Does Daschle Matter?

“I’m here on television saying I screwed up and that’s part of the era of responsibility. Ultimately it’s important for this administration to send a message that there aren’t two sets of rules.”

-President Barack Obama

Yesterday, President Obama’s pick for Health and Human Services Secretary, former Sen. Tom Daschle, withdrew his bid for the post amid questions over his failure to pay approximately $100,000 in taxes. The media is making a big deal about it, with both liberal and conservative outlets attacking Mr. Daschle’s integrity, as well as questioning President Obama’s pledge to raise the ethical standards in Washington. And yes, it matters.

The essence of a democratic republic is trust.  What makes representative government distinct from other forms of government is that citizens choose who will lead them, so the defining sociopolitical act is the transfer of trust in a vote. When you elect someone, you are allowing that person to shape both the society you live in, and to some extent, the trajectory of your life. The right to govern is a powerful right to grant anyone, so with it come sharply elevated accountability and responsibility to those who place their trust in you.

“It’s obviously a mistake. But I think it’s an innocent mistake. I don’t think it affects one iota his ability to do the job.”

-Senator John Kerry 

So, when government officials from any party display a lack of integrity, the public has the right and responsibility to come down with swift judgment. It is easy to say, “So Sen. Daschle simply didn’t pay a portion of his taxes? That happens all the time.” While that is true, the responsibility of the office means that Mr. Daschle’s transgression was not just against the IRS, but against all American citizens. He violated our trust. This is not a partisan or politicized issue; any leader who displays such a lack of integrity should not be governing.

However, something significant also happened that is being buried beneath the scandal. While one official broke our trust, another took a step to build it. Despite Mr. Daschle’s misstep, President Obama displayed a powerful and refreshing sense of leadership in the handling of the situation. Rather than give a speech about the need for reform in Washington, or express how blindsided he felt, President Obama did what few leaders have had the courage to do: He took responsibility.

In a news conference following Mr. Daschle’s withdrawal, President Obama said, “I’m here on television saying I screwed up and that’s part of the era of responsibility. Ultimately it’s important for this administration to send a message that there aren’t two sets of rules. You know, one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks who have to pay their taxes.” President Obama later added, “[I am] frustrated with myself, with our team…ultimately my job is to get this thing back on track.” This type of honesty and responsibility is what we should demand from our elected officials. Most politicians would have deflected the blame, but President Obama has decided to shoulder it–that  engenders trust.

This, of course, is not to say that I fully support President Obama. I have been a great critic of his policy initiatives and social-liberal framework. But, as I mentioned at the launch of this site, the goal is to weigh the issues evenly and offer a fresh, non-partisan perspective. While conservatives may disagree with his policy, it is difficult to deny a display of great leadership. And that matters.

-Matt Benchener from TruPolitics.net