The American Spectator : You're Out, Tom

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You’re Out, Tom

By Philip Klein on 2.3.09 @ 4:24PM

Tom Daschle’s withdrawal has thrown a monkey wrench into the Obama administration’s health-care reform efforts.

Tom Daschle’s decision to withdraw his nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services after revelations that he had failed to pay more than $120,000 in back taxes will not only embarrass President Obama in the short term, but it will be a major setback in his administration’s push for universal health care.

The former Senate majority leader earned Obama’s loyalty when he backed the junior senator from Illinois over Hillary Clinton way back in February 2007, when Obama was considered by many to be long-shot candidate and could claim few prominent endorsements.

Daschle advised Obama, provided him with fundraising lists, and helped him staff his campaign. After Obama won the election, Daschle could have asked for just about any position in the administration, but he made it clear that he was interested in the HHS slot.

While Daschle wasn’t particularly known as being an expert on health policy during his time in Congress, he began to develop a passion for the issue after being ousted from office in 2004. His interest culminated with the release of his book last year, Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis, in which, among other proposals, he advocated the establishment of a Federal Health Board that would oversee the health-care system as the Federal Reserve Board oversees the banking system.

When President Obama nominated Daschle to lead HHS, he gave him the additional role of director of the White House Office of Health Reform. This was a symbolic position, but one that carried a clear message: health-care reform was going to be a top priority for the new administration. Daschle would be not only running the bureaucracy of HHS, but leading the effort to craft a health-care proposal, and, most importantly, using his vast legislative experience to shepherd the plan through Congress.

“Tom brings more than just great expertise to this task, he brings the respect he earned during his years of leadership in Congress,” Obama said in announcing the pick in December. “He knows how to reach across the aisle and bridge partisan divides. And he has the trust of folks from every angle of this issue: doctors, nurses and patients; unions and businesses; hospitals and advocacy groups — all of whom will have a seat at the table as we craft our plan.”

Obama’s choice of Daschle was cheered in liberal circles, raising hopes that this time the outcome would be different from Bill Clinton’s failed effort at health-care reform in 1994. That effort was famously led by then-First Lady Hillary Clinton and business consultant Ira Magaziner, neither of whom had any legislative background.

With Daschle out of the picture, Obama will be hard-pressed to find somebody who combines the passion for the health-care issue with practical legislative talents. It is unclear whether Obama will decide to split up the role of HHS Secretary from the new White House Office of Health Reform position.

“It really sets us back a step,” Sen. Dick Durbin said, according to the AP. “Because he was such a talent. I mean he understood Congress, serving in the House and Senate he certainly had the confidence of the president.”

Sen. John Kerry echoed Durbin’s comments. “This was no ordinary appointment and today is not a good day for the cause of health care reform,” Kerry said, according to the Washington Post. “Tom brought a unique level of legislative skill and experience to this position, in addition to his passion to achieve affordable health care for every American.”

Even if Obama finds a suitable replacement for Daschle, this debacle will mean a potentially costly delay for health-care legislation.

Daschle has been spending the last few months laying the groundwork for health-care reform. Before being officially announced as Obama’s pick for HHS, Daschle gave a high-profile talk in Denver about his health-care vision and he was already in touch with some of the major players in the industry. Nancy Nielsen, president of the American Medical Association, told TAS that Daschle had reached out to the leading physicians’ group shortly after the election.

When he was officially announced as Obama’s choice for HHS, Daschle quickly emerged as the public face of the health-care reform effort. He traveled around the country to host health-care discussions aimed at generating grassroots support, and recorded videos for the change.gov transition website.

As things were, it was going to be difficult to make a comprehensive overhaul of the health-care system a part of the agenda for the first 100 days. Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), who serves as chairman of the health subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee, said on a December conference call that realistically, Democrats were unlikely to vote on a comprehensive health-care reform proposal until early in 2010.

If the process gets delayed much beyond that, then the Obama administration will start having to worry about Democrats who want to avoid a tough vote during an election year. That could push things into 2011, and nobody knows what the political climate will be like then.

To be sure, proponents of national universal health care still have a lot going for them. President Obama remains popular, Democrats hold substantial majorities in both chambers of Congress, and businesses and industry groups are much more amenable to reform than they were the last time around.

But there’s no doubt that Daschle’s withdrawal complicates the Obama administration’s ability to strike while the iron’s hot, thus adding an extra layer of uncertainty to a cause that has eluded liberals since Harry Truman was president.

About the Author

Philip Klein is The American Spectator’s Washington correspondent. You can follow him on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/Philipaklein

Letter to the Editor View all comments (72) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

Robert Rosencrans| 2.3.09 @ 4:46PM

This was victim identity politics at it's best. A woman went down, so a white male had to be sacrificed.

Dustoff| 2.3.09 @ 5:07PM

Jezzzzzzzzzzz, can't Obama and gang find people WHO don't have a tax problem?

It's know wonder they want to keep raising our taxes. These fools don't pay any.

Explain to me again how smart Mr. voting present is again?

Della Wishard| 2.3.09 @ 5:14PM

We are from SD. We know the political skill of this man called Tom Daschle. His whole career has been one of philosopher/king .... take no prisoners...politics. He was a consumate political game-player... in the worst sense.
He finally went too far and we do not mourn his downfall.

Morris| 2.3.09 @ 5:15PM

Robert Rosencrans, that statement reminded me of your bosom buddy and life-long pal David Duke. Your guy was in the news today.

J. Kelley| 2.3.09 @ 5:19PM

If Daschle had known this was going to happen, he would not have paid those back taxes. Sometimes "pay to play" does not work. How many other of the Dem elite owe back taxes? Besides Charlie Rangle.

2 Guns| 2.3.09 @ 5:23PM

Amazingly, these tax cheats only have to pay the back taxes, but no penalties or interest, WHAT A DEAL.

jr| 2.3.09 @ 5:25PM

Another BHO pick - Killifer - also bailed out because of ------- drum roll, please --------- income tax "issues." She was to be BHO's Chief Performance Officer. What is a Chief Performance Officer? BHO's vetting process is really stinko, or, there aren't any of the good picks that do not have tax "issues." What's an "issue?" Empty suit, empty cabinet. He don't need no stinking cabinet anyway.

Bob| 2.3.09 @ 5:49PM

Daschle had to go. It wasn't just the tax problem in my opinion -- it was an image problem. How could a guy who was supposed to reform health care for the average person understand the common man if he had a full time driver and car? Besides, even though he was not a "registered" lobbyist, he was a lobbyist for all intents and purposes. If it was just the tax issue, he would have stayed. It was the sum of all of these factors. My guess is that there was more that the accountant found that did not come out as well.

This reminds me of a young athlete who gets a big salary and signing bonus as a professional. They've never had that kind of money before and get carried away with the perks. Daschle has a government salary for most of his life and probably didn't know how to handle his new found wealth.

Politically, he was not a good choice in any event even without any problems. You need someone who has actually run a company to know how to streamline the health care industry.

cj acworth| 2.3.09 @ 5:50PM

I will happily swallow the "porkulous" package, card check, and gun control if BHO will get legislation passed requiring all elected officials, thier spouse, and thier dogs to undergo IRS audit annually.

Alan Brooks| 2.3.09 @ 5:51PM

no penalties or interest?

sign us up, were so there.

Robert Rosencrans| 2.3.09 @ 6:17PM

Well. Obama claims he screwed up, sending out the message that there are two sets of rules for paying taxes. If that's true, then he must get rid of Geithner immediately. But we all know it's not true. Perhaps he will appoint another Republican now. I wonder if he can find any Democrats who actually pay their taxes.

Special message to Morris. David Duke didn't invent victim identity politics, the Democrats did.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/daschle_taxes
Obama told NBC "I'm frustrated with myself" for unintentionally sending a message that there are "two sets of rules" for paying taxes, "one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks."

"I take responsibility for this mistake," he told Fox News.

ruth| 2.3.09 @ 6:39PM

Morris, like most liberals, you've got problems with the truth. Today's news is about demos' malfeasance, they're up to their necks in dirt. Funny to watch Obama squirm.

Louis Jenkins| 2.3.09 @ 6:56PM

Didn't he say in 1998 that "people who don't pay their taxes should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law"? Glad he's out of the picture. I never liked the man anyway.

Jason | 2.3.09 @ 7:51PM

It is interesting to see how George Stephanopoulos spins this: not as a failure of the Obama administration, but as a reflection on how mean those Republicans are. He says that Daschle's brother was recently diagnosed with cancer, so Daschle couldn't handle the blistering criticism and Senate hazing, so he gave up.

Second point: Daschle shows no special skills in being able to reach out to the AMA. The AMA is strongly in favor of nationalized health care.
Great article

http://www.rightklik.net/

ruth| 2.3.09 @ 8:19PM

Where, oh, where are the liberal trolls like Jeremiah and Intergroper today? Taking a break? Whatever for, dummocrats? Even these two couldn't spin today's liberal corruption orgy. Too bad.

El Wayne| 2.3.09 @ 8:29PM

Soorrey Bob...no line here....left wing foul.....bases are loaded...Soc-Cons on the mound and the pitch is.........!(?)

El Wayne| 2.3.09 @ 8:32PM

It's oughta here.....your man's corrupt...hell he's inept can't even vet a cabinet....you're done....toast....!!!

Anthony| 2.3.09 @ 8:34PM

It's amateur hour at the White House. Three leftist nominess with tax problems in two weeks. And now the head of the IRS is a former tax cheat and scofflaw. Maybe Obama will nominate former Lousiana Gov. Blanco as head of FEMA. How about Ward Churchill as Education Sec, or perhaps Drug Tzar? This must be a new record for incompetence. Poor Obama , who would of thought being president would be harder than being a community organizer? Imagine if Bush had done this, the MSM would be having a field day. You can just imagine the rich Republican jokes. Chris Matthews would be on his 3rd box of depends by now and Henry Waxman would be demanding hearings. And to top it off, Mr. change we can believe in, was told by the Brits, if you start your stupid trade war, we'll finish it for you! Wow! Obama has the world right where they want us.

John | 2.3.09 @ 9:25PM

Great article--I agree that the loss of Daschle is a step back in the push for nationalizing health care. But make no mistake, the push won't end here--not by a long shot. The stimulus package is loaded with provisions that employ the slow incremental process of nationalizing the industry.

We are well on the road towards European-style statism; this is a mere bump in the road.

NHdissident| 2.3.09 @ 9:38PM

Just Think the America Spectator had us all worried about Daschle's grand plans. Good riddance.

Where is interloper, Obama Rules and all their buddies. They are probably looking over their tax returns too.

Jeremiah| 2.3.09 @ 9:51PM

Remember how Joe The Plumber was sodomized in public because he had dared to ask The One an embarrassing question? The liberals put his life upside down and discovered what was not a secret at all: that he was LATE in his taxes! Not that he tried not to pay them, mind you; no, just LATE!
And now we have the clowns Daschle and Geithner trying to defraud the government they are supposed to serve... Talk about a boomerang effect! ( Hi Lady Ruth!)

ruth| 2.3.09 @ 11:13PM

What's even worse is the BS the Dummos made up about Palin. I bet she paid her taxes, losers; you sicken me. C'mon, Jeremiah, SLT, Intergroper, Obomber Rules, Daffy 'nuts' Daphne, BOB--speak up on behalf of your anointed one. Where are you? Bob, so much for the supreme importance of an Ivy League education and 'knowledge', Palin governs her state effortlessly; while your hero, The One, is hosting amateur hour. Clowns.

ruth| 2.3.09 @ 11:15PM

What's up, Jer? Love your work!

drudge ette obama| 2.4.09 @ 7:29AM

Forget the stimulus package. The US government will recoup money from all the Obama picks paying their taxes.

Dave| 2.4.09 @ 8:15AM

Man, am I the only one on this list to get the Godfather reference? So, so sweet the life of a headline writer.

Doctor Right| 2.4.09 @ 10:19AM

Watching this fool Daschle get his ox gored on TV and be exposed as the self-righteous hypocrite he's always been was second only to the resignation of Elliot Spitzer on my list of "Liberal schadenfreude".

Another crooked Democrat...What a shock!

Now if only my home state of New Jersey could find something, anything to pin on our useless Governor, I'd dance in the street.

loulou| 2.4.09 @ 10:34AM

Health care crisis?? What health care crisis?
"Fixing" health care means rationing, withholding care and the trashing of the best medicine in the world.

Daschle thought that since he was a lobbyist for some health care groups that meant he was an expert. What arrogance.

Dustoff| 2.4.09 @ 10:41AM

Didn't our new VP say something about paying taxes and loving this country? I guess some in Obama's team didn't hear that.

This just shows you how little leadership Obama really has!

JJ JR| 2.4.09 @ 10:42AM

To Bob and your comment:

"Daschle has a government salary for most of his life and probably didn't know how to handle his new found wealth. "

Where have you been man? The Daschle's are loaded primarily because of wife Linda's slurping at the trough in (FAA and then I believe head staffer on the House Transportation Committee) and out of gov't (lobbyist) using her husband's Senate leadership position DIRECTLY as hook for clients. She used to have a giant wooden "Seal of the Senate" hanging in back of her desk. Message to clients: I own the Senate; what do you need me to have li'l Tommy do for you?

You can't come up with a better example of Washington insiders/suckers of the Gov't teet/limousine liberals then the Daschles.

GOOD RIDDANCE!

Dustoff| 2.4.09 @ 10:46AM

Did anyone see the news in Japan about a guy who died after the medics took him to 14 different hospitals and none could take care of him. He crash on a bike. 0-:

Gov-healthcare folks.. bad news.

Larry C. Roberts, MD, MA| 2.4.09 @ 10:47AM

Three points: 1) The AMA, representing less than 30% of U.S. physicians, long ago gave up any support for the private practitioner, who is the heart and soul of American medicine. The fallen flag is now ably carried by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons; 2) The Obama plan is merely an amalgamation of the worst features of the failed health care systems of Canada, Germany and England; 3) The simple answer to the "crisis" of cost and availability is the Health Savings Account, coupled with a high deductible catastrophic insurance policy. Regardless, I am willing to work under any system the government imposes, as long as the President, the members of Congress, and their families are required to obtain their care in that system, too. What do you think the chances of that are? Can you say hypocrisy?

Anthony| 2.4.09 @ 11:07AM

Victor Davis Hanson at NRO once again gets to the heart of the matter. This debachery stems from the Washington power elite exercising more and more raw power and taking more and more control of America's economy. So, it's no suprise that the soft spoken twerp, Daschle, gets cover from his fellow Club Senate members, both D's and R's, after all, they're part of the revolving elite and power class that feeds at the trough of big government and its corporate ATM machine. Accountability is for us plebes in fly over country, not for them, unless and until it's reeks so bad, one or two have to take a hit. From Jefferson to Reagan, great men have warned us about this elite oligarchy taking control. Obama is now the tipping point, and America's future as a constitutional republic is in perilous danger.

Obama Rules| 2.4.09 @ 11:30AM

Another day, and another misguided right-winged "let's trash anything that's liberal!" word-orgy on this web site.

If you hate America so much, get the F out.

Reagan's Ghost| 2.4.09 @ 12:24PM

No, we just hate Marxist, Indonesian alien pseudo-presidents... The Big O is going to set race relations back about 150 years...

Appleby| 2.4.09 @ 12:33PM

"Taxes are for the Little People," saith Leona Helmsly. Apparently Obama wrote that on his shirt cuff where he could refer to it frequently.

How about the FIRST thing that happens when someone comes up for audition as an Apparatchik is an IRS audit back to the Dawn of Time? If this were known ahead of time, tax collection would go up dramatically and/or we would be spared a lot of greedy-gut hangers-on whose fingers ached for that Cookie Jar.

Melvin| 2.4.09 @ 12:54PM

People, look at the bigger issue here. Daschle, Geitner,and Killefer, these are three powerful, life long hard core Liberal Democrats. The common denominator that binds them together is, not paying taxes. The question that America should be asking is, how deep and pervasive does this go, "I'm to powerful and important not to pay taxes," go? This isn't isolated people, The Obama "three" were intelligent, wealthy, and politically connected. They could afford the best tax lawyers and accounts money can buy but they made the conscious decision not to pay their taxes in spite of the political consequences.
This issue is always been a by-product of Liberalism. We want all these government programs but we personally don't want to pay for them.

Melvin| 2.4.09 @ 12:57PM

I know I shouldn't lower myself to the depravity of one who calls itself, "Obama Rules." I know your probably a product of government run education, but why do you always resort to foul mouthed tirades and simplistic sentences?

Truth to Power| 2.4.09 @ 1:31PM

Obama Rules is the first lefty that I have heard to use "love it or leave it" (I realize he was far more crude and he would be more polite if he got back on his meds). I predicted this would happen but am shocked that it is only February. This is usually the last defense to bad ideas. I remind him that dissent is the highest form of patriotism.

ruth| 2.4.09 @ 3:09PM

Obama Rules must be freaking out now that his Obamassiah is screwing up. I told you a couple of months ago that you liberals would mess up by over-reaching, remember, OR? I didn't know it would only take a week for you dummocrats to prove me right. You fools are such scuzzoids. What a joke you are.

Obama Rules| 2.4.09 @ 3:12PM

The House overwhelmingly approved a bill extending health coverage to 4 million uninsured children, giving President Barack Obama a much-needed win on health care and taking a first step toward his promise of universal coverage.

The Democratic-controlled House passed the bill 290-135 on Wednesday, with 40 Republicans backing it. Obama planned to sign it into law later in the day.

The bill calls for spending an additional $32.8 billion on the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Lawmakers generated that revenue by raising the federal tobacco tax.

I know that you kid-hatin' mongrels hate that this bill passed, but oh well, this is America, love it or leave it.

Dustoff| 2.4.09 @ 4:14PM

Poor OR has gone for the low-road. Cussing is now the way to speak. LOL

Losing foolings can only resort to cuss words when all else fails.

Obama Rules| 2.4.09 @ 4:46PM

General question: What's it feel like being an America-hating, freedom-bashing, fascist GOP pig anyway?

Obama Rules| 2.4.09 @ 5:19PM

It's about time we, gay, coke snorting, church burner, tax evader, bogus art lover liberals show this America how it should be ruled!
Allah Uh Akbar!

Obama Rules| 2.4.09 @ 5:23PM

I apologize to everybody here. This last batch of Lexomil is defective and my nurse just brought me a new one. I think you guys are just terrific! I read plenty of very sensible stuff on this blog, and I can't believe I acted so funny for so long. Will you forgive me, if I screw up again with my prescription drugs? Please.

Alan Brooks| 2.4.09 @ 5:55PM

"you're out, Tom"
Mikey to Tom Hagen, right?

S.L. Toddard| 2.4.09 @ 6:05PM

The picture on top of this article really gets on my nerves. Those two jerks with Old Glory in the background, isn't there anything odd with that?

Obama Rules| 2.4.09 @ 6:06PM

Most serial killers were registered democrats.That's a fact.

Obama Rules| 2.4.09 @ 6:10PM

I hear ya SL! As a matter of fact Old Glory is Republican whereas the flag with the pink swastika is liberal.

Daphne| 2.4.09 @ 10:02PM

I think Obomber Rules is a serial killer. Oh, and I hate America.

Tripp| 2.5.09 @ 2:47AM

Godfather reference! Nice! yep- Mike to Tom Hagen.

Tim| 2.5.09 @ 5:33PM

Today we learn that Labor Sec designate Rep...Solis's husband has tax issues and her confirmation debate has been delayed.

This is four prominant Democrats nominated to four very high level posts by Obama to have been found to have Tax related issues.

My first question is who is in charge of this vetting process?

My second question is that if you approve a tax cheat that will run our IRS how can you dismiss the others for the same crimes?

My third question is, how can you throw out blago for calling a spade a spade but protect others who did the same things or even worse?

My guess is that if you had an election on March 4, 2009 Obama would either loose or barely win a majority of the electoral vote.

This only two full weeks since the DC... crowning.

My oh MY.....what a mess!

Carter is starting to look good.....and that is saying something.

ruth| 2.5.09 @ 8:36PM

No, he's not, Tim. Never.

Obama Rules| 2.5.09 @ 8:42PM

Now it would be a lot easier to ask who are the liberals who pay their taxes.

Obama Rules| 2.5.09 @ 8:43PM

Now Hussein it, now you don't.

ruth| 2.5.09 @ 9:43PM

ROTFLMAO

Tim| 2.5.09 @ 10:04PM

Ruth,
I was Just Just kidding about Carter!

ruth| 2.6.09 @ 2:21PM

Tim, just checking.

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