Geithner got through but Killifer might be the tipping point that sinks Daschle

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

This is going to have spillover effect on Obama despite his best efforts unless he swoops in decisively in short order. This is getting very embarrassing for Democrats in general. If Killifer removed herself for $900, it makes Daschle look even worse.

[TwilightGardener]

1. $900 vs. $128,000....

That's quite the spread there, isn't it?

[marylanddem]

2. Time to go, Daschle.

[MNDemNY]

22. But... Daschle is a MAN.

It's different, you know.

[TwilightGardener]

24. Daschle is also still a big deal in Washington and had his mitts all over

Obama's campaign and gave him his former staff. Women, though, usually seem to have more of a conscience (or less tolerance for humiliation) than men in this situation. Men always seem to have an "Oh yeah? MAKE me step down" attitude. Blagojevich, Stevens, Larry Craig...etc.

[Jennicut]

3. I think Daschle will drop out by the end of the week.

Obama is leaving it up to him and I think he may do it. Who knows? If he does not he is a real shmuck. I don't know if Obama will tell him to leave though.

[marylanddem]

4. Aren't there hearings on him today?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

6. I think they were postponed until next week. nt

[karynnj]

14. That really may be a signal that they are hoping that

he will take himself out of the running - and they are giving him the time and space to do so.

There has been such a spate of articles that seem to give an increasing number of conflicts of interest. I don't know if this is just good reporting from people who started investigating him when he was named and all wrote these articles or if there are people with vested interests who don't want him.

[ErinBerin84]

5. Andrea Mitchell on Morning Joe (I only turned it on for 5 minutes, I swear)

Said that there is a faction in the Obama White House that is very disturbed by all the money Daschle got from his health care speeches, so I wonder if a compilation of all of this will lead him to drop out.

[marylanddem]

7. Let's hope so. This was a big mistake on Obama's part.

[Clio the Leo]

8. Yep and now *I* think it's time for Daschle to go....

.... cant axe one without axing the other.

Hate that the President is having all of this trouble though.

[marylanddem]

9. I hate that he's having all these problems, too

I wonder if Rahm Emanuel is behind a lot of them - I thought he was Obama's first big mistake.

[Clio the Leo]

12. No, the people he's picking are the problem.....

.... neither he nor Rahm (or even the people below them) can be expected to sit down with these people and go through the tax code line by line.

The Daschle thing I have less of a problem with as it's more obscure .... but EVERYONE knows that you have to pay taxes on domestic help! HOW many nominees in the past have had this same problem?

Barack needs to announce a wide-spread survey of the tax records of those working for him, promising to toss out the dirty laundry. I think it's the only way he can come off without looking sullied.

[karynnj]

17. I doubt Emanuel was behind the Daschle pick

Daschle was a very early Obama supporter. (Not to mention, Obama hired a lot of Daschle staff - when Daschle was leaving and Obama was entering the Senate.)

Emanuel was likely behind other picks - such as Lahood and HRC.

[CharmCity]

10. I don't think Nancy Killefer is leaving b/c of the $900.

We'll find out more later today.

[TeamJordan23]

13. yeah, MSNBC was saying it over a few issues, tax being one of them. nm

[ej510]

15. Daschle is too selfish to drop out.

Obama has to can him now! I mean right now.

[TwilightGardener]

16. "Selfless"? Or the opposite?

[ej510]

18. Thanx pointing that out.

He is selfish and arrogant.

[TwilightGardener]

21. I actually liked him (he was my Senator for a time when I lived in SD) until

all this shit came out--now I have to view him as a giant opportunistic leech, using his connections to suck up the goodies from both government and industry. He's no better than Trent Lott--can't wait to leave the Senate to start profiting from elected office.

[global1]

11. It's The Right Thing For Daschle To Do - Withdraw.........

it will save face for both Daschle and more importantly Obama. If Obama wants he can still call in Daschle as a consultant - but a cabinet post is problematic. It's no wonder that the Repugs aren't making a big fuss over this yet as I think they could use Daschle's problems to their advantage if he gets confirmed or maybe they know he won't upset the applecart of the insurance industry so they can live with him.

I do think that if it looks like the tide is turning and Daschle becomes a PR problem for Obama - the Repugs will jump on that train and make it look like Obama made a big, big mistake.

[Balderdash]

19. Daschle needs to do the right thing and now

he needs to step down and stop holding things up. President Obama has already been hurt by this
and it just gets worse every day.

[depakid]

20. "This is getting very embarrassing for Democrats in general."

It surely is.

How can anyone overlook behavior that an ordinary taxpayer would be raked over the coals for if they were caught?

How can this be squared with anything other than business as usual in D.C.?

[TeamJordan23]

23. and the GOP is winning the media war with this, all of a sudden Dems look like the crooked ones. nm

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

25. My spidey sense is telling me that Obama is starting to feel really used and abused

by folks not being forthright in the vetting process. Daschle knew in June and still kept it a secret. That alone, to me should be a good enough reason to ask Dascle to step aside - he put his indidual interest ahead of the man and agenda he was supposed to be supporting, counting on Obama's sense of loyalty to him (Daschle) overiding all. Well, where is HIS sense of loyalty to Obama?

[thereismore]

26. I hope so. Obama is sticking his neck out for the guy. I want Dean anyway. nt

[lamp_shade]

27. Are you RIGHT all the time?

;-)
:hi: