As I've pointed out the last two days, the confirmation of sleazeball Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has set the bar to new lows for appointments... and President Obama hasn't failed to deliver on the new Paradigm with Senate Scumbag Tom Daschle, nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Yesterday, I stated :
I expect that as soon as tomorrow, we will again see the shillers for the Obama Administration, including some of the more misguided Republican colleagues of Sen. Daschle, begin to come out and rise to Daschle's defense.So, today's effort?
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.You know, I've got to ask:
“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.
Exactly what the hell would it take for these people to kick someone? What, for example, did Gov. Bill Richardson do.... molest a child? Kill a prostitute? Run over a Nun?
Good God... how serious does the crime against the people of this country and against our government have to be before you're disqualified from benefiting from our tax dollars?
Can our government not see... can our new President not see the damage these nominations do to the confidence level we're supposed to have in our government to get us out of this and to protect us?
The fact of the matter is this:
To me, if Geithner had a magic wand and got us out of this economic malaise BY HIMSELF TOMORROW, his violations of integrity and criminal activity would STILL disqualify him from getting confirmed.
If Daschle could cure cancer by himself, tomorrow, HIS criminal activity in failing to pay tens of thousands of dollars in taxes, a failure that might see you or I locked up in prison, disqualifies HIM from getting confirmed.
Contrary to what local leftist and failed state senate candidate David Carrier sniveled here, Mr. Obama is putting together the cabinet version of the Portland Trailblazers of old, where one of the assistant coaches SHOULD have been a probation officer.
"Don't blame me, I voted for McCain" could soon become the biggest selling bumper sticker in history.
Daschle brings NOTHING to the table that makes his egregious criminal violation suddenly disappear in the face of his ability to fill this position. There are, in fact, many people of merit with spotless records who struggled like the rest of us to find a way to meet our responsibilities, as increasingly complicated and complex as they are.
But Daschle, a democrat former United States Senator Majority Leader didn't. And Geithner, a former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York didn't.
But we have to.
This is the "Change we can believe in?"
Hardly.
But this IS "Corruption we can see."
'A bad first-day hit' for Daschle
By JONATHAN MARTIN & CRAIG GORDON 1/31/09 5:36 PM EST
The White House said Saturday that Obama remains committed to Daschle’s nomination. A West Wing official reiterating twice that Obama is dedicated to enduring the fallout – now the second politically embarrassing case of a high-level appointee failing to pay taxes.Photo: AP
With President Barack Obama’s talking like the new sheriff of Wall Street this week, it seems like just the kind of thing he’d rail against – a rich political insider who doesn’t pay taxes on his limousine.
Except that in this case, it’s Obama’s nominee for health and human services secretary, Tom Daschle.
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.
See Also
Health care groups paid Daschle $220K
Back taxes stumbling block for Daschle
WH official: Gregg a leading contender
In his radio address on Saturday, Obama railed against “arrogance and greed” in the markets, and he’s attacked “shameful” bonuses as evidence that financial titans are out of touch with how regular people live.
Daschle’s back-tax problem, though, centered on more than $255,000 worth of free limo rides around Washington, not exactly the working-class blues.
The car and driver were given to Daschle by a friend and Democratic mega-donor whose company also employed the ex-Senate Democratic leader at the rate of $1 million a year. Daschle supplemented his income with $200,000 in speeches to the same health groups he’d regulate as HHS secretary
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