Events of the day

1. President Obama signed into law the reauthorization of the SCHIP bill (State Children's Health Insurance Program), saying that "This is a down payment on my promise to cover every American. . . . In a decent society, there are certain obligations that are not subject to tradeoffs or negotiation - health care for our children is one of those obligations."

George Bush had twice vetoed a similar bill. Another sharp repudiation.

2. Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services. He had seemed the ideal choice: author of a book on health care policy and former Senate majority leader, hence both the knowledge and the know-how to get legislation passed.

His tax problems were more troubling than they first seemed, because it showed him as benefiting from expensive perks (free car and driver, worth about $250,000 over several years) from a wealthy friend and associate. Nothing illegal about it, but it is taxable -- and Daschle didn't report it.

Even more troubling, however, is the wealth accumulated since he was in the Senate, which came his way in part as a result of his influence in the health care industry. Again, he didn't do anything illegal, but it raises concerns about future influence from these associates if he were Sec of HHS. And it all goes against Obama's strict "no lobbyists" in his adminsitration. Daschle was not a registered lobbyist, but he seems to have been in everything but name.

A good man who would have been good for the job -- but too much baggage.

3. The Democrats and Obama are having a hard time getting 60 votes needed to prevent a Republican filibuster on the economic recovery bill. Now Commerce Secretary nominee, Republican senator Judd Gregg, has said that, although he supports Obama's plan and would otherwise vote for it, he will abstain from voting on the measure while his nomination is under consideration. His would have been an important vote, and he wants to make sure there's no question about his nomination being misperceived as a quid pro quo.

4. Report in the New York Times gives pretty good evidence that someone in Gov. Paterson's office improperly leaked out rumors from Caroline Kennedy's vetting questionnaire to discredit her. Both the "tax problem" and the "nanny problem" that were floated in the news turned out to be much ado about not much. In 1994, she owed a few hundred dollars on her tax bill; and a nanny, who had worked for her in the 1980's, had an expired visa. Both issues were cleared up more than a decade ago. She had disclosed them both in her vetting questionnaire, and the Paterson team did not consider them problems--but apparently leaked them later to embarrass and discredit her.

Why they would be leaked to the press in the final days, along with the other conflicting stories of what happened, remains a mystery. Pretty sleazy political way to treat a respected woman who seems very decent, intelligent, and dedicated to public service.

5. Dick Cheney has not gone quietly into retirement. In an interview with Politico yesterday, he said there is a 'high probability' that terrorists will attempt a catastrophic nuclear or biological attack in coming years and that he fears the Obama administration’s policies will make it more likely the attempt will succeed. He also accused the Obama administration of wanting to protect the rights of terrorists more than they want to protect Americans.

He had his turn for 8 years. He should just shut up. At least george bush has that decency.

6. Bill Kristol (one of my least favorite journalists) is urging the GOP to defeat Obama's stimulus bill in order to make it easier to defeat his health care legislation later.

I suggest that Dick Cheney take Bill Kristol hunting.

Ralph