kitzhaber really begs for more information. One of the commenters already provided some, but I wanted to make explicit the criticism of you that he implied.
John Kitzhaber passed and funded a state health care plan, defended it throughout his time as governor, and has dedicated himself to improving and expanding it since leaving office.
Instead of explaining who he is, you went all "meta-insider" on us, giving your readers a kind of "I know far too much to even let you know what I know" sketch of the man and his work. That's bad blogging, bad journalism, and bad manners.
TPM has a higher standard than that. You can do better.
February 3, 2009 6:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Repubs in general, plus in the House & Senate have had their orders given- Kill This Dem Presidency By Any Means. First tries at the killing.
Stand like a stone wall, Obama admin, or there will be nothing of you left standing.
February 3, 2009 6:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
They've won a very small battle. I guarantee the phrase "there will be nothing of you left standing" is exaggeration at its finest. The Republicans aren't smart enough to get the best of Obama.
February 3, 2009 6:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope you're right.
February 3, 2009 6:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I dunno; I wonder if all this high dudgeon obstructionism isn't the the bitch slap, and that it's not so much the battle itself as the symbolism. Obama needs to be sure they don't get the wrong impression about who is really in charge.
February 3, 2009 7:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama is wayyy smarter than the thugs. Just sit back and relax. He knows exactly what he's doing.
February 3, 2009 8:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yet he tapped Daschle and Richardson, etc.
I greatly admire, respect and support Obama, but let's not gloss over fuck-ups he makes.
February 3, 2009 8:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yah! Even he's not doing that! :)
"I'm here on television saying I screwed up, and that's part of the era of responsibility. It's not never making mistakes; it's owning up to them and trying to make sure you never repeat them and that's what we intend to do."
When did you ever hear Bush say anything close to that?
February 3, 2009 9:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I thought the same thing. Bush fucked up, like, eleventy billion times, and it took him eight years to say he was "disappointed" by some things. Christ. At least we have a guy who gets that the buck stops with him, and when he drops the ball he should admit it.
February 4, 2009 8:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
They don't have the numbers or the brains.
February 3, 2009 6:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
It won't be anyone who has any knowledge on actually fixing the subject like Howard Dean . . . It will be a dude or dudette with the insurace with their hand down their pants . . . HEY!!! Huckleberry . . . Um Sorry . . . Huckabee said we can solve all our healthcare issues by dieting and eating squirrel. Huckabee sounds like the PERFECT Obama nominee . . . Maybe he has some tax issues so we can contiue this crap for another coupla months.
February 3, 2009 6:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Huckabee said if enough people eat squirrel meat and die quickly of rabies the nation's health care costs will go down. Get your facts straight.
February 3, 2009 6:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree with darosenthal. Matthew Cooper owes John Kitzhaber an apology.
February 3, 2009 7:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
What happened to the humor on this site? Remember when we all laughed and smiled through Obama's march through the primaries and the finals against Grumpy McLame? I know this is lousy day, but we're going to blog ourselves into Depression.
February 3, 2009 7:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
No; the goal is, as you said, accomplishing things in Congress. Unfortunately, it seems to me that a filibuster-proof majority, or at least something very close to it, may just be necessary to do that, especially with Ted Kennedy ailing and the continuing uncertainty as to just how long it will take to resolve the litigation over the Minnesota Senate election. The majority of Republicans seem to be dedicated to trying to prevent Democrats from being able to take credit for anthing, just as they did in the last session.
Nice thought, but "moderate Republicans" are all but extinct in the Senate. As the Baltimore Sun put it earlier this year, you could squeeze all the remaining ones into a Volkswagen Beetle. (And I'm not so sure they'd need to squeeze.) In the last two years, most of them have either gone down to electoral defeat, like Chris Shays in Connecticut and Lincoln Chafee in Rhode Island, or beat a hasty retreat and decided to retire, like John Warner of Virginia. We need what few are left to keep their fire-eater brethren from completely gumming up the works.
This isn't about Reid. This isn't even about Obama. It is about those of us on the outside of the halls of power who have, to borrow a lyric from Todd Rundgren, "been waitin' so long, waitin' for the sun to rise and shine."
The time for waiting is over. Now is the time to get things done. So yeah, leave Olympia Snowe where she is unless you're pretty sure she will be replaced with someone who won't be co-opted by Mitch McConnell.
February 3, 2009 7:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Rats, I was sure I had hit the "Reply" button to 60th Street's message above. Good thing I quoted it.
Another request, TPM: Have the Reply button jump down to the "Leave a comment" box. Having to scroll down after ou click Reply is a PITA, and it leads to forgetting to click it in the first place.
February 3, 2009 7:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
No prob :) I can reply here. Thanks, and I appreciate the response and the debate.
The futility you paint of there being only a handful of moderate Republicans is just as easily examined in a positive light.
We will only need one moderate Republican to push the wingnuts down to 40 votes and end their ability to prevent cloture and filibuster everything in sight, assuming ALL Democrats fall in line and Franken is eventually seated. The more the merrier!
Moderate Republicans do not like the excessive use of filibuster any more than we do. Right now they have a chance to avoid the partisan Republican hackery that hamstrung them during the Bush years and reassert their power. They are out of the wilderness, finally. See this and this.
Obama is giving them opportunities that Bush/Cheney and the Congressional wingnuts never did, and chances to move the country forward instead of miring it in partisan battles designed specifically to undermine ANY progress during his administration.
My final analysis and why I want Snowe in there is that she's a woman and would be a fierce advocate for responsible universal health care and one who has already worked very closely with Daschle and the Democrats who want it instituted. Furthermore, almost assuredly, a Democrat would be chosen in her place and it would look great, politically, for Obama after his concession to Gregg. I guess it could go the other way, but I doubt it. Maine gave Obama a 60/40 win over McCain, twice the margin New Hampshire gave him and the state would then have bipartisan representation in the Senate versus two Repubs.
Of course, this is IF Obama wants to assist Reid in securing 60 votes in the Senate. I am not sure he even does, but given current circumstances, it seems he will have no choice as wingnuts are forcing him in that direction by frustrating his efforts to pass this stimulus. I can't think of a better way for him to do that and not be branded a big partisan which is something he obviously doesn't want.
February 3, 2009 9:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
How much does anyone want to bet that Neil is a troll?
Who would expect to agree with every decision our candidate makes? I don't and I was very disappointed with the Daschle pick because he's been in bed with the health care industry for years. I am delighted he withdrew. This is definitely for the best.
February 3, 2009 7:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Gee, ya think so? (wry grin)
February 3, 2009 8:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sebelius? Rockefeller? LMAO!!!!!!!!!!
Ya gotta be kiddin me! Why don't they just ask the chief lobbyist for the health care industry to write something up for them? Neither the Governor or the Senator has the ability or vision to shepherd health reform of any kind through the Congress.
Dean is too partisan???? WTF????? We wouldn't want to see an actual Democrat heading up Obama's health care effort would we? It seems glaringly apparent that Rahm and his oh so smart crowd of calculating DLC'ers are hopelessly and forever out of touch with the regular people of this country. How sad.
February 3, 2009 9:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good thinking! Erroneous smears of the other candidates from his most hardline supporters will go a long way to help assuage concerns that Dean is too partisan.
February 4, 2009 10:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
What is erroneous or a smear? There's nothing of the sort in what I wrote. Sometimes the dishonest in DC don't like to hear or read the truth. That's what stands in the way of Howard Dean being appointed, nothing I or anyone else writes here has any imapct on that.
February 4, 2009 1:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
'No, we must sacrifice one of the only tried-and-true health-care reformers because we have to honor Rahm Emanuel's petty vendettas instead!'???
On the other side, Judd Gregg has been a poster-child of Bush-style Republicans and will be speedily installed into Obama's cabinet. No one is questioning whether Gregg's conservatardation will threaten his effectiveness. IOKIYAR?
I really expected better than this 'Dean is partisan' stenography. I let my subscription to TIME lapse for a reason. Who really considers Dean too partisan besides Republicans? Do tell.
February 3, 2009 9:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
A very dark day for Democrats indeed
February 3, 2009 9:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Too partisan to be even a passing thought as HHS Secretary
Do tell
Just did
February 3, 2009 9:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jeezusaleezus we can barely get the Congress to pass a stimulus bill forget about a decent one, and folks around here are screaming for Howard Dean????
"He's a doctor!"
Well I didn't know that
If there's a way to screw up, the Democrats will find it
February 3, 2009 9:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Rockefeller is Commerce Committee Chairman, he left the intelligence committee this year.
February 3, 2009 10:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually he is still on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, just not as chairman any more (Di-Fi replaced him as chair).
February 4, 2009 8:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
If not Dean, then Seattle Congressman/Dr Jim McDermott
http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/issues_healthcare.shtml
February 3, 2009 10:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
A person who's been suckled by United Health Care is about as credible a candidate to reform health care as Gail Norton was to protect national parks. We are lucky that Daschle was also a tax dodger, for conflict of interest is an issue Congress dares to confront only in the abstract.
February 3, 2009 11:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
What about Max Baucus? He chairs the Finance Committee which oversees health care, has put out a white paper on health care reform and Montana has a Dem governor who would keep the seat in the Dem column. Plus, with his experience in Congress, he would be able to work the hallways in the same manner that Daschle would have. Why isn't Baucus' name being tossed around?
February 3, 2009 11:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Obama has really misread the mood of the country right now. People are looking for leadership, not someone who is going to let himself get smacked around politically and cowtail to the opposition. The whole contrition thing on Anderson Cooper et al. was really unappealing. Bipartisianship is well and great, but not at the expense of smart policy. If Obama wants to change the underlying political discourse in American he needs to start hammering the Republicans on the stimulus bill. The democrats are absolutely on the right side of this issue at a time when the American people are desperate for action.
February 4, 2009 3:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Good riddance to Mr. Wimpy. We need Reid to retire and join him. The Senate Democrats who voted for these two politically inept weaklings should retire as well. Enough weak, incompetent political leadership!
The Republican Senate minority, not the majority Democrats, are running the legislative show while Obama foolishly caters to them for the cooperation they have no interention of providing. You can see them being interviewed on television, struggling to contain their laughter. I don't blame them. What the hell is wrong with the Democrats?
February 4, 2009 9:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Anyone President Obama chooses will be condemned by the GOP opposition. Look what they did to Daschle in 2004, did that stop him from being selected?
What Dr/Gov Dean brings is an army of very dedicated activists who will work to get his policies enacted.
Matt, you say:
"The withdrawal of Daschle has not only scrambled things for the White House but for lobbies all over Washington who knew Daschle well and now have to deal with a big uncertainty about who will take over the largest cabinet agency--in terms of spending--as well as the health care czar post. "
Maybe it's time for us diminish the power of the special interest corporate lobbyists and get government to work for what is best for the people. Dr Dean is a pragmatist. Just what we need.
February 4, 2009 9:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why not a Republican for HHS? A moderate with an interest in health issues. Then Obama would have greater influence with (and into) the opposition.
February 4, 2009 10:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm glad Daschle rolled over for the NYT -- now when it doesn't really count. If he had taken the post he would have rolled over for every republican in DC. The old democratic leadership is just like the new democratic leadership.
February 4, 2009 10:37 AM | Reply | Permalink