February 02, 2009

2/2: First Geithner, Now Daschle?

Liberal bloggers were outraged by the news that Barack Obama's nominee for HHS Sec., ex-Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD), failed to pay more than $128K in taxes. Lefty bloggers are complaining that Daschle "embodies everything that is sleazy, sickly, and soul-less about Washington" and are describing his actions as "impossible to defend." A number of liberal bloggers are calling on Obama to withdraw Daschle's nomination, and some are floating ex-DNC Chair Howard Dean's name as a potential replacement. However, others argue that Dean would not be an adequate replacement for Daschle, who they believe is uniquely suited to lead Obama's health reform effort.

Conservative bloggers are accusing Daschle -- and Dems in general -- of being shameless hypocrites. Some are calling on Obama to withdraw Daschle's nomination, while others are urging the Senate not to confirm their former colleague. Moe Lane summarizes the general sentiment in the conservative blogosphere when he asks: "Does any Democratic politician pay his or her taxes properly, and on time?"

In non-Daschle news, righty bloggers are congratulating ex-MD LG Michael Steele on his victory in the RNC chairman race. However, they're also urging him to reach out to conservative bloggers and warning him not to move away from the GOP's "conservative roots."

DASCHLE: Indefensible

Liberal bloggers were outraged by the news that Daschle failed to pay more than $128K in taxes:

• Salon's Glenn Greenwald: "Obama supporters argue that Obama needs someone like Daschle, with credibility within the health care industry, in order to achieve real reform. That's the standard explanation for most of what Obama does (he's only courting the establishment in order to change it), and though highly skeptical, I'm personally willing to withhold judgment until the actual evidence is available regarding what Obama actually does. But there's no need to withhold judgment on Daschle himself. He embodies everything that is sleazy, sickly, and soul-less about Washington. It's probably impossible for Obama to fill his cabinet with individuals entirely free of Beltway filth -- it's extremely rare to get anywhere near that system without being infected by it -- but Daschle oozes Beltway slime from every pore."
• BooMan: "Tom Daschle's tax issues are an embarrassment that we don't need or deserve. I applauded his nomination to be Secretary of Health & Human Services because I thought (and still do) that his good relations on the Hill would make it much easier to usher through Obama's health care package. But, in these difficult economic times, it's impossible to defend someone that piles up hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes while he is tooled around in limousines. Daschle has no excuse, and none of us should be put in the position of trying to defend his actions."
• Obsidian Wings' hilzoy: "I don't understand why people in public life don't just recognize that they should report anything that might even conceivably count as income, and do things right the first time. [...] Part of what bothers me about this is the sense of entitlement: the sense that having a car and driver is just one of those ordinary things that happen to a person, not worth noticing or thinking of as compensation or a gift. I think Obama should ditch him."
• TalkLeft's Big Tent Democrat: "[W]hy in heaven's name should President Obama lift a finger for a guy who basically did not tell him the truth? [...] In my view, that should disqualify [Daschle] from holding a post in the Obama Administration."
• Mark Kleiman: "It's too bad, but I agree with Hilzoy: Tom Daschle has to go. [...] Look, the guy was making a ton of money and could easily afford to pay his taxes. And of all the possible excuses, 'I thought having a personal car and driver was so ordinary that it never occurred to me that it might be a taxable perk' has to be about the worst."
• Sadly, No!'s Brad: "I am sick to death of rich assholes who cheat the system and don't pay their goddamn taxes. Screw Daschle. I hope his nomination goes down in flames."

DASCHLE: Creating An Opening For Dr. Dean?

After Daschle's tax problems were first reported, several liberal bloggers began pushing for Obama to nominate Dean instead:

• MyDD's Jerome Armstrong: "If [Daschle] does step out, Howard Dean should be the HHS Secretary, but that's just me."
• Daily Kos' Markos Moulitsas: "I bet Howard Dean isn't a tax cheat..."
• BooMan: "Howard Dean might not have equivalent connections and political savvy, but he does understand health care and he does deserve a job in the Obama administration. I say that the Obama administration should withdraw Daschle's nomination and replace him with Howard Dean."

Other liberal bloggers don't think Dean would be an adequate replacement:

• MyDD's desmoinesdem: "A lot of liberal bloggers are now calling for Obama to withdraw Daschle's nomination and appoint Howard Dean to run HHS instead. As much as I like Dean, I do not think he's the person to shepherd health care reform through Congress. But I agree that Obama needs to find a replacement for Daschle -- the sooner, the better. If Obama stands by Daschle, I suspect the Senate insiders' club would confirm him, but let's hope it doesn't come to that."
• Daily Kos' DemFromCT: "Even if Daschle shoots himself in some part of his anatomy, that doesn't make Dean next on the list. Dean would not be an ideal HHS head. It's a sprawling agency with huge administrative duties. Dean's an ex-gov and that's far more important than his MD, which is nearly irrelevant, but HHS, with CDC and NIH, is a lot more complex than running VT. [...] In addition to that, HHS needs someone who is really good at political infighting -- as good as Robert Gates at Defense (and Janet Napolitano at DHS), because that's who HHS has to fight for money and influence. [...] I don't know how long the list is of policy wonks who are also good political infighters, get along with Congress, and who have the same vision on health reform as Obama, but that list can't be infinitely long. [...] For those reasons, Tom Daschle would be an ideal choice for HHS, at least as far as experience, but that's only if he survives this and gets past committee [...]. And for those same reasons, another wonk with similar policy credentials to Daschle's would need to be a second choice."

Ezra Klein has concerns about Daschle's relationship with the health care industry, but he still believes Daschle is the best man to lead Obama's health reform effort: "No one has sketched a plausible future in which Daschle's tax problems don't disrupt his confirmation but do poison the administration's health reform effort six months down the line. Indeed, watching his Senate colleagues rally around him actually underscores Daschle's fitness for the job. Daschle is uniquely respected by this former colleagues and appears able to ensure himself a more than fair hearing even under less than ideal circumstances. Watching Daschle's former colleagues leap to his defense and attest to his integrity and fairness, it's hard to argue that this isn't the guy you want convincing and cajoling and reassuring nervous senators when health reform turns hard. You want the guy who gets the benefit of the doubt. You want the guy they viscerally trust, the guy they believe even when the obvious political move is to discount his testimony. This whole thing speaks rather poorly of Tom Daschle but rather well of his skills for this job."

DASCHLE III: Another Tax Cheat In Obama's Cabinet?

Conservative bloggers are blasting Daschle for his tax failures:

• RedState's Pejman Yousefzadeh: "This is embarrassing. Not only should Daschle not be the HHS Secretary, he should not have a job as the director of the White House's Office of Health Reform. [...W]hy, despite their joint tax cheat status, does the President insist on giving people like [Treasury Sec. Timothy] Geithner and Daschle jobs?"
• NRO's Jim Geraghty: "A request of our friends on the Democratic side of the aisle -- could they please specify when a cabinet nominee's failure to pay his taxes disqualifies him from the office he seeks? What amount? What expenses? How long ago? [...] Because $146,000 over the past three years seems like a lot."
• AmSpec Blog's Doug Bandow: "Why do the folks who want to raise our taxes seem to have such a hard time paying their own?"
• RedState's Moe Lane: "Does any Democratic politician pay his or her taxes properly, and on time? Do any of them know how to, even? It's a heck of a thing to ask, but circumstances kind of require it right now."
• NRO's Ed Whelan: "If President Obama were really serious about ending business as usual, he would immediately withdraw the nomination of someone who was cheating big-time on his taxes and who didn't level with Obama about the problem at the outset."
• NRO's Victor Davis Hanson: "Tom Daschle is a three-fer: (a) he makes a mockery of a new administration pledge to free itself from lobbyists since he and his wife are, well, power lobbyists incarnate. (b) he makes a mockery of past Democratic praise of taxes as patriotic given his own tax cheating and his own former invective about those who do what he did; (c) he makes a mockery of the old Democratic populist creed. Like [CT Sen.] Chris Dodd and [MA Rep.] Barney Frank, he rails about corporate greed and Wall Street perks while he too is deep at the trough."
• Power Line's John Hinderaker: "Is Tom Daschle a crook, or is it fairer to think of him as a low-level tool of various big-time crooks who play the Washington game by the corrupt rules of the Democratic Party? Either way, it is hard to think of a worse person to put in charge of 'reforming' the nation's health care system. Still, there is always a silver lining. One good thing about electing a Democrat as President is that, as he nominates fellow Democrats to senior positions in the Executive Branch, millions of dollars in unpaid tax liabilities come to light and are belatedly paid to the IRS, with interest. It is, perhaps, the most tangible advantage of electing Democrats to office."

Lefty bloggers are pushing back against the efforts of some righty bloggers (such as Hinderaker) to portray Daschle's tax failings as a Dem problem:

• Firedoglake's Jane Hamsher: "I'm not going to defend Daschle on the tax front, no self-respecting liberal would. [...] But Jack Abramoff associate Todd Boulonger just pled guilty, and a lecture on 'corruption' from John Hinderaker is about as welcome as a disquisition on birth control from Nadya Suleman."
• dday: "I'd be willing to bet that practically everyone of means in Capitol Hill has cheated on their taxes in one way or another. They're the Masters of the Universe and they see it as their due. If Republicans have gotten religion and suddenly want to end the practice, sounds good to me. [...] But don't tell me that this is an issue of party in any way. This is a class issue."

DASCHLE IV: The Ball's In Your Court, Senators

RedState's Erick Erickson urges his readers to call their senators and tell them to oppose Daschle's confirmation: "Barack Obama has nominated another tax cheat. With Tim Geithner we were told he was the indispensable man during the economic crisis. What about Tom Daschle? What makes him special? In truth -- nothing makes Daschle special other than he's one of Barack Obama's friends. One tax cheat is enough. Call 202-224-3121. Tell your Senator to vote no on Tom Daschle."

Michelle Malkin thinks certain GOP senators painted themselves into a corner by voting to confirm Geithner: "Daschle's 'naive' mistakes make him more qualified to hold a Cabinet position, remember? That's the reasoning embraced by the Lindsay Graham wing of the Republican Party. Now, the B.O. Republicans will have to 1) twist themselves in pretzels to find a logical explanation for opposing this new tax cheat with liabilities three times Geithner's; or 2) assume the downward dog yoga position, approve yet another corrupted Obama nominee, and meekly dub him indispensible and 'uniquely qualified' to raise the taxes of other Americans after failing to pay his own. Screw up, move up. It's the bipartisan Washington way."

STEELE: A Warm Welcome From The Rightroots

Although few conservative bloggers supported Steele's bid for RNC Chairman, most of them praised the ex-MD LG following his victory:

• Townhall's Hugh Hewitt: "Obviously I think highly of Michael Steele -- he's been one of my favorite guest hosts when we have been able to schedule his sitting in for me while I am on the road. He will be a tremendous chairman, and his extraordinary communication abilities will serve the GOP very very well."
• Hot Air's Ed Morrissey: "[T]he RNC had to find a national chair who could provide a recognizable face and be at ease in the role of party spokesperson. Of all the candidates, Steele alone fills that bill -- and does so naturally. He will provide an eloquent and welcoming presence in the national media for Republicans at a time when they need both to rebuild their strength as a big-tent party."
• Townhall's Amanda Carpenter: "It's remarkable how much strife Steele has tolerated in his political career. A lot of other people would have called it quits. Not this guy. He's had Oreos thrown at him, been called Sambo and endured all kinds of hateful, racist attacks for having the nerve to be black and Republican. These are things I have known for awhile, but I am guessing the liberal left who already has an eye on destroying this guy, well, they have no idea what he is made of."
• Geraghty: "What will Republicans be getting in Steele? Maybe the ideal television presence, a dynamic and energetic speaker who cheerfully brings a Republican message to communities that aren't always initially receptive. The contrast with [Mike] Duncan's seemingly invisible media presence will be clear. But Steele's bid was hindered by questions about whether he would excel as much at the parts of the job that aren't in front of the cameras—the day-to-day management and fundraising. In the coming year, Republicans will learn one way or the other."
• AmSpec Blog's Quin Hillyer: "My hopes for him are much higher than my doubts."

Other conservative bloggers are pushing back against the CW that Steele is a moderate:

• Right Wing News' John Hawkins: "I think Steele 'gets it' and am not concerned about his veering off to the left as Party chairman. I have seen enough of him to feel comfortable that he knows where the GOP's bread is buttered."
• AmSpec Blog's Robert Stacy McCain: "You knew the contest to become chairman of the Republican National Committee was getting ugly when they started throwing around nasty slurs like 'moderate.' Michael Steele got tagged with the dreaded M-word as part of a vicious guilt-by-association smear. [...] In truth, Steele is a committed pro-life Catholic who proudly calls himself a 'Reagan Republican,' and ideological differences had relatively little impact on the RNC's choice."
• The Next Right's Patrick Ruffini: "It's true that a handful of bloggers -- most of whom have worked in and around the conservative establishment -- voiced concerns about Steele, while touting Blackwell. [...] I think this highlights a very real disconnect between the leaders of the conservative establishment in D.C. and the conservative movement in the heartland. Rank-and-file Republican activists had no real problems with Steele -- with his membership in the RLC belied by his strong pro-life stance running in midnight blue Maryland."

Townhall's Matt Lewis -- who supported Blackwell in the RNC Chair race -- thinks Steele's victory sends a positive message: "Regardless of what you think about Michael Steele, it is clear that his election sends a message that the GOP is, at least, serious about change. In my estimation, after eight years of George W. Bush, that is an important first step. Early news coverage has been very positive. Of course, his long-term effectiveness as a leader will be the true test. But there is no doubt the GOP has symbolicly turned the page."

STEELE II: Don't Forget The Base, Chairman!

Although they congratulated Steele on his victory, several conservative bloggers urged him not to forget the GOP base as he seeks to broaden the party's appeal:

• RedState's Directors: "[Steele] was not our first choice for this spot, given our concern that he was not the most conservative choice in the race. But he is an eloquent and persuasive spokesman for the party and an impressive man, and we wish him well. The Republican Party needs to do two contradictory things in the years to come: return to the party's conservative roots and sell the party's message to voters who are not base conservatives. Chairman Steele has promised an aggressive outreach to do the latter; we urge him, in that effort, not to neglect the former. We can't sell a message based on our principles if we don't have principles."
• Lewis: "[W]hile Steele clearly didn't need the support of bloggers to become RNC chairman, he certainly can not afford to alienate them if he hopes to be deemed a successful chairman (where the support of 168 insiders will matter much less than the support of bloggers). [...] When Barack Obama was about to become president, he shrewdly met with columnists and opinion leaders on his left and right. It will be interesting to see whether or not a 'Steele curtain' will descend around the RNC, shutting our dissent and bloggers who opposed Steele -- or if, instead, Steele extends a similar olive branch to conservative bloggers. My own unsolicited advice, of course, is to hold a meeting asap. CPAC is just around the corner..."

Power Line's Paul Mirengoff still has some concerns about Steele: "...I'm confident that Steele is not a moderate Republican. However, I do question just how resolutely conservative Steele is. My concern stems mainly from an interview Steele gave to a group of political reporters, including Dana Millbank, in July 2006 during his Senate campaign. At that time, Steele complained about how tough it was to run as a Republican, and took some shots at President Bush. [...] One common thread in Steele's July 2006 interview and his recent support of [AG nominee Eric] Holder may be that Steele is, to some extent, a creature of Washington. The reporters in whom Steele confided in 2006 were Washington-based, and Holder is very popular in D.C."

Meanwhile, Erickson and Ruffini are offering Steele advice on how to organize the RNC.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: The Danger For Dems

The Atlantic's Ross Douthat:

"This is the basic liberal calculus at the moment: The stimulus bill is thick with non-stimulative spending increases because it's a chance to, well, pass spending increases that Democrats think are worthy. Which is fair enough; they did, after all, thump the GOP two election cycles in a row. But surely even the most deficit-happy liberal ought to worry a little about how all of this is going to be paid for -- and by extension, whether a spending binge on existing programs today will make it harder to pass, say, an expensive overhaul of the health care system tomorrow. At some point, barring an economic miracle, the GOP will be able to get at least some traction by playing Ross Perot and arguing against out-of-control spending. Maybe the whole liberal wish list will be passed into law before that happens: As [Matthew] Yglesias says in a subsequent post, it's possible that at a time like this there's no 'fixed sum of political capital' for liberals to spend down, and so the thing to do is go for broke, quite literally, instead of trying to prioritize health care reform over Pell Grants, or climate change legislation over Head Start. But there's also a chance that the Democrats will look back on the stimulus bill as an instance where they gained ground in the short run, but at the expense of their longer-term ambitions."

LEST WE FORGET: Breaking: Michael Phelps Is A 23-Year-Old!

The Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan criticizes the media frenzy that ensued after a British tabloid published a photo of Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps smoking marijuana at a party:

"Yes, Michael Phelps took a few hits from a bong at a party. He also threw back a great deal of alcohol, maybe made a few passes at a few girls and bonded with a few dudes. This is news? And yet this absurd ritual takes place in which Phelps has to pretend he did something dreadful and we all have to tut-tut and frown and furrow our brows, and the sponsors cluck and the press preens -- while the only conceivable news is that a 23 year-old had a good time at a party, breaking no professional rules since he was not competing when he was goofing off. And, seriously, does anyone think that smoking pot would give him an unfair advantage in the pool? Please. When on earth are we going to grow up as a culture?"

Posted by Ian Faerstein at February 2, 2009 01:03 PM