Daschle Nomination Tests Insider's Network

Washington Post: One Of Senate's Best Connected Democrats Battles To Save His Nomination

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Washington Post Staff Writer Ceci Connolly.

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As he battles this week to save his nomination to be secretary of health and human services, one thing is certain: No one in Washington has a better-positioned network of allies in the Obama administration than Thomas A. Daschle.

Over three decades on Capitol Hill, including 10 years as the Senate Democratic leader, Daschle has nurtured one of the largest, most experienced talent pools in the city. His charges guided Barack Obama from his first days in the Senate, through the presidential race and into the White House. Daschle's tentacles, moreover, stretch far beyond the agency Obama picked him to lead, reaching across the entire administration from the upper echelons of the White House to mid-level departmental positions to Obama's kitchen cabinet.

The network is being tapped this week as Daschle and his allies scramble to explain why he did not pay more than $100,000 in back taxes, primarily for the use of a car and driver for three years. After a 75-minute closed-door meeting yesterday with the Senate Finance Committee, he emerged ashen-faced and apologetic. His confirmation vote has been postponed until at least the middle of next week.

Republicans remained noncommittal yesterday, weighing the costs and benefits of perhaps killing the nomination of a former colleague and close personal friend of the president. Democrats rose to Daschle's defense, including, most notably, the man who would be without much of his top staff were it not for Daschle.

Asked yesterday morning whether he stands by Daschle, Obama said firmly: "Absolutely."

If he weathers the tax controversy, Daschle is likely to be one of the best-connected Cabinet secretaries in the administration, if not history.

At least a dozen Daschle alumni are stepping into the highest positions of the federal government. Already, Obama and Vice President Biden have tapped Daschle veterans to manage their staffs, guide foreign policy and craft public relations strategy. In addition to the new HHS chief of staff, the chiefs of staff to Biden, the National Security Council and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner all worked for Daschle. His allies oversaw Obama's transition team -- including vetting Daschle himself -- and one serves as the president's personal lawyer.

"This is notable for the breadth and scope and number," said Chris Jennings, who was the Clinton administration point man on health care and knows the challenges of navigating the White House bureaucracy.

As news broke over the weekend that Daschle had made several tax errors, many of those former colleagues and aides helped mount a defense, praising his integrity on talk shows, in news releases and in whispered asides. Not a single lawmaker has called for him to withdraw.

But the real potency of the network will come if Daschle is confirmed, said Ross K. Baker, a political scientist at Rutgers University. With such well-placed, trusted advisers, he would be in a position to promote his priorities and shape policy well beyond the contours of his department.

"The fact that he has eyes and ears in the White House, rather than way down in the HHS bureaucracy, is really an advantage," Baker said. He likened Daschle's sphere of influence to the broad power that Henry Kissinger held as secretary of state in the Nixon administration.

"Geography is determinant of influence," he said. "To have people proximate to the president is a real advantage."

Like Daschle, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton can lay claim to an impressive network of insiders, developed during her husband's eight years in the Oval Office and her eight in the Senate. Many have worked for Daschle as well. But the Clinton coalition has become fractured and she carries the lingering scars of a contentious fight with Obama in the Democratic presidential primaries.

By contrast, Daschle and Obama share an uncommon bond, forged during the 2004 campaign. Many -- including aides to Daschle -- had expected him to seek the White House. But the South Dakotan lost a nasty reelection fight, and the young Illinois legislator burst onto the national scene and into the U.S. Senate.

"Tom was the first guy to go with Obama" in the pre-presidential campaign season, said Frederick H. Graefe, a Washington lobbyist and one of Daschle's oldest friends. "He told him, 'Run now, don't wait, don't make the mistake I made. I'll give you everybody I have -- the campaign team, the personal staff, leadership staff, fundraising lists -- lock, stock and barrel.'"

"It was a ready-made team," Graefe added.

[questionnews]

Breaking News:

Obama performance chief Killefer out, citing taxes.

WASHINGTON %u2013 Nancy Killefer, who failed for a year and a half to pay employment taxes on household help, withdrew her candidacy to be the first chief performance officer for the federal government on Tuesday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090203/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_killefer

What the he!!!?? Am I the only one paying my taxes these days??

[tibu987]

Washington Post, 02/03/09
Obama%u2019s Ethics Reform Promise Faces Early Test

By PETER BAKER
After vowing to usher in a new era of responsibility, President Obama has shown a willingness to compromise between campaign rhetoric and the realities of Washington.
***
%u201CMake no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all, and the IRS should enforce our laws to the letter. %u201D Sen. Tom Daschle, Congressional Record, May 7, 1998, p. S4507.

Nuff said.

[tibu987]

Washington Post, 02/03/09
Obama%u2019s Ethics Reform Promise Faces Early Test

By PETER BAKER
After vowing to usher in a new era of responsibility, President Obama has shown a willingness to compromise between campaign rhetoric and the realities of Washington.
***
%u201CMake no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all, and the IRS should enforce our laws to the letter. %u201D Sen. Tom Daschle, Congressional Record, May 7, 1998, p. S4507.

Nuff said.

[nocatnowaco]

This is a tax evasion, isn''t it? Thanks for the good people out there for bringing it up for the public to know and we all will learn. It sounds like the Democratic Party is running out of good people to run our government, how many really good that can take this job, if Tom Daschle will be confirmed into office to support "we need change", "yes we can". This reflects some double standards: What would this case be if the candidate and the party are Republican? What would happen if Daschle is just a regular citizen? What would happen if we don''t hear things at all or just see on one side?

[likeitis5050]

Time for people to stop blindly following the party lines and start kicking some political butts out of office until we get a new breed of politician - somebody who works for the people not the PACs and Party.


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Posted by gscotth

Here here!!!! Being Independent...I see beyond Party. They all have to be watched like hawks. Especially when power shifts to one party over the other...Pelosi and Reid are riding roughshod over Republicans....why? Because they can. Because it suits their obstructionist natures. Because they have their own vendettas and personal agendas to attend to....they are NO BETTER, IF NOT WORSE, THAN THE LAST 8 YEARS OF REPUBLICAN ABUSES. People have to stop being so loyal to the party and look at the behavior and what is being done in the best interest of all Americans...not just g.ays...or bankers...or animal lovers...or race car drivers...or farmers..or movie stars...or athletes...but ALL OF US.

[gwygwygwy]

I can''t hope to bring home in 3 or 4 years the amount of taxes that Mr. Daschle has "forgotten" to pay. It is people like me who make up the difference created by people like him. If Mr. Daschle could kindly write me out a check for an appropriate amount and send it to 1229 Stutz Drive NE in Albuquerque, it would surely remind him there are real people working hard all over this country that are not cheating on their taxes. It reflects poorly on the President that he so steadfastly defends him - it is an untenable position.

[likeitis5050]

Not long ago people went to jail for tax evasion (See Al Capone). Now you get appointed to positions of power. I guess it''''s not what you do, it''''s who you know.


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Posted by Questionnews

It absolutely is when it comes to politicians. And depending what party holds the most power is where the worst excuses are heard and passed into history. Oversights...for 4 years? The IRS is like the pitbull...you get notices and interest tacked on..and then threats of garnishments..but Geithner dodged them all until just before being sworn in...interesting. And Daschle...he just out and out cheated. But the irony is HE is the one caught pounding his fists and declaring ''tax cheats should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law..''...and here he stands. Going to trial? No. Going to jail? No. Going to work for Obama''s Administration? You Bet!!! It''s good to be in politics....and even better to be a Democrat.

[likeitis5050]

I think it shows a serious lack of integrity and character that Geithner and Dashchle didn''t voluntarily REMOVE themselves from the nominations...PERIOD. We already know Democrats are hypocrites when it comes ethical issues. They can ride Joe the Plumber into the ground for his MINOR IN COMPARISON tax issues, while lauding the fine qualities that NO OTHER MEN ON EARTH CAN EQUAL in admitting them into the Administration. But for the men to be so arrogant as to think a tiny bit of confrontation will blow over and then they will be picture perfect for the rest of the term? Sickening. BTW...what the he11 ever happened to all the clothes Sarah was grilled to 3rd degree burns over during the campaign...now THAT WAS HIGH CRIME, and she knew it. Unreported taxes, unpaid taxes, ignored taxes...no biggie...til it comes to me or you. Frauds..hypocrites...and it won''t end here.

[questionnews]

Not long ago people went to jail for tax evasion (See Al Capone). Now you get appointed to positions of power. I guess it''s not what you do, it''s who you know.

[opedanderson]

Obama didnt know about Rev. Wright''s sermons
Obama didnt know about the reputation of Rezko
Obama didnt know about William Ayers'' background
Obama didnt know about Blago and his escapades

And now he has hired 2 guys that didnt know about some serious tax liabilities they were carrying....

CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN!!!!!!

[perceptions5]

********* BREAKING News*********************

Well here we go again:

"WASHINGTON (AP) - Nancy Killefer, who failed for a year and a half to pay employment taxes on household help, has withdrawn her candidacy to be the first chief performance officer for the federal government, the White House said Tuesday.
Killefer was the second major Obama administration nominee to withdraw and the third to have tax problems complicate their nomination after President Barack Obama announced their selection.

The White House said Obama had accepted Killefer''s decision and that the 55-year-old executive with consulting giant McKinsey & Co., would explain her reasons for pulling out later Tuesday.

When her selection was announced by Obama on Jan. 7, The Associated Press disclosed that in 2005 the District of Columbia government had filed a $946.69 tax lien on her home for failure to pay unemployment compensation tax on household help. "

................... Maybe if the rich mostly white liberal elites in this country PAID TAXES we wouldn''t have such a high defcit.........

................... Talk about culture of corruption....................Well I guess this is CHANGE

[sdgal1]

Daschle definately needes to be punished in some sort of way for not paying his taxes, but not allowing him to be secretary of health and human services is not the answer. We need change in our healthcare system and Daschle seems to be one of the only ones capable of making a positve change.

[rational_1]

Is that somehow supposed to imply that you''''d ''''believe'''' in a fella who did his taxes?
Posted by william6171 at 09:26 AM : Feb 03, 2009

I''d certainly be more willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and not start off thinking of him as a hypocrite. I mean seriously, how can anyone ''forget'' $100K in income? Not only is he a tax cheat, he''s also a liar. Surely Obama can find someone without a stench to run the HHS.

[rational_1]

Seems there is one set of rules for citizens. There is then the democratic perversion of rules for the ruling elite. Daschel should be awaiting trial in a 8 x 10 cell.
Posted by mattcool247 at 08:52 AM : Feb 03, 2009

Exactly! This is ridiculous. These pols seem to think we''re all a bunch of chumps. First there''s Timothy ''I can''t do my taxes but I''m qualified to run the fricken IRS'' Geithener, and now Daschle somehow can''t do his taxes either. Must be some sort of contagious brain-deadening virus going around D.C. THIS is change we can believe in? Paaaaaaaaathetic!

[tcoleman12]

The way this whole thing is going, Wesley Snipes should be knocking on the White House door looking for a job pretty soon.
"Don''t Pay Your Taxes? Come Work For Here!"

[endurorob]

The recons do not want Daschel in this position because they know with his connections he will be able to get the health care reform passed that Obama is wanting and they as always have been are against any kind of health care for anyone but the rich.
This all goes back to Bush the first and his plan for a one world government. The rich own it all,with the US being the head of the world government, while the rest of the world are its slaves.

Posted by demswin08 at 05:58 AM : Feb 03, 2009

Yea, the tax cheat factor really isn''t important. The Obama administration really can''t be concerned with ethics right now because they really need to get that spending bill passed so they don''t upset the social program receipients that helped get him elected.