Another Problem for Tom Daschle

So what is new the media has decided to flex it’s muscles because unlike Clinton Obama won’t cave on cue. Perhaps if he won’t abandon his people maybe he won’t abandon the people like the GOP.

The sharks sure are circling.

Give me a break now its a heinous act to pass on a resume, suggest that someone you’ve worked with is a good pick and ask to have them considered. Jeez, KT you know as much as anybody that the odds of getting an interview for even an entry level political position in Washington without someone tagging your resume and personally shepherding it to the making the decision on who to call back is slim to none.
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This would be a story if Daschle tried to use his influence to coerce the president like it you want me you have to take my guy — oh no that was the Republican Gregg, if you want me the Democratic governor has pick a Republican to replace me.

Dee: Do you really think that all he did was pass on a resume?

PNNO — of course they are. Obama had the nerve to not throw his people under the bus on cue because the media says so. So now they are going to make him pay because ass we all know that is their most cherished perk. And for God sake, its in the same week when their tactics failed to get Speedo to turn on Phelps.
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build them up to knock them down is the media way and its not working. So along with bureau closings they are losing this power too. Obama better watch out.

Obama may have to add a real liberal to his cabinet soon, just to find someone who doesn’t have problems with the Law.

No but what difference does that make, he tried to get a friend consideration for a job in the administration big whup. He didn’t black mail them. and if you’re honest you would admit that this is a who you know industry period.

But, Dee, that is precisely what Obama said he would fix about Washington.

I wish Daschle would do the right thing and fall on his sword. At least the Obama folks did not hire the guy he was pushing.

The media has decided that they are going to nitpick this administration to death. This isn’t about Daschle, this is about the media flexing its collective muscle. Ever since Watergate, the press has had a hard-on for taking people down. Power is addictive and the media is not immune. If you are going to take politicians to task for their addiction to power you ought to have the guts to look in the mirror.

Who are the nominees left to be confirmed? Do they have anything in common?

So again his standard is perfection. so far in the hundreds of positions he’s filled you have two cases that are imperfect so that must mean that he didn’t mean what he says even though if you want competent leadership you must have experience and if you have any experience you can’t have a clean slate. don’t you think this is a bit much that less than two-weeks into this thing the media has declared that Obama has abandoned his pledges. so fat thisis the most ethical administration that we have seen in many years and yet Richard Cohen, who by the way should be completely ashamed of himself, is comparing Obama to the Bush adminstration. Give me a break.

@Dee: No this is about Daschle. I hope that Obama drops him. Is Daschle uniquely qualified? Hardly.

I’m being honest and fair when I say that if I were Daschle in this fact situation and woke up today to the NYT editorial, I’d submit my resignation by noon. I’m already a millionaire with a long record of achievement and I wouldn’t want to be the reason this new administration loses altitude right after takeoff. If Daschle doesn’t resign, I think even less of him than I do now. Grow a pair, Tom.

Three’s a charm.
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Let us please stop wasting time defending this guy. It’s not worth the moral capital.
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Plus this:
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http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/02/01/daschle/index.html

If this dude were a Repug, we’d be having fits about him. Except that we’d be so exhausted from all the other fits we were having that these particular fits would be pretty much imperceptible.
Find somebody better.

Also, isn’t this *exactly* the type of situation Obama didn’t want? I mean Daschle has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the health care industry. I don’t want him anywhere near health care legislation.

bmorex — with all due respect let me just say that my thought process is probably a bit less linear than yours. Having Daschle resign is the purpose of the editorial in the first place.
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I could care less about Daschle personally, but this is a little like a “we will not negotiate with terrorist moment.” Ever since Kimba Woods, the press has had absolute power to determine some one’s fate. Clinton caved at the first sign of objection from the media and through his loyal friends under the bus faster than a pitch by Roger Clemens on steroids or not (Clemens is a pitcher right)?
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The media has decided to make Obama pay for not bowing to their wishes. Just like they wouldn’t let the first half of the Rev. Wright story die because he wouldn’t jettison a friend.
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In a town where the only loyalty to be found is with the dog you guy, this is change in Washington. Obviously, this is not the kind of change the media likes. Of course, loyalty was perfectly fine as long as it was Bush being loyal to the incompetent horde who gave us Katrina, Iraq, Abu Grahb etc.
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But oh no the last straw he asked his soon to be boss to consider a friend for a position. I wish I has a way to get p[ass the 350 thousand applicants for consideration.

Karen, Karen, Karen…
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Don’t you realize that ObamaChrist has the power to absolve all sins of those who drink the Kool-Aid? Indeed, not only are ones transgressions deemed irrelevant at the moment of annointing by Obama, all qualifications are mystically transformed to “unique” status at the same time.
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actually, dee, i was in dc for the zoe baird/kimba woods flaps. what actually happened was that the media ignored it at first, dismissing it as inconsequential. why? my own theory was that it was because so many of them had done the same thing. it didn’t really become an issue until the white house and congressional switchboards starting lighting up with calls from outraged americans, who wanted to know why there was a double standard. it completely took the white house–and the media–by surprise.

K Tizzle says
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But, Dee, that is precisely what Obama said he would fix about Washington.

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Here is what I don’t understand about why this is supposed to hurt Daschle’s chances. I don’t know of a situations where anybody said he or anybody else couldn’t push one of their friends/cronies/benefactors for a job. Thats not something that just Washington does, thats something that EVERYBODY does. K Tizzle are you really going to try to tell me you have never advocated for a friend/relative/co worker to get a job somewhere else? I for one know I have. To my understanding what President Obama said he would change was people GETTING the job where they were obviously not qualified and only got it because of who they are or who they know. Maybe I am missing something here but this doesn’t seem like a story. Now you can’t say that I am defending him blindly either because I have said in the other thread that I have reservations about the guy and that the tax issue is a problem. I just don’t think this particular story is.
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And K Tizzle if you think it is perhaps you could expound a little more fully on why this looks bad.

@dee:
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here’s an account of how it happened:
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http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=221561
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When Baird’s problems became public, Washington was deluged by phone calls in democracy’s latest undemocratic innovation, whereby senators count the lights on the Capitol switchboard to take the nation’s pulse (no one has yet though to calculate the margin of error of this sophisticated new opinion polling technique).
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plukasiak
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You know half the time I think you have some good ideas and then the other times I am pretty sure you are just an ass hole. I know thats harsh for 9 in the morning but that ObamaChrist sh*t is played. You have shown at times that you know how to have an intelligent conversation so its not that you don’t know any better. If you want to criticize President Obama feel free. If you want to criticize people who support him, have at it. But you devalue everything else you say when you resort to wingnut troll type hyperbole.

SG:

Okay, I can’t believe you don’t get this, but here’s why it looks bad.
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Daschle was pushing a candidate with whom he had a lucrative financial relationship, and from whom he had received a big perq. Was this because this job candidate was highly qualified? Apparently not, judging from the lack of interest from the Obama transition. Does this suggest that Daschle might be motivated by personal relationships, rather than the merits? I think you could argue that it suggests that.
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Should that trouble us as Daschle takes on the lead role in the overhaul of a system that accounts for a huge portion of the GDP? And one in which there will be big financial winners and big losers? What do you think?

This doesn’t really sound like anything, to me. People know people, get their resumes passed around. This is just sharks circling at the blood in the water.
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Paul Dirks’ link is the one that actually matters. Therefore, the media will never, ever talk about it.

As always, Dirks speaks for me. It’s effin’ uncanny.

Just found the figure I was looking for: health care accounts for 20% of GDP. Can you imagine what the industry pressures are going to be like?

ctually, dee, i was in dc for the zoe baird/kimba woods flaps.
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well, its good to see that you haven’t forgotten everything about the 90s!
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the baird/woods affairs were about having a single standard of behavior for all Americans, and about having an attorney general who didn’t ignore the law when it was personally convenient for her/him. Dee apparently thinks that as long as Obama likes you, you don’t have to play by the same rules as the rest of America.

Does this suggest that Daschle might be motivated by personal relationships, rather than the merits?
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Was there ever a time or place where it was otherwise?

@Paul Dirks “not worth the political capital”
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While I don’t disagree that Daschle may not be the best person for the job and Greenwald and Taibbi have the right to bring Daschle’s short comings to our attention, with all due respect that’s not the point.
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Yesterday everyone was harping about how Obama was caving to the wingnuts for the sake of bipartisanship. Now we are advocating that Obama cave to media pressure because we don’t like Daschle.
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And what happens when they need another fix and decide to go after someone you actually like?
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the beast is insatiable and sooner or later they are going to want to put Obama in his place again. so should we wait until its someone worthwhile to stand up for our principals?
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We constantly asking KT and the others why they let they continue to just take the wingnuts word for things with out challenge. It’s because the very first time they tried this crap on the GOP they got smacked down and that was the end of it.
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You want to know why the Clinton coverage was so crazy? It’s because the first time they tried this crap he caved.

KT/SG – I say Obama’s test is TODAY. Now. Reasonable people might disagree about before today, but with the NYT editorial and the drip-drip-drip of negative stories, he’s got a nominee who represents the old Washington. I am hoping that behind the scenes he puts in motion what is necessary for a graceful resignation.

K Tizzle
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Again, this guy was his FRIEND and his EMPLOYER. Who in Washington do you really believe DIDN’T push a FRIEND or former EMPLOYER to the Obama team? That what I can’t believe you don’t get. I mean seriously wtf? Again, I would be more surprised if he DIDN’T push a guy he had worked for and was friends with. Put it to you this way, did Rahm Emmanuel being President Obama’s friend factor into him being COS? Did Tom Daschle’s advocation for Obama in the Senate to get endorsements factor into him getting the HHS nod? Did President Obama’s friendship with Valarie Jarrett factor into her getting a job in his administration?
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Now how is what Daschle did any different? Like I said, the crime would have been if Obama accepted the guy. He didn’t so what is the problem? My God this is turning into Clinton all over again.

@sgwhiteinfla

I’ve push for friends to get jobs many times in the past. Those friends haven’t paid me hundreds of thousands of dollars though.

@SG: IOKIYAD? I somehow think you would be viewing this very differently if it were a Bush appointee we were talking about. Especially on top of everything else that has been reported.

Dee
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No, this particular lump of bullsh*t aside there are some major questions about Daschle’s actions in the past such as lobbying Congress without being a registered lobbyist, such as his wife getting paid out the ying yang behind contacts he made while a Senator, such as his close ties to the insurance industry. Now THOSE are real issues. To be honest the tax issues pale in comparison. In fact if you want to point to something troubling about the tax issue its not the issue itself but the fact that Daschle is so close to the other people in Congress that many of them are willing to dismiss it even though they were harping at Geitner. Daschle while being connected doesn’t appear to be an independent actor for THOSE reasons.

that ObamaChrist sh*t is played… If you want to criticize people who support him, have at it. But you devalue everything else you say when you resort to wingnut troll type hyperbole.
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The “ObamaChrist sh*t” isn’t played, because the Oborg’s faith in The Lightbringer is the equivalent of the unshakeable faith of Creationists in their belief system. Its the shear absurdity of the double standard of the Oborg — the kind of thing that wingnut trolls are most famous for — that demand the mockery of an “ObamaChrist” response.
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I think Obama should cave into the MSN and rethugs drop Daschle and nominate Howard Dean for HHS.
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I am sure the rethugs would just love him and MSN could SCREAM all day while the Obama’s health plan is enacted

K Tizzle
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Your answer can’t always be “George Bush”. It cheapens your argument every time you try to use it. Especially when you can’t truly answer the questions I posed to you without admitting that you have done exactly what he did in your past as have most of the people on this thread. It especially doesn’t help your argument when I am not advocating for Daschle in the first place AND in a previous thread I pointed out some of the REAL problems with him. Sorry but even thought I am not the arbiter of the universe on what is bullsh*t and what isn’t I am pretty sure that most people who are looking at this situation seriously agree that this particular line of attack IS bullsh*t.

btmorex
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Then maybe you need to get better friends lol

plukasiak
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Thanks for revealing yourself

1. Mr Daschle’s connection to the Health care industry is an issue since they will be affected by any re-organistion of our HCS. Apart from the tax issue, which is a problem, Mr Daschle’s inside Washington status is at odds with Pres Obama’s message of change. I know they are close friends which is another factor.

2. On recommending people for work: we do that from time to time. I don’t see that as a problem although, again, the optics don’t look good. I’d be careful of swallowing Politico’s stuff. And this Democratic sources stuff should be taken with a pinch of salt. If the sources are right then they should be indentified. Character assassination should not be rewarded.

3. Dee, I like reading your passionate defence. If the Dem Senates circle the wagon, and the Repub Senators stand on the side it is going to be tough for Pres O to say he is bringing change. It seems that Senators, past and present are getting a pretty good deal.

“I somehow think you would be viewing this very differently if it were a Bush appointee we were talking about.”
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I think the streak for this is now at three days.

No, this particular lump of bullsh*t aside there are some major questions about Daschle’s actions
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what you’re describing is the accumulation of a critical mass that can lead to the implosion of a nomination. In and of itself, Daschle’s push to get Hindery into Commerce is not sufficient, instead (to mix metaphor) its another straw on the camel’s back.

I will tick off many people who regularly comment here. I agree with KT on this. I think you’re only allowed one tax evader in your cabinet the first 100 days in office. Why are rich people so freaking cheap? Daschle knew about this and could have been proactive about resolving this before inauguration day. Now he makes his potential boss look like a lying sack of manure on the issue of accountability. Plus if he can’t be [proactive on his personal finances he doesnot have the skill sets to lead on health care reform.

I am sick and tired of rich people opting out of paying taxes. If you don’t want want to pay taxes in the U.S. give up your citizenship. Daschle is as bad in his behavior as Thain is. It doesn’t matter which party you are enrolled in. These idiots are also lawyers who love to “interpret” the law. I’ve had enough.

Andy
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You do realize that this post has nothing to do with Daschle paying his taxes right?

sgwhiteinfla
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Glenn’s point is well made.
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As Mencimer points out, they know how to stay on the right side of what is strictly legal. There’s no evidence they did anything illegal, but it is still blatantly sleazy and corrupt — exactly the sort of legalized sleaze and corruption that Barack Obama, as a centerpiece of his campaign, vowed to combat. And it’s unlikely to matter for exactly the reason Mencimer said: there are very few people in Washington who could criticize this sort of behavior without being guilty of the most extreme hypocrisy imaginable. The oh-so-sophisticated media stars are far too worldly to care about any such access-buying. And when one adds on to that the fact that Daschle is a member in good standing of the incestuous Senate club that must confirm him, it is difficult to see anything happening here other than easy confirmation, no matter how many more incriminating details are revealed (and this is to say nothing of the fact that Daschle was Senate Majority Leader from 2001-2004 when the Democrats perfected the art of submission to the Bush agenda, including the 2002 vote for the Iraq War, which Daschle supported).
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The media doesn’t care to report on the depth of the corruption involved here, especially Daschle’s role as a lobbyist for the insurance companies he is about to be appointed to reform. But if he goes afoul of a regulation, then they can write a story.
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Daschle and Obama have been very close. It will be interesting to see which principles hold here.

One more thing worth mentioning: If this report is accurate, these weren’t just “jobs” that Daschle was recommending his friend/employer/benefactor for; they were cabinet posts. And Commerce Secretary in particular is a very sweet gig. You get to fly all over the world in government jets that are loaded with grateful business executives.

KT — I was here in the 90′s too and I have one question, if nannygate was being ignored then how did the public find out about it? If my memory serves me correctly — it began with a push from right wing media outlets to derail his female appointments, but just like today eventually the national media follows their lead and ran with the story.
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In addition, this goes to my very point that even though the Woods case was markedly different that Baird, clinton caved at the first sign of pressure. And let’s not forget Lani Guinier who was all set until she wasn’t he didn’t fight for her either and she didn’t even have a nannygate drawback, her crime was her intellectual curiosity and we know how much the wingnuts love that.
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What I find difficult to understand, is why we can’t separate our dislike for the Daschle appointment from the tactics being used by the media to advance its own agenda. Like I said what happens when it is someone we like. do you think the media has given up on tearing down Michael Phelps yet? Yesterday it was all about how he was going to have to get on bended knee to save his endorsement, now his sponsor have said no big whup, next step run the story again and try to change their minds because we added the old DUI thing and coupled together that ought to be enough to kick him to the curb right?
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It’s the same old things with you guys. And commenters, whether you like Daschle or not, please look at the tactics and analyze them because they will use them again and again and again. In fact, they are using them right now to kill the stimulus package because the right wingers have said that its bad.

jay
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Unfortunately I think its pretty damn clear that President Obama is going to push him through come hell or high water. Which is in my opinion a huge mistake but nothing about the last couple of days says he is even contemplating have Daschle step aside.

OK, I’m not bothering to read all the links so someone help me out if I’m wrong. One of the biggest complaints we have about Beltway culure is that they seem to live in a world unto themselves and are shockingly out of touch with what the rest of the country thinks. We discuss “High Broderism” and speak knowingly about all the pundits who pretend to speak about what Americans want when all they’re actually spouting is insider conventional wisdom. Out of this stew we suddenly hear that an candidate for an important job had to pay in excess of 100,000 dollars in back taxes because he didn’t realize that his chauffeur-driven limousine counted as compensation.
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As an outsider looking in, do you honestly think I would have an iota of sympathy for this guy just because he has a “D” next to his name?
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Not a chance. It’s not about playing for the team. It’s about doing what’s right.

Daschle is more of a liability than an asset. I don’t like him cheating on his taxes so blatantly and then trying to paper over it with a lame “It suddenly dawned on me” or “the dog ate my homework” excuse. I also have very serious reservations about him trying to promote Hindery. This looks too much like “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”. This has devolved into drama queen territiory. You can’t even argue that this a drip, drip, drip scenario. The pipe is cracked and the water is just pouring out. If Daschle doesn’t withdraw his name, Obama needs to do it for him.

@Andy: I agree completely.

There’s also an undercurrent of “because everyone else in dc is greedy, corrupt, and breaks the rules, that makes it ok”.

@dee:
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I have no agenda here, and in fact, was a very big fan of the daschle appointment when it was announced:
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http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1860595,00.html
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He has been a good source of mine for many years, as that article notes. And I think he is a very decent person. But that is beside the point here.

Dee
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You are missing the forest for the trees. There is a difference between disliking someone because they look funny or dress different and disliking someone because they have done some shady stuff in the past. Daschle isn’t clean here, in fact he is far from it. You seem to be advocating supporting an ass hole just because Republicans oppose him. Sorry, I am not built that way. The Dems are losing the pr war on the stimulus bill but its mostly their fault. They can have press conferences every 5 minutes but they choose not to. They can have uniform talking points but they choose not to. I am pretty sure anyone of them could go on KO or Maddow any night they want to and advocate their case but they choose not to. The Rethugs are lying and the media are buying but the Dems aren’t even in the game.

the worst part of this whole mess is that Hindery is a good guy — a business executive who supports labor, and decries the “race to the bottom” in the pursuit of profits.
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Which may really be what this is all about — Obama has empowered a bunch of Wall Street toadies (like Geithner) to run the economy, and don’t want someone like Hindery around who doesn’t worship at the fat cat altar.

Now we are advocating that Obama cave to media pressure because we don’t like Daschle.
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No. We’re saying this is a bad choice for the position, that Daschle represents everything that Obama campaigned against. If the media focus on the more trivial elements of his behavior, well, that’s their problem. But the left blogosphere, especially Stoller, has been writing about this for quite a while. This isn’t a new issue.
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It’s fairly fundamental, actually. The netroots distrust of Obama is tied directly to the role Daschle has played in Obama’s rise. Stoller has argued, for some time, that this is about the retaking of the Democratic leadership from the DLC, and giving it over the Senators’ club.

@Dee

Your posts essentially boil down to “put politics above principle”. I can’t agree with that at all. I don’t care if it was Limbaugh himself pushing these stories about Daschle. He should not be part of the administration.

SG — I’ll try to be clearer. There is an appearance of impropriety in my mind after reading about Daschle’s activities particluary with United health, his taxes, the free limo and using influence to get jobs for his friends.
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In my mind an appearance of impropriety in an administration that’s promoting transparency, disqualifies the individual. If you set high standard, then you better freaking follow them.

You do realize that this post has nothing to do with Daschle paying his taxes right
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you mean other than the fact that the unpaid taxes were due on the limo and driver that Hindery gave Daschle?

Dee: let’s be clear. Daschle has done me no wrong; so my criticism is not personal. I just note Pres O’s campaign promises and the way he dealt with the two candidates. So, from where I sit, change means having your guys in. And that is a change from Bush’s guys and gals. It is not a change I believe in.

KT — You are deliberately playing dumb to keep the energy going right. Because I know you can’t really believe that since Obama said it is wrong to hire friends if they are incompetent and he didn’t hire this guys friend so therefore the guy must be incompetent. Tell me it ain’t so?

@dee: this is about daschle’s judgment, which is what we would be hiring as hhs secretary. i don’t think i’m the one playing dumb here.

plukasiak
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Right so not paying his taxes TO THE IRS was a quid pro quo to Daschle advocating for Hindery to get a job in the administration…
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Yep wingnut.

The Dems are losing the pr war on the stimulus bill but its mostly their fault. They can have press conferences every 5 minutes but they choose not to. They can have uniform talking points but they choose not to.
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while the Democrats messaging has been a disaster, the problem lies in the incoherence of the whole economic strategy, rather than a conscious choice to not engage. And that incoherence is the result of Obama’s decision to prioritize placating the GOP since the election, rather than working with Congressional Democrats to formulate a wholly unified approach to the economy, and then enter into “compromise” negotiations with that unified front.
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OT
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I’m afraid Glenn may burst a blood vessel.
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http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/02/03/kagan/index.html
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He’s very fit, and all, but this is an awful lot to take.

pluk–
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That’s a very cogent summary. But I still say that you can’t judge the result until the result is in.

Tangential topic:
I don’t post all that much, since I usually don’t have the expertise to contribute usefully to the discussion, and my wit only occasionally rises to the occasion. Perhaps I can harness my engineering experience and participate more when the subject finally gets around to energy efficiency.
The point is, I’m more of an observer here than a participant. And what I’ve observed lately is that man, folks sure have been bitchy around here the past few days. It hasn’t been like this since well before the election. And to me, the vitriol seems to be out of proportion to the actual state of the union.
So what gives? Am I just not plugged in enough to feel the urgency? Or maybe we have a collective case of Seasonal Affective Disorder going on around here?

Here is what is the really funny and ironic part. By focusing on extraneous bullsh*t like this post linking to the Politico of all place who get called out every other day for deceptive journalism, the media has pretty much ensured that Daschle WILL get confirmed. No need to actually delve into issues of substance that actually WOULD give people pause and make it politically uncomfortable for his old friends in Congress to back him. Nah, lets just keep focusing on something that most people will say is in fact the equivalent of passing on a resume or writing a letter of recommendation. Yeah that will teach him a lesson, while he is being sworn in as HHS Secretary. Great frikkin job.

“In my mind an appearance of impropriety in an administration that’s promoting transparency, disqualifies the individual. If you set high standard[s], then you better freaking follow them.”
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Precisely. This is really, really simple, folks. The longer Daschle’s out there, the more stuff crawls out from under his rock. He needs to go, now. It’s not like he’s the only person in the Solar System who understands health care reform, so the Geithner argument is not applicable.

Right so not paying his taxes TO THE IRS was a quid pro quo to Daschle advocating for Hindery to get a job in the administration…
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pay attention. Absent the failure to pay taxes on a gift from his benefactor, Daschle’s advocacy for Hindery would not be an issue because Hindery would not be an issue. You’re suggesting that the Hindery/Commerce story exists in some kind of vacuum. It doesn’t.

SG/KT et al: You are missing the forest for the trees.
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Apparently we have forgotten what this post was about. If you want to discuss the merits of Daschle as the HHS secretary fine have at it. I could care less if he’s the guy. But this post was about the decision on KT’s part to portray as the final nail in his coffin the fact that he tried to get a friend a job.
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I say that this is a muscle flexing exercise for the press. This mooooorning the NYT editorial against Daschle, Richard Cohen writes he’s looking like Bush. How many people honestly believe that the reason the NYT has come out against Daschle is of the public good.
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I’m not the one missing the big picture here. You don’t like Daschle I get it and you see this as justification to get him kicked to the curb okay. The reason that Obama won’t do it is because he knows exactly what this is, the press trying to dictate to him. This is about not following the wisdom of the wise fourth estate. This is about the stories your read a few days ago on how the white house press corp was unhappy.
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If I thought for one minute that this was about ethics I would be the first one to champion the cause. But regardless of your motives fellow commenters, the fact is you are being played by a media corp whose agenda (oh yeah Karen doesn’t have one of those – so I guess perpetuating the national media narrative doesn’t count as an agenda) is to put Obama in his place period.
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Obama remember the campaign — the press is not y9ur friend!

But I still say that you can’t judge the result until the result is in.
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true, but that’s like saying we can’t judge the New Orleans levee system until after a Hurricane Katrina. (and to go further below the belt, its like saying “no one could have anticipated…”)
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by the time the results are in, its too late. Thus we are left with judging likely consequences, and basing our decisions on what we see happening now, and what that information suggests about the future.

@dee: did i say–or even imply–”final nail”? And I think my previous story points to my own agenda. By the way, if this were about “the village,” Daschle would be having very smooth sailing. He is adored in all our precincts.

President Obama has plegded transparency in his administration and I believe him. I want him succeed in his efforts. The problem with Daschle isn’t transparency, we can see right through him and that’s the problem. This isn’t an attack on Obama’s judgement, this is a case of Daschle withholding information during the vetting process that probably would have resulted in Daschle not getting offered the post to begin with. I’m fairly confident that most career politicians have a few skeletons in their closets, but Daschle is starting to look like he’s got a boneyard in there. I probably wouldn’t be so hard on him if he was a republican because I have such a low opinion of them to begin with. If Tom was a republican, he probably would be the best and cleanest they had to offer.

If I thought for one minute that this was about ethics I would be the first one to champion the cause. But regardless of your motives fellow commenters, the fact is you are being played by a media corp whose agenda (oh yeah Karen doesn’t have one of those – so I guess perpetuating the national media narrative doesn’t count as an agenda) is to put Obama in his place period.
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the idea that the media is “after” Obama is risible.
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what I think is really happening is that the media bought into the Obama mythomania, and are coming to realize that they were wrong — and are punishing Obama for the sins associated with own credulity.

Dee
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Put the coffee down. You are going over the top on this one. I have already said about as much needs to be said on my opinion of the merits of this post. But you are now saying because the media is against Daschle that we should support him. That’s bullsh*t. The truth is they aren’t even hitting him where they should be hitting him. I wouldn’t give a flying phuck if they came out singing his praises or tried to sink his ship, I have my own brain and my own ability to seek out and process information and Daschle’s background is very troublesome. Not because of trying to get his boss a job granted but for other more substantive reasons in my opinion. Because “they” are against him is never a reason to support somebody. If you want to advocate for him tell me why YOU think he is the guy for the job and why his numerous past dealings don’t matter. Otherwise you just aren’t making much sense on this one.

this is a case of Daschle withholding information during the vetting process that probably would have resulted in Daschle not getting offered the post to begin with.
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if that is the case, why didn’t Obama throw Daschle under the bus when he did disclose his tax liability to Team Obama on January 2?
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In other words, if the Hindery mess itself would have been disqualifying, why does the combined Hidery mess plus non-disclosure result in continued support? Is this a case of refusing to admit a mistake?

@SG — “Here is what is the really funny and ironic part.”
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Perhaps you may now see where I’m coming from. I am not putting politics above principal — I am trying to point our that this is ab out politics and not principal for the media.
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To my fellow commenters who are passionate about health care and see Daschle as the wrong persona for the job, I am not in disagreement. I am not advocating for Daschle. If he’s the scumbag these reports are indicating then he ought to be out.
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My point is not about the merits of Daschle. My point is how a political agenda is being furthered by tapping into your outrage about ethics and good government. This was not the media’s agenda which is why they didn’t go after Daschle on substance.
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If they set a standard of substance they would be expected to be consistent on that and they have to apply that to everything including the wingnut opposition to the stimulus bill, the upcoming health care debate, and card check etc.
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But when your agenda is about media power and putting Obama in his place then your posts are trivial and deceptive because you won’t be expected to be consistent with that.

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Andy from MA: Daschle knew about this and could have been proactive about resolving this before inauguration day..
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See, this is what we don’t get from the media…what the Senate Finance Committee findings are:

On January 2, 2009, Thomas A. Daschle filed amended tax returns for 2005, 2006 and 2007 to report the following adjustments:
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• Unreported income from the use of a car service in the amounts of
$73,031, $89,129 and $93,096 in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively.
• Unreported consulting income of $83,333 in 2007.
• Reductions to charitable contribution deductions of $1,500, $7,575 and $5,888 in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively.

Daschle self-reported possible issues with his taxes, amended his returns, and paid the back taxes with interest at the beginning of the year. I personally think that anyone focusing their attention on Daschle’s tax ‘issues’ is misdirected; this is something that is being made into something more than it is.
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As for pimping a close friend for a job, there’s no big shakes with that, either. When that friend is paying you lotsa cabbage, then it changes into somehing more unsavory.
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Add to that Daschle has been acting as a lobbyist, sucking from the government teat, influence peddling, and being part of what’s wrong with the Federal government, and I’m not sad to see the calls for his dismissal.
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I agree with KT on this.
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Yeah, I do too. Daschle needs to remove himself from consideration.

And KT perhaps the final nail comment was a bit hyperboylic, but your post imiplied that getting a friend considered for a job is problematic. It seemed like petty piling on to me. Oh yeah but its clearly not okay to say that if nobody likes the guy right?
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I will say this one more time I am not advocating for Daschle, and I’m not suggesting anyone here should support him. I’m just saying I see a repeat of tactics that the media has been using for years and trying to call them on it.

plukasiak: I don’t know. I have no idea what sort of criteria Obama and his advisors use, but it’s possible they didn’t see the tax liability issue as a one strike and you’re out thing. It may have taken them by surprise but they could possibly have been waiting to see how it played out. I’ve posted before that I believe most politicans have dirty laundry that doesn’t pass the smell test but that eliminating all of them on the basis of one mistake would dry up the available talent pool pronto. The Obama team could be waiting for Daschle to withdraw and Tom has no intention of making it easy for them. The longer this goes on though, the worse everybody involved looks. I’d rather see Daschle throw himself under the bus.

Okay, I have read all the comments and have come to several definitive conclusions:
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1. What is relevant, contrary to KTs assertions, is how the media would treat a GOP nominee under the circumstances. Not what commenters might say. They would take a total pass.
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2. Daschle is a corrupt fool who should be put out to pasture. If the media wakes up and decides ethics are important today then I say take Daschle. Let him be a precedent for the next GOP/Wall Street nominee with a similar problem.
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3. Anything that diminished Daschle’s influnce on health care issues — and maybe ethanol too — is a good thing.
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4. P-Luk is a douchebag.
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5. If you want Obama to stand up against Drudge-driven media power plays then he should not give them any ammunition.

I find the whole Daschle matter bothersome. I don’t think he should be confirmed on his merits, rather than the questions of the tax issue or the job recommendation. However I think there is no chance he will not be confirmed.

From Glenn’s column about Bob Dole and Daschle –

It doesn’t really matter how slimy Daschle is or what revelations emerge about what he has done. The last thing that is disqualifying in Washington is an eagerness to profit off of one’s political connections. If anything, that’s a prerequisite for admission into its inner circle (which is what made all of the shocked Beltway tongue-clucking over the Blagojevich “scandal” so intolerable; Blagojevich’s real crime was one of style: he was a blatantly outside-the-Beltway buffoon unschooled in the ways of smooth high-level political corruption).

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/02/03/dole/index.html

And that’s a big thing that’s wrong with Washington. If you are in that old Senate Club, you have to dance in the fountains with a stripper in the middle of the night or proposition young boys for them to begin to tut tut.

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plukasiak: …the idea that the media is “after” Obama is risible…
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But the media went after Hillary, right? Of course; it was an onslaught…
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(now watch while pluk pretzels himself trying to state how it’s different)

@sacrdeh — ” have no idea what sort of criteria Obama and his advisors use, but it’s possible they didn’t see the tax liability issue as a one strike and you’re out thing.”
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That’s the problem. In the past the media has been able to get candidates disqualified for less and they don’t like or understand why Obama is not playing the game the way its always been played.
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It could friggin mother Teresa and the result would be the same, taxes are supposed to one and you’re out. I don’t care that you were in Calcutta and didn’t get paid for your services. Of course I’m not equating Daschle to mother Teresa,. nor as I saying he should be supported for any other reason. I’m just saying that Obama violated the press rule of one and you’re out and he is now going to pay a price for it.
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They are going to go after him for everything. the honey moon isn’t over, it never got started and it never will unless he can stay strong and back them the hell of. Perhaps he can, the media has always been a sucker for guy with a big stick.

I’m on the run today and my antique “smart phone” won’t let me do WordPress comments, so I am going to lay them all on you at once. Sorry!
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This is too much. I want Obama to say so. Daschle can serve in the next term, if he stays clean. This is just how bad the revolving door has been. It has served both parties way too well, is an entrenched part of the culture and it will continue until someone hollars ’nuff. Stop, stop, stop.
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What this the hidden meaning on Woodward’s coy striptease last week? The hints about the tax/nanny problem? http://hotair.com/archives/2009/01/26/bob-woodward-hints-team-obama-has-another-taxnanny-problem/ If so, investigative journalism has merged with entertainment in a very unfunny way. I am not happy with my journalists showing me the thong under their low-riders just for ratings or whatever they get for doing it. Do the research, report the facts. Stop with the lap dances already.
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On a lighter note. Yes, we’ve all recommended friends for jobs, even gone to bat for them if we think they are really good candidates. I have written hundreds of glowing, truthful, and evidently effective recommendations for students who have gone on to law school and jobs that probably pay more than my salary. All I got for it was the occasional Starbucks card or fruit basket from Harry and David. What am I doing wrong? Should I drop the F_bomb more?

If you are in that old Senate Club, you have to dance in the fountains with a stripper in the middle of the night or proposition young boys for them to begin to tut tut.
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Vitter is still in office….

(now watch while pluk pretzels himself trying to state how it’s different)
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well, the fact is that during the campaign, the media did go after Hillary while deifying Obama.
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as to what is “different” now — its a little thing called being in office and being held to the standards that Obama claimed to represent during the campaign.
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but perhaps “claimed” is too strong a word. After all, those of us who didn’t drink the Kool Aid were aware that while Obama did everything he could to cast doubt on the integrity of any opponent who employed a “lobbyist”, his “no lobbyist” provision was full of holes (it only applied to registered federal lobbyists.)
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So perhaps its fitting that Obama is being hoisted on the petard created by his own pretense of ethical purity.

He’s only hoisted by his own petard if he continues to choose to sit on it. I hope he shows some sense and integrity and moves on.

I’m in Cali so I always come on to these early morning posts too late, but I think I have a very simple point that hasn’t been shared. I’m starting my 3rd year on a city commission and every year we have a mandatory ethics training all-day class. The situation described here with regard to Daschle promoting someone who paid him exorbitant amounts of money a job in the administration is wrong. It’s ethics 101!! …This just in HE WITHDREW!! 6 minutes ago so CASE CLOSED.

Jesus, I go to sleep for 9 hours and awake to … apparently, groundhog freakin day. Same arguments, diff day–wasn’t all this voiced all of 48 hours ago? Dee’s argument is as full of holes as it was then, P-luk is like an obnoxious pitbull on Obama’s ankle, and generally the rest of you are right, including, I daresay, KT. He’s gone, good riddance–one less corrupt estab. voice for Karen to exclusively draw on for her “reporting.”
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When Kissinger hearts Hill and Bob Dole hearts Daschle, don’t you think “Something Is Rotten in the State of Denmark,” or at least something is superficial about purported partisanship in DC? That most of these swine put on a great circus act of division when in reality we’re all bent over, hands on ankles, the coins jingling onto the sidewalk.