When President Obama nominated former Senator Tom Daschle to be his secretary of health and human services, it seemed to be a good choice. Mr. Daschle, as the co-author of a book on health care reform, knew a lot about one of the president’s signature issues. As a former Senate majority leader, he also knew a lot about guiding controversial bills through Congress, where he remains liked and respected by former colleagues.
Unfortunately, new facts have come to light — involving his failure to pay substantial taxes that were owed and his sizable income from health-related companies while he worked in the private sector — that call into question his suitability for the job. We believe that Mr. Daschle ought to step aside and let the president choose a less-blemished successor.
The problem is Obama doesn't seem to be able to find less-blemished successors. He has a veritable rogue's gallery for a cabinet and hasn't shown an ability to find people to fill cabinet jobs who don't have serious ethical or legal challenges.
The Times piece is not the only blow to Daschle today. Politico piles on:
Tom Daschle backed the patron who paid him a million-dollar salary and supplied him with a free car and driver for a job inside the Obama administration, two Democrats said Monday.That toasty smell is Daschle's nomination. I'm not sure his membership in the Senate old boy's club is gonna save him now.
Leo Hindery, whose InterMedia Partners employed the former Senate majority leader, had been mentioned as a possible secretary of commerce or U.S. trade representative.
"Tom was pushing for him," said one Democratic source.
Obama's aides rejected Daschle's suggestion that a top job go to Hindery, for whose private equity fund Daschle had served as a rainmaker and adviser.
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