Politics

Sen. Conrad: Daschle Could Have Been Confirmed

By Brian Montopoli

February 6, 2009 / 3:23 PM EST / CBS News

(CBS)

On today's edition of CBSNews.com's "Washington Unplugged," North Dakota Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad told CBS News' Bob Schieffer that Tom Daschle, the former Senate Democratic leader who Tuesday withdrew from consideration to become secretary of Health And Human Services because of tax issues, would have been confirmed had he not decided to take himself out of consideration.

"I do [believe Daschle would have been confirmed] because most members, Republicans and Democrats know what Tom Daschle is like and members would have known the full story," Conrad said.

Conrad said Daschle believed the car and driver on which he owed taxes "was a gift, and because he got no 1099 [tax form] he had good reason to believe it was a gift."

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

"Beyond that, he took 100 percent of the responsibility for the car which in fact was not 100 percent his responsibility. His employer also used that car," he said.

"I have to tell you as a former tax commissioner the ultimate record will show that Tom Daschle has ultimately vastly overpaid what he owed," he continued.

Responded Schieffer: "I would guess there are people watching this Webcast who would say, 'he thought someone gave him a car?' Not many people get a gift like that."

"You would have to understand that the person who hired him, who is his business partner, [is] a very, very wealthy man," said Conrad. "This was not Tom Daschle's car, it was his partner's car, and his partner said, 'Tom, I don't use it all the time, you use it when you want it, or need it.'"

"It was presented in a way that you would think this was a gift and because you never got a 1099 from the company it would lead you to conclude that indeed it was a gift," said Conrad.

Watch the full, fifteen-minute episode of "Washington Unplugged" below. It also includes an interview with Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe from Maine as well as a roundtable with CBS News Chief Political Consultant Marc Ambinder and Politico.com White House reporter Nia-Malika Henderson.