This Rolling Stone article posits that Barrack Obama would not have become president without plugging into Daschle and his campaign team, which was looking for something to do after Daschle was defeated by John Thune in 2004.

It seems like the only 'juice' Daschle had going for him was his constant whoring on every talking-head show... he would pop up on Faux News one moment, turn up on This Week after, and end up on Face the Nation soon after that. And his words? Still milquetoast-y after all these years.

The establishment can't let go of these old-school, recycled Dems... vaguely familiar names too intertwined with Washington. Up-and-comers like Obama can't make it unless they kiss the ring. Screw Daschle, Clinton, and the rest of that ilk.

With all of that income how can he only owe $150K in back taxes? Besides, they only mention interest, isn't there any kind of penalty? I guess it doesn't matter every news show is saying this is not going to be a problem for him being nominated.

I am sure for normal people there's be the threat of jail time, but then when you get one party calling all the shorts they can cover for their own.

I am really hoping the Demos don't squander their opportunity after so many bad years of Repub leaders, but it is beginning to look like more baloney just being sliced off a different end of the sausage.

Being the suspicious sort, I wonder if Daschle's huge income since he left Congress was a reward for the legislation he created and his votes while he was in Congress.

Steve's third paragraph is right on. The Democrats are squandering a golden opportunity to govern with integrity and credibility.

What he has to offer for that kind of money is the same thing Al Gore has to offer for the millions he's racked in since losing an election. Nothing.

It's the blatant "everyone does it, what's the big deal" that is sure to come in some form from Democratic leaders that gives the voting public hives.

It's why we have the 'best' government money can buy. They serve for awhile, lose an election and step into these high paying jobs to influence the government to benefit this or that corporation. It's disgusting and it's deeply embedded.

One more thing, did Pres Obama make a statement last week, that no one from his administration oculd be a lobbyist or call on his admin if they were a lobbyist?

Now Daschle eans $300K from health companies and is going to have a smooth ride into being Secretary of Health and Human Servioes?

I guess that was last week . . .

As a "First Million" supporter who really couldn't afford to send Obama the occasional $15 or $20 to help him get started, this breaks my heart. If Daschle stays, I go.

Let's see - one tax 'problem' is an innocent mistake. Another tax 'problem' is another innocent mistake. At what point do these politicians become embarrased and when does the media call "FOUL!" and note there is a pattern of corruption with these folks?

This actually looks like the true Chicago pattern. Remember the first Mayor Daley appeared to be a pure as the driven snow, while the people around him were considered crooked as a corkscrew.

As my uncle said about Republican politicians in our native Pittsburgh, PA, "Those guys are so crooked, they have to screw their socks on in the morning!"

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/02/01/daschle/

JoWriter thinks the media should call foul. "The media" in the form of the sort of genuine news organizations that are now in economic decline, gathered the information and gave it to us.
It is up to us to do the yelling about it.

Well, at least he has meaningful amounts of "charitable contributions" to initially claim on his tax returns, which is more than our new vice president can claim.

Why are all these folk so generous with our tax dollars and so parsimonious with their own money?

Hope/change. Well you still have the former to wish for.....

The Rolling Stone article on Daschle was quoted as saying "He'd blow a corpse for a cheeseburger." I really wish that everyone would stop giving Daschle the benefit of the doubt, because he'd probably do his best work for a lot less than a cheeseburger.

Just more "change" you can believe in!

I emailed both Senators and my rep (Earl) to ask them to ask Daschle to withdraw his name or at least vote against his confirmation on the grounds that Obama's "It's a New Day on the Hill" message would die before it was a month old if Daschle, Washington's biggest whore per Rolling Stone, was confirmed.

All for naught, I'm sure. But you can certainly do the same. At least our protest would be registered.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090203/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/daschle_taxes

Daschle Withdraws as Health nominee...