Ethics debacle offers painful lesson for Obama

The following appeared in the Feb. 6, 2009 issue of the Arizona Republic.

Ethics. Integrity. Post-partisanship.

These were among the promises that got Barack Obama elected president.

Voters liked the idea of ending politics as they have come to know and dislike it.

Candidate Obama set the bar unusually high. President Obama is going to have to live up to that standard or risk losing the public support he needs to succeed.

By admitting - in numerous same-day interviews - that he did "screw up" in regard to the Daschle debacle, Obama demonstrated his desire to make government more transparent and accessible. His instincts are also correct in wanting to admit his mistake and move on.

But the president cannot dismiss the widespread impression that some of his failed appointments have dulled his image and given his opponents tools with which to begin undermining confidence in his administration.

Even the perception of a cloud over the White House could cost Obama popularity and contribute to business-as-usual gridlock in Washington, stalling progress on the huge challenges facing the nation.

President Obama needs to make sure that friendship does not again cloud his judgment.
Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's credentials and experience may have made him look like a good pick for secretary of Health and Human Services.

As one of Obama's mentors in the Senate and an early supporter of Obama's race for president, Daschle also looked like a natural for a high-level appointment. A little patronage is to be expected.

What's more, Obama has balanced patronage with a "Team of Rivals" approach that is robust enough to rankle some Democrats.

His choice of Republican Sen. Judd Gregg as Commerce secretary was facilitated by an agreement that Gregg's replacement in the Senate would be a Republican. Some Democrats were unimpressed with both the appointment and the deal.

To the dismay of some in his own party, President Obama gets points for making good on his promise to pursue a post-partisan government and listen to a variety of voices.

But as the president learned the hard way, people are in no mood to overlook something like Daschle's failure to pay a tax bill that far exceeds the annual income of many Americans.

This is especially true after Timothy Geithner was confirmed as Treasury secretary despite his tax problems, and as Nancy Killefer, Obama's first choice for chief performance officer, was forced to step aside because of her own tax problems.

The Daschle debacle was a tin-ear moment that President Obama dare not repeat. Sphere: Related Content