Daschle Is Out

On Fox News now. Stand by.

Let's review the super awesome start of this new and most ethical administration evah! Bill Richardson, out over a federal indictment. Daschle and Killefer out over taxes. Geithner squeaks by with his tax problem. And let's not forget the waivers for all the lobbyists that Obama said he wouldn't have to begin with.

Daschle and Obama's statements here.

From Daschle

"I have just informed the President that I am withdrawing my name from consideration for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

"To be chosen by President Obama to run the Department of Health and Human Services and to lead the reform of America's health care system is one of the signal honors of an improbable career.

"But 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 will not be a distraction. The focus of Congress should be on the urgent business of moving the President's economic agenda forward, including affordable health care for every American.

"We need the best care in America to be available to all Americans. We need this effort to succeed. Lives and livelihoods are at stake.

"I will not be the architect of America's health system reform, but I remain one of its most fervent supporters. Thank you."

Daschle was going to be dual hatted as HHS Secretary and Health Care Czar (which doesn't require Senate confirmation). It's not clear from this that he's out of the White House job as well but it's almost certain that he is.

Related: Timothy Geithner released a statement:

All I can say is I'm very happy to have been confirmed before Tom's problems became public. Now, as the man in charge of the IRS I will be personally auditing Tom's tax returns to see if we can get anymore money out of him.

I may have made that last bit up. It's hard to tell these days.

Hey, what's John Edwards doing these days?

posted by DrewM. at 01:00 PM

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