Furious Seasons

February 03, 2009

Daschle Out As HHS Nominee

News is just out that former South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle, a Democrat, has withdrawn his name as President Barack Obama's nominee to become secretary of Health and Human Services, and to lead the charge on reforming health insurance in the US. Reform of health insurance and extending coverage to tens of million of uninsured Americans was a key promise of President Obama's during his campaign last year, so losing Daschle is a blow, especially a day after the President publicly supported Daschle.

Dascle's problem, of course, is that he either screwed up--or cheated--on his taxes and that revelation was becoming a huge distraction heading into confirmation hearings in the US Senate. Earlier today, another nominee of President Obama's, Nancy Killefer, withdrew her name as nominee for chief White House performance officer. Killefer also had a tax problem.

Posted by Philip Dawdy at February 3, 2009 01:15 PM

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Comments

Don't seem to be able to find your direct email. But as this post was on topic, I thought you'd be interested in the Ron Sims appointment, and his history with HUD funds around King County...

http://novbm.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/ron-sims-misuses-hud-funds/

Posted by: Gentry Lange at February 3, 2009 04:36 PM

I guess $ope or was that Hope is spelled with tax fraud and pay off dollar signs from the health care industry; Not much unlike all those million dollar box seats Big Pharma enjoyed at Obama's coronation ceremony at the Democratic Convention.
Now his health care and human services nominations can't even pass the senate muster and witness test?
Should this really come as a huge surprise? Obama sold 60% of America on the next coming; and we get the Emperor's New Clothes in return. Pay back now and pay back later leads to the same old, same old out of Washington D.C...

Posted by: Obama Fan Club at February 3, 2009 06:29 PM

The squeaky clean and competent pick is Dr. Howard Dean, former gov. of VT for 12 yrs. w/ an impeccable record and brilliant head of the DNC who masterminded the "50 STATE STRATEGY" that helped mightily in getting Obama in. Now put out to pasture and why? Rahm Emmanuel disagreed with that strategy. Google www.whitehouse.gov and urge his appointment. No skeletons in his closet and not likely to be. Not a Washington insider; never will be. Very disgusted at the way his expertise has been left out in the cold due to Rahm's little snit.

Posted by: ebliversidge@earthlink.net at February 4, 2009 08:33 AM

Why Sanjay Gupta is the wrong man for the top US health job
http://www.counterpunch.org/navarro02092009.html

Posted by: Lilly NC at February 9, 2009 12:15 PM