Former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle on Tuesday withdrew his nomination to oversee the Health and Human Services Department, citing controversies over his taxes and his ties to the health care industry — and telling NBC News that a New York Times editorial also played a role.Hmm. Does that mean we're meant to understand that the administration didn't recognize that ethical inconsistency, given that the two weren't publicly asked to step down? Weird framing, Gibbs.
His withdrawal came just a few hours after another Obama nominee, Nancy Killefer, said she was withdrawing her nomination. Both had controversies with taxes and cited distractions over that as reasons for withdrawing.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters the two realized "that you can't set an example of responsibility but accept a different standard of who serves."
Great start to healthcare reform. Wheeeeeeeeeee!
