Daschle withdraws his nomination for health and human services secretary

[sabra]

Source: MSNBC

BREAKING NEWS> Daschle withdraws his nomination for health and human services secretary

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

---

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28994296/

Daschle withdraws nomination for HHS job
He follows withdrawal earlier Tuesday of chief performance nominee


WASHINGTON - Former Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle on Tuesday withdrew his nomination to oversee the Health and Human Services Department, just a few hours after another Obama nominee also withdrew.

Both had controveries with taxes.

Earlier Tuesday, Nancy Killefer withdrew as President Barack Obama's nominee to be the first chief performance officer for the federal government.

[onehandle]

1. Obama doesn't get his team. nt

[alarimer]

22. Good. His team kind of sucks

Now maybe someone better for Health and Human Services. It wasn't the taxes that bothered me- it was the obvious conflicts of interest with his lobbying for health insurance companies. They are the problem in health care, not the solution.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

31. Do you have the list of companies he lobbied for???

... there are many insurance companies that do a great job with the supplemental coverage that goes with Medicare. It wouldn't by chance be one of those companies that actually show progressive tendencies towards solving problems and not ramping up premiums, would it?

[Greyskye]

48. He wasn't a registered lobbyist

He did, however, provide consulting services for a large number of businesses that the head of HHS would oversee. And made an incredible amount of money doing so in the past few years.

I'm glad he withdrew his name.

[nodehopper]

49. he was paid by AHIP

who represent the same companies that are featured in Sicko.

[quidam56]

96. I am disappointed but the last thing we need is another fox in the hen house.

In East Tennessee, Profit Care comes ahead of Patient Care. http://www.wisecountyissues.com

[ronnie624]

71. Insurance companies

should play no role whatsoever in providing health care to citizens - not in a civilized society, anyway. It should be financed 100% by taxpayer revenue.

[GinaMaria]

89. even the non profits?

The non profits have focused on keeping their members healthy not a handful of investors wealthy. They may bring some needed insight to the discussion.

[MannyGoldstein]

100. Their CEOs Make Many Millions

The CEO of Mass. Blue Cross - Blue Shield got a $20 million retirement payout a couple of years ago. In healt care, "non profit" translates into English as "nothing would be left for shareholders".

[Laelth]

132. Oh, but he does.

This is excellent news. Obama made a public face of support, but I'd wager that behind the scenes he pushed for Daschle to withdraw. I look forward to seeing who Obama really supports. I hope it is a person who is not owned by big-med and big-pharma.

:dem:

-Laelth

[scytherius]

2. Good n/t

nt

[w4rma]

3. Thank goodness. (nt)

[acmavm]

99. Ditto.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

4. In some ways, this is really sad. He may have done a good job

I just wish the M$M had gone after Bush appointees as they have been so zealous to go after Obama ones.

[scytherius]

9. Agreed. Unfortunate but all his fault. As Bugs would say, "what a maroon" nt

nt

[natrat]

17. in some ways? like a virtual guarantee to maintain industrie's place in healthcare

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

18. Not Daschle's fault that he wasnt provided with the 1099 form...

...which is front and center of the issue. Oh well, he is still going to be the leader on healthcare reform. Gloat all you want, Tom is not out of the picture in any way. It was revealing to see all the freepers come out of the woodwork here.

[Elidor]

25. Opposition to Daschle hardly makes one a freeper

And I'd say he is indeed out of the picture, in a very big way. Deservedly so. Any advisory role he may yet play will be dramatically smaller than what he could have had if he wasn't a greedy idiot.

And now, I must go dance a jig.

[Raskolnik]

27. If it were a Republican nominee in the same situation, people here would have been

screaming for his head, and rightfully so. He tried to cheat on his taxes in a big way, and took hundreds of thousands of dollars over the last few years FROM THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY.

He may have been able to get the job done, but he was too ethically compromised to give the appearance of propriety.


edit typo

[Just-plain-Kathy]

34. Plus, he let Bush Jr get away with stealing the 2000 election. ...n/t

[Lost4words]

and then was spineless against dimson!

good riddens

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

45. ROFLMAO....

...give me a break. Between freepers and those that are bandwagon jumpers that know nothing of Daschle other than the MSM spin (hello WTFox Noise viewers), this place is rife with ignorance. It was the Supreme Court that let "Bush Jr" get away with the stealing of the 2000 election. Don't forget, someone also sent Tom anthrax, who was it?

[Just-plain-Kathy]

69. Just curious, who do you blame for not holding Bush accountable?

We're the opposing party. The majority of our guys have let us down.

[GinaMaria]

90. always wondered if it had something to do with the Anthrax scare nt

[Just-plain-Kathy]

122. Boy, that would make me dislike Daschle even more.

If he let America's democracy fail, or supported invading Iraq only to save his own skin...what a piece of garbage.

[Le Taz Hot]

135. It's against DU rules

to accuse someone of being a freeper. If you think that is truly the case, the proper course of action is to use the Alert button. Good luck with that.

[Rayander]

66. He’s deeply saddened..........

What was the expression?
“Horrible failure”?
“Terrible failure”?
“Abject failure”?
“Miserable failure”?

Pick one, even though all apply.

[scytherius]

37. Agreed. And even if he didn't "try to"

it sure looks really bad. Not saying it's a crime, but, well, ya just can't have this on your resume and be in the Cabinet.

[Plucketeer]

125. I agree with you that he may well "have gotten the job done"

But WHO'S job is the question. And I DISAGREE with you that if he'd been a GOP nominee he'd have gotten shredded. Shit, they got SO MANY PASSES on wrong appointments that it almost seems like being an unethical, unqualified appointee was a prerequisite for consideration/nomination! Heh.... think Sarah Palin for example.

:crazy:

[alarimer]

28. We do not need a leader for health care reform with major ties to insurance.

Insurance companies are the problem with health care. They should not be part of the solution.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

124. Plus we shouldn't have a Sectary of State whose husband works for a pharmaceutical company.

Bill was on the View talking about he goes around to 69 different countries SELLING medicine.


Check out what Bill's doing now at the 4:04 mark

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODoSotQmkKA&feature=related

[bread_and_roses]

32. Oh, right. Everyone objecting to Insurance Industry shills is a Freeper

Or maybe we just think that the spirit as well as the letter of Obama's "no revolving door" ought to be observed - in the people's interests, not in the interests of the health insurance profiteers and their lackeys.

[ronnie624]

85. Exactly.

It's the "freepers" who allow a different standard for their own representatives. One is either opposed to the quasi-legal bribery of our government or not.

[elocs]

44. You are skating on thin ice when you accuse DUers of being freepers

just because they disagree with you.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

73. Looking at the depth of most of the posts...

... critical thinking skills put to use here. Sorry if I offended any real DUer's.

[Cherchez la Femme]

63. Glen Greenwald is a freeper, then?

The Daschles: feeding at the Beltway trough
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/02/01/daschle/index.html

Gosh, thanks for letting me know :eyes:

[Ikonoklast]

94. I am a contractor. It is my responsibility to get the proper 1099

from the firm that I operate as a contract employee, if they were not forthcoming.

My taxes are MY responsibility, Daschle was using some extremely lame excuses for his behavior.

Daschle will cease to have any input in this administration.

[NikolaC]

118. You Beat Me To It

You are right, when I worked in an Accounting Dept., it was my responsibility to issue the W9s and send out the 1099s at the appropriate times. It was then the consultant's responsibility to report that income on their taxes. No excuses for Daschle on this one.

[NikolaC]

115. The Average Company

who works with a consultant (usually the Accounting Dept.) has a responsibility to collect W9 forms for those consultants. They then have to issue the 1099s to the consultant for their taxes if they have done any work for them during the tax year. Daschle was a Senator, he should have known better, or his Accountant should have, especially since they are always tougher on Dem candidates during the vetting process and look for all of the dirt that they could find to get rid of them. Excuses are not made for the average consultant if they don't pay their taxes to the IRS, why should there be a double standard for Daschle?

[Robbien]

13. GOPer nominees were ten times as bad but all the MSM said was

the GOPer meme of "vote, up or down" and repeated the other GOPer meme of "Bush deserves to get the team he wants".

[yurbud]

57. and Dems repeated it--most voted for proven war criminals like Gonzo

[Delphinus]

108. I agree about

the M$M failing to go after *bush appointees, but I'm glad he withdrew his name.

He wrote in his book, Crisis, that he knows single payer is the only way to go, but also inferred he was not going to work towards it because of politics. We need someone who is not in the back pocket of the insurance industry. You and I, real people who wouldn't even dream of owing $100k in taxes let alone make it, need help.

[Bluzmann57]

5. Does this open the door for Dean?

Just wondering, not taking sides. But I do think maybe Dean might be ok in this position as he really is a doctor.

[Kokonoe]

14. The uproar over Dr. Dean would be stupendous. nt

[Faygo Kid]

23. Dean is great, but Obama wanted Daschle to move bills through the Senate.

I'm a big Dean fan, don't get me wrong, and I think this withdrawal was inevitable. But understand from Obama's perspective, he wanted a person who would be able to move actual, concrete legislation through the Senate. That's why he wanted Daschle.

Dean is a favorite, but he has no Senate experience, and no real ties there. Plus, as former Dem chair, he would be perceived as too partisan (a laugh from the GOP, admittedly).

[karynnj]

59. What about someone like Bill Bradley

like Daschle he was a respected Senator, he worked on Healthcare -and like many in Obama's cabinet - he plays basketball.

[Lance_Boyle]

68. if he'd accept the nom, Bradley would be great.

Not sure how old Bradley is now, and age may have some impact on his willingness to take on something like HHS Sec. Of course, there's no healthcare experience there, same as the diminutive daschle (pathetic slug that he is). But Obama could have his Former Senator (TM) at HHS, and we could have an HHS Sec without such glaring conflicts of interest.

But I still like Dr. Dean better. Too bad about those DC politics - Obama is mired in this "I want a beltway insider" position and is unlikely to change it.

[karynnj]

110. Actually Bradley did have experience on healthcare

He was the lead in the Senate on a bipartisan alternative to Hillary's program. Bill Bradley was born in June 1943 - so he is 6 months older than Kerry and 4 and a half years older than Tom Daschle.

[PassingFair]

121. Dashcle was THE original pink tutu dem. He was a failure at keeping the dems together in the senate.

If he led them at all it was just as likely
to be in the WRONG direction, witness IWR.



I don't care whether it was the anthrax
or the filthy lucre.

[Oregone]

Howard Dean In?

haha....right

[proud2BlibKansan]

117. That would be nice wouldn't it?

[Oregone]

120. I think Sanjay Gupta has precedence over Dean though

:(

[Purveyor]

6. Good. eom

[maddezmom]

7. it was the right decision

[montanacowboy]

8. Great News

Enter Dr. Dean

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

10. Good. nt

[RamboLiberal]

11. Good - Obama didn't need this scandal n/t

And IMHO with all his ties to lobbyists, the limo and driver deal, his wife being a lobbyist, and how he seemed to lack a backbone when he led the Senate I'm glad to see he's out.

[marlakay]

12. Who is going to pass universal now? Rahm won't let Howard

in, so who??? Who has the contacts and the smarts to do it?

[Donnachaidh]

82. are you honestly thinking Daschle would have pushed thru universal healthcare?

He would have pushed thru MANDATORY health INSURANCE as payback for the all money he'd been paid by Big Pharma and the HMO's. HealthCARE was NOT on his list.

[RollWithIt]

107. Ever read his book? Didn't think so...

He advocated strongly for universal HC in his book.

[JNelson6563]

15. Three words

Nominate Howard Dean.

[IndianaGreen]

20. I agree!

Dean!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

16. I hope Obama picks Howard Dean to replace him

[scytherius]

42. Me too!.

If anyone deserved to be in the Cabinet . . .

It is due to his efforts that we are looking at overwhelming control of both houses of Congress and the Presidency.

[yurbud]

52. don't just hope--tell Obama to do it! LINK:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

[MessiahRp]

87. Sent a letter off..

Although I doubt Dean gets a look since only Republicans and Conservative Democrats seem to get a nod from Obama and Rahm.

Rp

[xxqqqzme]

109. Thanks I did.

[nichomachus]

93. And maybe Judd Gregg has a brother?

[doodadem]

114. HOW-ARD, HOW-ARD, HOW-ARD!!!

Howard Dean would be a most excellent choice for this position!

[Raskolnik]

19. He should have never made it through internal vetting.

It is inexcusable.

[peacetalksforall]

21. I'm in for Dean. If we can have Republicans, why not our former candidate

for President, a former Governor, our former DNC Chairman, a present energetic, devoted, honest, and intelligent Doctor who knows his politics and also honors the people.

[yurbud]

53. tell Obama that! LINK:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

[peacetalksforall]

112. Done.

[doodadem]

116. Done!

And also, to ditch any Republican input into the stimulus package, and take back out what was already done to placate them.

[Mudoria]

24. Mr. President, it's time to call on Howard Dean

Please..

[JFKfanforever]

134. HD for the HD!

Howard Dean for the Health Department!

Tell the president - -  http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

[Warpy]

26. Good. He is an unimaginative man who

would try to bandaid the present system instead of trying to do something to deliver health insurance to all of us.

I think it's going to be tough to find choirboys who never chisled on their taxes, though, especially with all the GOP appointees going through everything with a fine toothed comb.

[8 track mind]

29. I always thought Daschle was rather spineless. I nominate Dr. Dean n/t

[Joey Liberal]

30. Good. He was a disappointment. nt

[Alexander]

33. Paging Dr. Dean, Dr. Howard Dean...

[Lost4words]

35. GOOD! nm

[demokatgurrl]

36. Great news. Now... Howard Dean for HHS!!!! n/t

[serrano2008]

38. Whoa!!! I just emailed Obama about this this morning!!!!

Obama is good and he listens. I just sent a message via www.whitehouse.gov at about 8:00am telling him I was disappointed he was picking someone in bed with the health care companies for his choice to lead them, and that this is exactly the opposite of what he promised us in the election.

I won't take full credit for them telling Daschle to withdraw, but I'm guessing my message was the breaking point.

[ima_sinnic]

46. I sent one last night, plus The Nation & NYTimes both came out against him

plus who knows who else might have.

Now I need to write again, to plead with him to nominate Dean.

[Triana]

54. I emailed them about it couple days ago - posted my note here on DU

Hmm...

[yurbud]

56. it probably was you. Either that, or a Republican frowned at Daschle and he ran away crying

[harun]

39. Dean !!! Dean !!!!! Dean !!!! Dean !!!!! Dean !!!!!

[denverbill]

40. Thank you Senator Daschle. Now bring on Dr. Dean.

He may not fix everything the way I'd like it, but at least I trust him to put health care over corporation profits.

[jfkraus]

41. Note to Democratic Politicians

Pay your fucking taxes! And don't hire illegal aliens! But if you hire illegal aliens, at least pay your taxes for them!

[scytherius]

43. LOL Better advice has never been given.

And if you politicians don't wanna pay your taxes, I really don't mind. I just don't want to pay mine either.

[yurbud]

47. good riddance to corporate quisling rubbish--get HOWARD DEAN in there ASAP. contact whitehouse.gov:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

[yurbud]

50. My email to Obama on who should replace him:

I'm glad to hear Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination for HHS, particularly because of his ties to the health insurance industry, which is at the root of the problem, so they don't deserve a place at the table in negotiating the solution. Please choose someone the people can trust like HOWARD DEAN or California state senator SHIELA KUEHL, who has pushed for a single payer bill in California for years. Give us real change not just change that won't offend corporate America.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

[trashcanistanista]

65. Hell yeah!

Sen. Kuehl, and she has a huge folowing here in CA, would be an outstanding replacement. I respect that Tom had the decency to step down. Obama doesn't need this, especialy now, nor do we.

[Janice325]

70. If not Howard Dean, Sheila Kuehl (formerly known as Zelda Gilroy

on the tv series Dobie Gillis) would be fantastic. The only major problem with her I think might cause problems is that she's an out lesbian. But, then again, the Repukes won't want any Democrat Obama might pick anyway.

[nichomachus]

92. Not while there are Republicans to "reach out to" -- what were you thinking?

[yurbud]

133. If Daschle reached out to republicans, they'd break his glasses and steal his lunch

they don't like Howard because he stands up to them

[CAcyclist]

105. Sent my email.

I just emailed today - had already emailed yesterday and to my local representatives.

[Dollface]

51. Must not have been too egregious. There is nothing about IRS penalties.

[Dappleganger]

55. This is good news--passing health care is TOO important!

[Gin]

58. good-bye Daschle......come on Dr. Dean..IMO

[defendandprotect]

60. Finally . . . glad this didn't drag on any longer. Now... HOWARD DEAN, please . .. !!!!

[tilsammans]

61. Whew!

Dean, Dean, he's our man! Paging Dr. Dean!

:kick:

[question everything]

62. K&R

About time.

[bluestateguy]

64. I'm getting really tired of the tax and nanny problems

I can sort of understand, though not condone, an issue with back taxes, as many ordinary people run into that issue, and it is not a criminal matter.

But seriously, doesn't anybody clean their own goddamn house anymore and take care of their own damn kids?!

[Romulox]

67. So that's one industry shill down. Who's next? nt

[Blaze Diem]

81. Hope its Pelosi. Shills need to go. Daschle & others like him

who never really had the best interests of the American Taxpayers need to step out of the way. This is what we asked for when we elected Obama anyway.

An end to those in our Govt who smiled & waved to us while giving a sly wink to the Bush liars & thieves.

[Romulox]

83. Amen, brutha! nt

[chill_wind]

72. YAY!!

Score one for the good guys. Now if only we could do something about Rahm--- a little less Napoleon and a little more Axelrod in the machinery going forward.

[friendly_iconoclast]

74. To quote Danny Elfman- "Goodbye, Goodbye, Goodbye, Goodbye!"

And hello Dr. Howard Dean! (hopefully)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

75. No complaints from me. I only wish Dean could be nominated instead

But I doubt that's going to happen. :(

[bvar22]

76. Na..Na...Na..Na

Na..Na..Na..Na
Hey..Hey...Hey
Goodbye....
to another DLC Corporate Shill!

:party:

[Blaze Diem]

77. Deans' Time Has Come. Congres will never form a sound argument against Howard Dean's Common

sense to critical problems HHS now faces.
Time to GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT.

Please tell me there are NO issues that prevent Dean from accepting this post as to his association with the DNC, such as conflict of interest.
Anyone know if this would be a problem for him? (should he be chosen)

With the power we now have in the House & Senate and with Obama leading the way, Dean's common sense approach would offer bills that could have little room to argue from the 'other side'.

Howard Dean deserves this position, should he want it.

[since72]

78. Please now consider Howard Dean

I have always believed that Dr. Dean would be a perfect fit at H.H.S.

[Hope And Change]

79. Absolutely.Dean would be a great choice!

[bensongen]

80. It's bigger than Daschle

Obama should have said no, and shown some of the spine I think he has.

[Blaze Diem]

84. Maybe Obama knew of Daschles problems but gave him the 'favor' required.

The old 'enough rope to hang himself' thing.

Don't know, but I'm thinking maybe karma is on our side, in an odd unexplainable sort of way.

[mike_c]

86. YES!!

Daschle is part of the problem, not part of the solution.

[rhett o rick]

88. When bush asked Demo's to jump for his Iraq war, Tom said, "how high you highness".

He provided no resistance to the bush invasion. He is high on my list of Democrats that need to be prosecuted for war crimes with the repukes. Difi also.

[GinaMaria]

91. Daschle did the right thing. This really could have hurt

the Obama admin. I'm sure they were blind sided by this discovery. Daschle has worked very hard to help President Obama attain this office.

[Eurobabe]

95. Good, that whole thing really pissed me off n/t

[mnhtnbb]

97. Glad to see Daschle withdraw. He's too cozy with the insurance industry.

I would LOVE to see Howard Dean at HHS, but I suspect Obama won't appoint him.

[Dinger]

98. I Predicted THis Earlier (nt)

[Upfront]

101. Great!

Give me the good doctor, Howard Dean!

[DainBramaged]

102. The people vetting the nominees need to be vetted

someone is doing a piss-poor job of asking questions.

[Divine Discontent]

103. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

our voices have been heard. There was MUCH negative publicity from this. Now, give it to Dr Dean (unlikely, but ya never know)

[CAcyclist]

104. Nominate Howard Dean !

Send emails to your reps asking for Howard Dean to be considered.

[Jack_DeLeon]

106. Good riddance...

Obama was elected so we could have some change, not more corrupt politicians.

[derby378]

111. Paging Howard Dean, come in, Dr. Dean... (n/t)

[IsItJustMe]

113. What Republicans are now available to fill the seat? LOL

[mistertrickster]

119. Old Sen. Milque-Toast was a tax cheat? His kind we don't need. Adios, chump. nt

[Zorra]

123. Dennis Kucinich or Howard Dean would be perfect for the job.

I really hope Obama doesn't decide to pick another republican.

[JFKfanforever]

128. I'm with you...Dean or Kucinich

If I had to guess, though, I would venture to say that
President Obama may choose Howard Dean for his grasp of bothe
strategy and logisitcs.  

[yy4me]

126. I admire Dean but may I suggest that we not forget the very

qualified John Edwards. Other things aside, we know his stand on Healthcare. We know he is a tenacious fighter for rights and of the law.

Either would be a good choice.

BTW, who else is getting a little tired of the word "bipartisan"?

The word is now ringing hollow. Every time and repub or Democrat makes a statement, there is that word again. Find a synonym folks.

[jzodda]

127. Good

I would choose Dr. Dean for the post(s) that he was assigning to Daschle. Sad thing to happen to Senator Daschle-He is a nice man.

[Jefferson23]

129. I'm anxious to hear who Obama is putting up next as replacement.

Has anyone heard anything at all on that?

[Riverman]

130. President Obama should pick another republican Senator from

a state with a Democratic Governor who can then appoint the Republican Senator, then appoint a Democrat to replace that person. After a few months on the job and the Republican Sec of HHS does something disloyal to the President, and you know he/she will, fire their ass and appoint Howard Dean or John Edwards to do the job that needs being done - get single-payer medical treatment and have the governor appointment the 60th democrat to the Senate.

[TheCowsCameHome]

131. He did the right thing by pulling out. Let's move on.