Could Be In A Few Days We Will Hear That Obama Applied Pressure On Daschle To .....

[global1]

make him withdraw. Also I wonder if heads will roll in the Obama vetting team. Seems to me that an example needs to be made at that level too for the President to maintain his credibility.

[Captain Hilts]

1. Obama has stuck his neck out for Daschle in a way he has done for no other.

So, I don't know. Maybe he's playing rope-a-dope.

[global1]

6. I See It As A Face Saving Need On The Part Of The Obama Team.......

he needs to maintain his credibility as a reformer and a person that will change D.C.

If he still stands behind Daschle - he loses some credibility. If it comes out that he - behind the scenes - strong-armed Daschle to withdraw - it continues to make him look strong.

[Uzybone]

2. You can count on it

Daschle would have been confirmed more easily than Geithner. I think Obama and his folks pulled a Richardson on Daschle. They told him to do the right thing.

[John Q. Citizen]

5. That would explain it.

Or they found more than they wanted to defend.

[karynnj]

20. That would be my thought too

There likely was more that came out in the Finance committee's investigation. I doubt it was the taxes - as his problem was easier to blame on the employer not giving him the correct 1099, where Geitner clearly was a cheat.

[Pirate Smile]

3. I doubt it. Not with Daschle. They were personally very close. Someone else, they probably would

have cut loose earlier.

[Uzybone]

9. This came to a head recently

like an astutue OP earlier pointed out, Killifer dropping out placed a lot of pressure on Daschle to do the same.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

4. I think so.. Obama doesn't want his administration plagued with corruption like W's was.

[tekisui]

17. Exactly, and neither do I.

[onehandle]

7. After he said that he's "absolutely" standing by Daschle?

Not a chance.

[SuperTrouper]

8. According to Savannah Guthrie and Andrea Mitchell, Daschle "got up this

morning and saw the newspaper editorials and said to himself:' Oh, I am a distraction to Obama so I will resign'" This is the MSM spin now, Daschle decided to become the sacrificial lamb to preserve Obama's political capital... :eyes:

[global1]

12. So What Kind Of Message Is Daschle Sending Out About Obama?......

that Obama wasn't smart enough to make Daschle step down? That Obama didn't realize himself the damage sticking by Daschle would do to him?

Today - this is giving Daschle the cover he needs to save face and come out of this looking reasonably good. In a few days it needs to come out that Obama applied some pressure here - to let him save face and maintain credibility.

[firedupdem]

10. I don't think we will ever know for sure but I bet he did. Daschle

would have easily been confirmed. I'm sure President Obama as well as his team didn't appreciate this negative attention.

[jwirr]

11. Daschle was going to run HHS. It would have been hard enough to

get a universal health program through without having a leader that had problems from the beginning. President Obama needs someone who is squeaky clean on this one.

[mmonk]

13. I doubt it. Daschle was big on Obama early and helped him.

[Captain Hilts]

15. Obama inherited the bulk of Daschle's senate staff. nt

[Dollface]

14. There is the possibility that Daschle just did the right thing out of respect for his friend.

[blm]

16. Nope - Obama would have stuck behind Daschle. He was one of the key people who helped set up

Obama nationally to take on Clinton machine.

[CreekDog]

18. you're correct

Daschle wouldn't have withdrawn if Obama opposed the move.

However, out of loyalty, Obama supported him until he withdrew himself.

It's worse for the nominee to have the president publicly stop supporting you than to withdraw yourself. It's actually humiliating, and unnecessary if you will leave of your own accord.

[karynnj]

19. I think it might have been his former peers

Though many of the Senate Finance committee Democrats said some good words to the camera and stood behind Daschle - they all looked very serious and unhappy. The ones that I have seen on TV regularly looked extremely uncomfortable and almost shaken by what they heard in the meeting. My guess is that some likely were less positive speaking to him privately - but they were not going to stab him (and thru him, Obama) in the back.

That and the strong NYT editorial. (The NYT welcomed Geitner's confirmation.)