KMIR 6 - Palm Springs News, Weather, SportsDaschle withdraws nomination amid tax allegations
Member Center:
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House says Tom Daschle made the decision to withdraw his nomination for health secretary.
The former Senate Democratic leader bowed out Tuesday, his nomination jeopardized by revelations of delinquent tax payments.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Daschle made the decision, not the administration.
Gibbs also said Daschle and Nancy Killefer, tapped for chief performance officer, recognized their tax problems made it impossible for them to meet a new standard for responsibility.
Gibbs told reporters the two realized "that you can't set an example of responsibility but accept a different standard of who serves."
Gibbs said the nominees didn't want to be distractions to President Barack Obama's agenda.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
