Quickie: Reconciliation edition

By GottaLaff

Today's Quickie:

Tom Daschle, who met with President Obama today, now says the only way to get health care reform through might be through the reconciliation process. And he says he discussed the possibility with Obama.

That was today's Quickie. Will you still respect me in the morning?

VIDEOS: Rachel Maddow, Dick Armey, Tom Daschle, Tom Coburn on Meet the Press

By GottaLaff

As I said in my previous post, Rachel Maddow is in a class of her own. The others? See: Principle, Peter The. Here you go:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Rachel nails it in this segment:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Guess who's on Meet the Press this Sunday... Hint: Rachel

By GottaLaff

Let's hope she's able to muscle in a few of her usual pithy zingers and make her usual excellent points using her usual superior intellect:

Fmr. House Majority Leader Rep. Dick Armey (R-TX), now the head of FreedomWorks, an organizer of protesters at town hall meetings; Sen. Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK), Member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor; Fmr. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), an informal adviser to the White House and author of "Critical: What We Can Do About the Health Care Crisis"; & Rachel Maddow, Host of MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show.

How about this, NBC: How about giving MTP an injection of TVQ and a ratings boost by making Rachel the host?

In related news, both FreedomWorks and Dick Armey are now following me on Twitter. I do hope I can educate them via my inane little Tweets. Then again, anything they might pick up from 140 characters of Liberal Fascist Marxist Commie Socialist snarkage would be an improvement.

Daschle Urges Obama To Drop Public Health Care Plan

By GottaLaff

How glad are we that he's not Secretary of Anything:

The man once slated to head Barack Obama's health care system overhaul is now coming out against one of the chief components of that effort.

Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said on Wednesday that the Obama White House would likely have to scrap a public option for health insurance coverage if it wanted to get the votes needed to pass systematic change.

"We've come too far and gained too much momentum for our efforts to fail over disagreement on one single issue," the Senator and one-time HHS Secretary nominee said, according to ABC News.

Um, Tom, that issue is American lives. We've come to far to save lives? To clean up a health care system run by insurance companies? To help people actually save a heaping spoonful of their hard-earned money (if indeed, they are able to earn any)?

Who's paying Tommy off? Exactly which lobbyists have his ear?

Obama Likely to Split Health Czar Job

Hope that Bredesen guy is shot down fast. It's looking like health care isn't being put on the back burner, no matter what the rumours are. Via Taegan.

Mike Allen hears President Obama "is likely to keep the White House half of Daschle's two-part job. But it will probably be split between two people. And now it could be less of a principal job and more of a super-staffer job."

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) still seen as the front runner for HHS secretary, followed by Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen (D).

BREAKING: TOM DASCHLE WITHDRAWS

By GottaLaff

UPDATE:

His statement: "I have just informed the president that I am withdrawing my name from consideration... If 30 years of exposure to the challenges inherent in our system has taught me anything, it has taught me that this work will require a leader who can operate with the full faith of Congress and the American people, and without distraction. Right now, I am not that leader and I will not be a distraction."

Pres. Obama accepts the decision "sadness and regret."

MSNBC is reporting. He withdrew his name, saying he knows he would be a distraction and that's not what he wants to be.

Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC right now: He sounded tearful. He read the NY Times this morning, and realized he couldn't pass health care if he is this much of a distraction.

He also has ties to the health care industry, so "wouldn't have the street cred" he needs, per Mitchell.

Mark Whitaker: Timing is everything in politics. He might have survived had it not been for Geithner, and of course now, Killefer. Obama's loyalty cuts both ways. Daschle was genuinely upset by the prospect that this could hurt Obama and the health care package. This was an act of loyalty to the new president.

Mitchell: There was a sense growing that the pressure was too much to bear. The administration has to preserve its identity that it's an agent of change.

Whitaker: And change the culture of Washington, lobbyist influence, cashing in. Although Daschle is widely respected, everything he's done since he left office becomes an issue in that light. The limo, the firms he dealt with. As sad as this is for Daschle and Obama, for the health care world, the way he conducted himself since leaving the Senate raised a lot of issues.

Jim DeMint: It's the right thing. But Obama should have shown leadership by stepping forward and withdrawing Daschle's name first. It's not a partisan issue, though. Republicans weren't bashing him. It was about presidential leadership to change this place, and this got in the way.

Senate Republicans (Lindsey Graham, John McCain) are saying it was the right thing to do, they like him personally, and believe he can contribute in other ways.

Joe Scarborough: A man of great character, a man D.C. knew. He didn't lack the character for this job...Daschle would have been a great choice. But politically, the White House has a real problem (taxes). This would have been a real distraction, so it was the right thing to do politically. Had this been the only problem, he would have survived it, but with the others... unfortunately for Daschle, this is strike three, you're out. Republicans will still use these instances, but it won't have as much of a bite because Daschle won't be running HHS.

House GOP lawmaker wants Daschle nomination pulled

By GottaLaff

There's trouble in River City, with a capital T, which rhymes with D, which stands for Daschle:

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland is circulating a letter among his Republican colleagues that calls on President Obama to pull Tom Daschle's nomination to be secretary of Health and Human Services, "effective immediately."

"Leadership follows from example," the Georgia Republican wrote in the letter obtained by The Hill. "When do one or two 'innocent' tax mistakes become an example to the nation that our tax laws are to be willingly discarded?"

Furthermore, the lawmaker stated "his confirmation would seriously undermine your call to change the way business is done in Washington. ... Are we in danger of sending a message that tax avoidance is only acceptable if you are a member of Congress or the Cabinet?"

Though House members do not vote on Cabinet nominees, Westmoreland said that it's important for the president to know that they disapprove of the "appearance of impropriety surrounding former Sen. Tom Daschle [and] we urge you to withdraw his nomination, effective immediately."

It is unclear how many Republicans have signed the letter and when it will be sent to the White House.

Daschle Kept Tax Problem from Obama

By GottaLaff

Unwise, to say the least:

Former Sen. Tom Daschle "was aware as early as last June that he might have to pay back taxes for the use of a car and driver provided by a private equity firm, but did not inform the Obama transition team until weeks after Mr. Obama named him to the health secretary's post," the New York Times reports.

Meanwhile, the White House "would not say when the president himself learned of the tax issue, but said Mr. Obama is standing by his nominee... At least six leading Democratic senators have come out in support of Mr. Daschle, but the fate of his nomination is unclear."

Ben Smith on why the optics of the Daschle tax situation are so much worse than Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner's: "Lots of Americans have babysitters and informal daycare arrangements. Fewer have rich friends providing them cars and drivers."

Ouch.

I simply don't understand someone (I'm talking to you, Tom Daschle)-- especially knowing he'd be a nominee-- not going out of his way to be transparent, and more importantly, doing stupid things like this in the first place.

Sidebar: The Comment Moderation is back on. A necessary evil.

Obama not wavering on Daschle

By GottaLaff

President Obama is standing by Tom Daschle, but Republicans are trying to take full advantage. I've already posted some of this in my original post here, but more details have emerged:

The White House said Saturday that Obama remains committed to Daschle’s nomination. A West Wing official twice stressed that Obama is dedicated to enduring the fallout—now the second politically embarrassing case of a high-level appointee failing to pay taxes.

“Every nomination has bumps along the road but they handle it,” said this official.

Sources close to Daschle said they’ve gotten reassurances from the White House that Obama was not wavering.

“They knew it was coming and they’d have to take a hit”—and in this case, “a bad first-day hit”—said a person familiar with Daschle’s thinking.

For now anyway, there is little evidence that Daschle’s tax delinquency is fatal to his nomination. Democrats have called a Senate Finance Committee meeting for Monday to discuss the impact on his prospects. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) endorsed him yesterday, saying, "I believe Tom's reputation for integrity will assure that he will be confirmed by the Senate Finance Committee and the full Senate."

While Republican response has been muted, party members are signaling that the case of not one but two tax scofflaws on Obama’s staff is just too good to pass up—a chance to puncture Obama’s squeaky-clean image, particularly at a time when he is scolding Wall Street for about the need for greater personal responsibility. [...]

Republicans have yet to mount a serious challenge to Daschle – but clearly hope to puncture what they see as the hypocrisy embedded in Obama’s tough-on-Wall Street rhetoric and Democratic claims of a brand new day in Washington. [...]

But the response to Daschle's tax issues from the Hill has also been positive.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid quickly issued a strong statement in support of Daschle when the story broke Friday night and other Democratic senators have followed.

That Daschle served in the collegial body for 18 years, an advantage Geithner didn’t enjoy, could help him survive the ordeal. [...]

Administration officials believe it was Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee who leaked the information, which Daschle had supplied earlier this month, after getting word that the former South Dakota Senator was to meet with the committee on Monday. The idea, suggest these officials, was to get the story in circulation over the weekend and make it Topic A for the Sunday morning news shows as an embarrassing lead up to the Monday meeting.

Daschle also has two important things working against him that Geithner did not.

First off, Geithner himself — particularly if Republicans or even some Democrats decide they just can’t look the other way twice on tax issues.

Geithner also benefited from the belief among many senators that the economic crisis was just too serious – and he was just too qualified – to let an old-fashioned “nanny gate”-style issue scuttle his nomination and delay action.

Daschle might not get such benefit of the doubt, either on his uniqueness as the man to be nation’s health czar, or on the dangers of sending Obama back to the drawing board for another nominee, even if that takes time. [...]

“We knew that we were going to have to survive 24 hours on this,” said a source close to Daschle, indicating they believed they had.

We'll see.

Update on Tom Daschle's tax issues

By GottaLaff

Original post here. Liveblogging.

Now CNN is reporting that there was one month of consulting income that Daschle didn't pay taxes on awhile back, $90,000 worth. But he never got the right tax form, or some such thing...

He had a limo and a chauffeur for 3 years that he didn't pay for, that he got from a business associate, who offered to give him his car and driver. He used it 80% of the time for personal use. In June 2008 he looked at it and thought he should be paying taxes on it, so he did.

Plus, he claimed donations to charities that apparently weren't charities.

They've been investigating for about a month now.

But he will be confirmed anyway, Dana Bash reports. Ed Henry is reporting that President Obama is standing by him. Plus, he says, the Senate, being the club that it is, stands by its own.

Anderson Cooper is noting how the Obama team is usually second to none at vetting, and yet this happened.

Mark Halperin is saying it's an embarrassment, but not fatal unless Democrats make something of it.

Paul Begala says that Daschle is a respected senator and gets the benefit of the doubt, as long as Senate Dems don't protest. Reid is supporting him strongly.

The consensus so far is, since the White House and Harry Reid are behind him, he's in. The only glitch would be if Democrats start turning on him. The Republicans, of course, will, they say. And they are so right.

Daschle Nomination Snagged by Back Tax Problem

By GottaLaff

(Photo: Brendan Smialowski for The New York Times)

Oooops:

President Obama’s pick for secretary of health and human services, Tom Daschle, filed amended tax returns and paid more than $100,000 in back taxes on Jan. 2, administration officials said on Friday.

Mr. Daschle concluded that he owed the taxes for free use of a car and driver that had been provided to him by Leo Hindery Jr., the founder of a private equity firm known as InterMedia Advisors, the officials said. [...]

The belated tax payments help explain delays in the confirmation of Mr. Daschle, a former Senate Democratic leader who had been expected to win swift approval from the Senate. [...]

The official said that Mr. Daschle’s failure to pay the taxes was “a stupid mistake,” but should not derail the nomination. [...]

The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, is expected to stand behind Mr. Daschle, a close friend.

Brace yourselves for the usual onslaught.

Ten Myths About Health Care Reform

By GottaLaff

Daschle. Department of Health and Human Services. Confirmation hearings. Add those up and you get a sackful of Republican bunk:

In a new report released today, the Wonk Room identifies and debunks the right-wing’s most widely-circulated myths about reform.

Truth:

Myth 1: Health care reform will limit patient choice.
Myth 2: Americans will lose their existing coverage.
Myth 3: The government will ration care.
Myth 4: Affordable health care reform will create a government monopoly.
Myth 5: A new public program will only drive-up health care costs.
Myth 6: Health care reform in Massachusetts is “an unfolding disaster.”
Myth 7: Being uninsured is not a problem; it’s people’s own fault.
Myth 8: Illegal immigrants are driving the nation’s uninsured problem.
Myth 9: Health care reform won’t save money.
Myth 10: Deregulating the health care industry will solve the health crisis.

Go here to see the 10 methodical debunkings of the 10 myths.

HHS Nominee Daschle Confirmation Hearing At 10a Today

Live stream here.

Tom Daschle testifies during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Cmte. confirmation hearing. He is Pres.-Elect Obama's nominee for Sec. of Health & Human Services. The Former Senate Majority Leader is expected to discuss ideas outlined in his book on the health-care system.

Ted Kennedy sets confirmation hearings for Obama nominees

By GottaLaff

Teddy is amazing. What a rock he is:

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy has scheduled several confirmation hearings in early January to help ensure Barack Obama's Cabinet is in place soon after he is sworn into the White House.

Kennedy, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, announced Tuesday that his panel would hold a confirmation hearing on Jan. 8 for Tom Daschle, Obama's choice to head the Department of Health and Human Services, and another one on Jan. 9 to consider the nomination of Rep. Hilda Solis to be Obama's Labor secretary. The panel on Jan. 13 will then hear testimony from Arne Duncan, who Obama wants to run the Education Department.

Which Republicans will try to jam those gears? Or are they content to wait for Eric Holder?

VIDEO: Obama answers questions about Blagojevich at press conference, Dec. 11

By GottaLaff


Paddy posted Obama's statement here. This is the video of the follow-up questions after Obama's announcement of two members of his health care team, Senator Tom Daschle and Dr. Jeanne Lambrew. Transcript of entire presser here.

Obama Confident Staff Clear in Ill. Gov Scandal

I'll replace this with the longer one when I get it. This should be the complete presser, about 24 minutes worth.

Obama to nominate Daschle Thursday

By GottaLaff

No surprise, but this makes it "official". Plus, it means we should get another Obama press conference, the stock market shall rise accordingly, and we get political candy:

Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle will be announced as President-elect Barack Obama’s nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary Thursday, according to a Democratic source.

Health care: Think big

By GottaLaff

Awhile ago I posted about Obama's aiming for a New Deal-supersized approach, justifying his choices of surrounding himself with experienced "old hands" who could reliably accomplish such a huge undertaking.

Ezra Klein points out, “you don’t tap the former Senate Majority Leader to run your health care bureaucracy. That’s not his skill set. You tap him to get your health care plan through Congress.”

Since former President Clinton was the last Democrat who could provide that experience to so many, this is where (and why) many of Obama's picks have come from Clinton's team.

Think Progress has a great post on Obama's/Daschle's comprehensive approach to solving the health care crisis. Daschle, like Obama, is thinking big:

Incremental change in our system is no longer a viable option. Instead we need comprehensive reform. In growing numbers the American people are demanding that we do something. Our goal should be to build what current and retired members of Congress have today, and make that available for all Americans.

Here are a few of his ideas (way more details here):

- Expand the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), or create a group purchasing pool like it: Participants could choose their own provider and would have the security of knowing they could never lose their coverage. [...]
- Subsidize coverage for those who need it: The government would provide financial help on a sliding scale so nobody has to pay more than a certain percentage of their income for health insurance. [...]
- Strengthen Medicaid: Simplify and extend Medicaid to cover everyone below a certain income level. [...]
- Concentrate on the value of care: Strive to get more for our health care money by promoting research that compares drugs and treatments to determine which ones deliver the best bang for the buck. Daschle also proposes promoting prevention that would reduce the number of chronic conditions.
- Improve health care infrastructure: Adopt health information technology to lower expenses and allows rural residents to connect electronically with medical providers.

Plus, there's this:

Aside from supporting the basic principles of progressive reform, however, Daschle also proposes a Federal Health Board that “would resemble our current Federal Reserve Board for the banking industry.”

And Rahm Emanuel "challenged chief executives and other business leaders Tuesday night to join the new administration in a push for universal health care, saying incremental increases in coverage won't be acceptable."

I'm feeling healthier already. This is the kind of change we can believe in, and the kind we voted for.

Obama Taps Daschle for HHS

Via Rollcall (subscription required).

Former Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) has been offered the job of Health and Human Services secretary by President-elect Barack Obama and has accepted the job, according to a Democratic source close to Daschle.