Confession may be good for the soul but it's hell on your political career. It doesn't do much for your endorsements, either.
Today's papers are full of contrition. We have:
the almost-but-not-quite Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Daschle;
the lesser known Nancy Killefer who was slated to be the President's Chief Performance Officer, whatever that is; and
the all-American boy turned stoner, Michael "Jeff Spicoli" Phelps.
Daschle first.
There was just no way to fix this. By the time the Obama vetters discovered and corrected Daschle's tax problem, the damage was done. If you're working for someone and he gives you something of value and the company declares it as an expense, that's income to you. Bonuses, trips, lavish gifts, and cars equipped with drivers...all income. When you formerly authored tax policy for America, "I didn't realize..." is not the "A" response. Sadly, in a world where the CEO of Merrill Lynch thinks it's OK, under any condition, to install a $87,000 rug in his office; where car company CEO's fly their corporate jets to Washington to beg for cash; where tone-deafness is so pervasive and entitlement so ingrained that John Edwards imagines that he can run for President and shtupp another woman; no one should be surprised.
The big loser here is America. Tom Daschle had three decades as a Washington insider. If anyone could have forged a universal healthcare package and had it passed, it was he. Senators knew and, for the most part, trusted him. Whoever the administration chooses to replace him will be a step down. This is what happens when you get too close to lobbyists and power brokers. Alfred Hitchcock was once asked if he said that actors were cattle. He replied, "I never said that actors were cattle. I said actors should be treated like cattle." Lobbyists may not be scum but, they should certainly be treated as such.
We never got to know Nancy Killefer. Her affiliation with the consulting giant McKinsey & Co. tells me that, as Chief Performance Officer, she would have been terrific at telling other people what was wrong with them and how "you" should fix it. A good friend tells me that consultants are men who know 500 ways to make love but don't know any women. Whatever Nancy's tax issues are we may never know. However, there may be a power point presentation in our future.
Whether you are in the tank for Obama (and most of us are) or not, you have to be impressed with the grace of the man. First, he takes responsibility; not my staff, not my information gatherers...me. "I screwed up". If Dick Nixon had tried that, he would have completed two terms (but probably no David Frost interview). If GWB had taken the blame for his uncountable mistakes it would have gone on longer than Kate Winslet at an awards show, but he wouldn't be hated as much as he is. No one expects a President to be perfect but we do expect them to be accountable. We expect them to take ownership, fix the problem, learn from it and move on. In President Obama's case, one can imagine him thumb-tapping on his Blackberry "Memo: Christmas presents for cabinet and staff to include Turbo Tax program and a $500 gift certificate to H&R Block."
Michael Phelps is just a kid. Well OK so he's 24. He's still allowed to do stupid things. He's allowed to drive a little too fast, try to unhook his girlfriend's bra in the backseat of his car and experiment with happy smoke at a party. What he is not allowed to do is get caught doing them. In a time of picture phones this might prove difficult; just ask Brittany, Prince Harry and the Oakland Transit Police.
Phelps has used two of his three strikes, having been tagged for DUI in Maryland in 2004. His endorsements are safe for the moment (except for those prudes at Kellogg). Public statements from Speedo, Visa and Omega all say that there are no plans to throw Phelps overboard. After all, who is on the "A" list for Speedo? How about Sully Sullenberger of US Airways fame? He's pretty good in the water.
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