Daschle Has Ear of White House and Industry

New York Times ^ | August 23, 2009 | DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK

[nickcarraway]

Six months have passed since the morning when Tom Daschle, a former Senate Democratic leader, under fire for not paying certain taxes, called President Obama in his study off the Oval Office to withdraw his nomination as health secretary and reform czar.

But these days it often seems as if Mr. Daschle never left the picture. With unrivaled ties on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, he talks constantly with top White House advisers, many of whom previously worked for him.

He still speaks frequently to the president, who met with him as recently as Friday morning in the Oval Office. And he remains a highly paid policy adviser to hospital, drug, pharmaceutical and other health care industry clients of Alston & Bird, the law and lobbying firm.

Now the White House and Senate Democratic leaders appear to be moving toward a blueprint for overhauling the health system, centered on nonprofit insurance cooperatives, that Mr. Daschle began promoting two months ago as a politically feasible alternative to a more muscular government-run insurance plan.

It is an idea that happens to dovetail with the interests of many Alston & Bird clients, like the insurance giant UnitedHealth and the Tennessee Hospital Association. And it is drawing angry cries of accommodation from more liberal House Democrats bent on including a public insurance plan.

Friends and associates of Mr. Daschle say the interests of Alston & Bird’s clients have no influence on his views. They say he sees no conflict in advising private clients on the one hand and advising the White House on the other, because he offers the same assessment to everyone: Though he has often said that he favors a government-run insurance option, the Senate will not pass it.

[BookmanTheJanitor]

Daschle says health-care reform “will not be pain free.” Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age instead of treating them. That means the elderly will bear the brunt.

- (source -http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aLzfDxfbwhzs)

[MDformerDem]

libs are stupid. Daschle is running the show.

[Vaquero]

‘Puff’ Daschle has ears?

what about the POSOTUS....now those are ears.

[Balding_Eagle]

Daschle Has Ear of White House and Industry

Good news for Conservatives.

[bitterohiogunclinger]

“They say he sees no conflict in advising private clients on the one hand and advising the White House on the other, because he offers the same assessment to everyone”.
Puff Dashole wouldn't see a conflict of interest between three wolves and a rabbit discussing dinner plans.
Tell him to go back to standing on the corner and holding the lexus muffler, we'll get back to him later.

[ExTexasRedhead]

America is waking up:

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/08/22/video-marine-goes-nuclear-on-democrat-over-obamacare/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T7I34RkqJI

[FlingWingFlyer]

If Daschle was a Republican, this would have started with “Tax Deadbeat Daschle...”

[beethovenfan]

More feces from the Dasshole.

[CaptainK]

Thanks for the hotair link.
That Marine was on fire. Great stuff.

[stop_fascism]

Mr. Daschle is not registered as a lobbyist and recently told U.S. News and World Report that he preferred to describe himself as a “resource” to those in government and industry.

He works for a lobbying firm and spends his time lobbying, but he isn't a lobbyist. I'd like to see a pubbie try that.

[rod1]

He didn’t leave. All the RAT-politicos are on the “payroll” one way or the other.

[Dahoser]

If Daschle was a Republican, this would have started with “Tax Deadbeat Daschle...”

Instead, it starts off,

Six months have passed since the morning when Tom Daschle, a former Senate Democratic leader, under fire for not paying certain taxes, called President Obama in his study off the Oval Office to withdraw his nomination as health secretary and reform czar

Oh, only certain taxes? Geez, what's the big deal? We conservatives really are mean-spirited.