Obama: 'I screwed up' in Daschle withdrawal
Insists 'there aren't two sets of rules' for elite and for other Americans
NBC, msnbc.com and news services
updated 6:00 p.m. ET, Tues., Feb. 3, 2009
WASHINGTON - "I screwed up," President Barack Obama told NBC's Brian Williams Tuesday in the wake of his nominee to be secretary of health and human services, Tom Daschle, withdrawing his name from consideration.
Daschle dropped out after acknowledging that he had belatedly paid more than $128,000 in taxes owed to the federal government.
"Today was an embarrassment for us," Obama said. He said he was "angry," "disappointed" and "frustrated with myself" over the Daschle episode.
But the president claimed credit for appointing hundreds of "top notch" executive branch officials who have no tax problems.
"It's important not to paint (with) a broad brush here, because overall not only have we gotten in place a functioning government in record time, but overall the quality of these people is outstanding."
Second withdrawal of the day
Daschle's exit was the second of the day for an Obama appointee.
Nancy Killefer, Obama's choice to be the government's first "chief performance officer," bowed out, saying that she didn't want her failure to payroll taxes for her household employee to create a diversion from the president's agenda.
The dual-withdrawal fiasco is "something I have to take responsibility for," Obama told Williams.
"I appointed these folks. I think they are outstanding people. I think Tom Daschle, as an example, could have led this health care effort, a difficult effort, better than just about anybody. But as he acknowledged, it was a mistake. I don't think it was intentional on his part, but it was a serious mistake. He owned up to it and ultimately made a decision that we couldn't afford the distraction."
Obama added, "I've got to own up to my mistake. Ultimately, it's important for this administration to send a message that there aren't two sets of rules, one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks who have to pay their taxes."
President losing credibility?
Daschle's exit came after Republicans questioned Obama's decision to stick with him. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., said Obama was "losing credibility" with his statements in support of Daschle.
"Part of leadership is recognizing when there has been a mistake made and responding quickly," the Republican said.
Earlier Tuesday, Killefer withdrew as nominee to be the first chief performance officer for the federal government.
When Obama announced Killefer's nomination on Jan. 7, The Associated Press disclosed that in 2005 the District of Columbia government had placed a lien on her home. The local government alleged that she had started missing payments on unemployment compensation tax for a household employee. And she failed to make the required quarterly payments for a year and half, whereupon a lien for $946.69 was placed on her home.
Administration officials had refused to answer questions about the lien, which she resolved five months after it was filed.
During that period, Killefer and her husband, an economics professor, had a teenage son and daughter, but she had two nannies and a personal assistant to run her life when she was on the road, she told Harvard business students back then.
The Obama administration has had other nomination problems.
Timothy Geithner was sworn in as Treasury secretary in January, after winning confirmation despite personal tax lapses that turned more than a third of the Senate against him.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Obama's initial selection for commerce secretary, withdrew his name amid a grand jury investigation into a state contract awarded to his political donors.