AND HE'S NO GEITHNER:

Daschle failed to pay $128,000 in taxes: Obama's choice to lead Health and Human Services is the second Cabinet pick to run into tax problems, jeopardizing his confirmation. (Noam N. Levey, January 30, 2009, LA Times)

Former Sen. Tom Daschle, tapped by President Obama to lead his healthcare reform campaign, failed to pay more than $128,000 in taxes in the three years before Obama nominated him in December to head the Department of Health and Human Services.

The disclosure -- involving unreported income and the use of a car and driver provided to Daschle -- comes 2 1/2 weeks after Obama's choice to head the Treasury Department, Timothy Geithner, admitted that he had not paid about $43,000 in taxes.

While Tim Geithner was the best the GOP could hope for at Treasury, we can do better than Daschle. Of course, it would be helpful to the UR and the country as well to have an executive there instead of just a legislative hack.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 31, 2009 7:41 AM