Posted on 02/05/2009 2:51:32 PM PST by seanmerc
“Nobody is perfect” was the not-so-profound observation of White House press secretary Robert Gibbs over the past several days as he tried to fend off criticism of the tax troubles of three top appointees.
One of the three -- Timothy Geithner -- survived congressional and public scrutiny and was confirmed as secretary of treasury.
But former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle -- who made a bundle in speaking fees and giving advice to health-care companies after he was defeated for re-election -- felt compelled to bow out from his nomination as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and White House czar for health-care reform.
Also bowing out was Nancy Killefer, President Barack Obama’s pick for the new post of chief White House performance officer. Killefer had problems with unpaid payroll taxes for a household employee.
Daschle was accused of owing the government more than $128,000 for use of a car and chauffeur that he thought had been gifts from a Democratic businessman with a large bank account.
“It was completely inadvertent,” Daschle said, “but that’s no excuse.”
Daschle withdrew his appointment Tuesday although many leading Democrats and former colleagues, including President Barack Obama, had rallied to his support.
Daschle -- feeling he faced long drawn-out confirmation hearings -- said he did not want to be a “distraction” from Obama’s agenda. Obama’s response to the unexpected withdrawals was a mea culpa. “Did I screw up in this situation? Absolutely. I’m willing to take my lumps,” Obama told NBC-TV in an interview.
Geithner also carried heavy tax baggage, after failing to pay all of his income taxes when he worked for the International Monetary Fund from 2001 to 2004. He described his failures as “careless mistakes.”
The irony is that as treasury secretary, he will now head the Internal Revenue Service.
It may be a grand awakening for Obama who had a smooth transition and an exuberant, historic inaugural. But Obama has run up against his own pious rhetoric, such as his promise to make a “clean break with the way Washington does business.”
Actually, almost all of his White House and Cabinet appointees are Beltway veterans, who are well-acquainted with the way Washington does business.
Daschle and others have suddenly encountered what has been dismissed as a “bump in the road,” but it is more than that. It’s a new look at the ethics of government service and a higher bar for those who aspire to leadership. Obama’s campaign rhetoric, for better or worse, brought on this new ethos.
I give Obama credit for trying to attain higher standards, especially after the painful shattering of our integrity and values during the Bush-43 years. The challenge for the new president is making it mesh with reality.
Contributing to this challenge is the economic meltdown (I call it a depression) which has spurred the American people to anger. They are particularly irked that their tax money is being used to pad the wallets of the high rollers and bankers on Wall Street.
The bailout billions already in bankers’ hands are supposed to bolster lending. Instead, some of the taxpayer bonanza has been used for executive bonuses.
Obama has denounced these handouts. Others have called them “outrageous” and the “height of irresponsibility.”
It seems that the grass roots are demanding more of their leaders. And it’s about time.
Daschle was a strong adviser in the Obama presidential campaign and is well liked by his former senatorial colleagues.
But he got trapped in the revolving door between his roles as a lawmaker and, later, as a savvy Washington industry enabler.
Obama also lost New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who he first named to be secretary of the Department of Commerce. Richardson had to step aside because of a grand jury investigation into state contacts given to his political donors.
Obama has now selected Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire to be commerce secretary.
The honeymoon is not exactly over for Obama with these personnel setbacks. It’s true nobody is perfect or above reproach. But I’ll bet that the next Obama appointees being vetted for high office will be asked if they have paid all their taxes.
Why so serious?
And you guys got mad at ME! Yikes! That’s a face made for radio if I ever saw one.
Do we have to keep up these glamor shots of Thomas? Aren’t there any photos of her that show her in a less flattering, more lifelike (if she can be said to be “lifelike”) way?
It’s too bad this old hag didn’t feel this way about George W. Bush. She never gave him the benefit of the doubt. She trashed everything he did or said. What a scab.
Seems every time I add another helen thomas picture to my image filter, someone comes up with another place to park an picture of that yeti.
For the love of G_d, Stop it already!
My Eyes, My Eyes!!!!!!
Liberals expect perfection only from those they disagree with. Good intentions suffice for the rest.
And several dozen paper bags!
I knew Helen was ugly, but apparently she's scared the living daylights out of that mummy . . . . quite an accomplishment.
Happy to be here, proud to serve!
That last shot reminds me a bit of Barbra Streisand.
It's also likely that the reason he backed out fairly quickly is that he didn't want any more background investigation because there is still more dirt not yet uncovered.
Obama got off so easily during the campaign with a press that refused to investigate the large gaps and missing documents in his own background that he thought he could slide all of these corrupt appointees into office while the press continued to genuflect in awe at his very presence.
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