Reaction to the recent revelations about Tom Daschle’s tax problems and apparent conflict of interest in receiving income from the health care industry has received criticism in the liberal blogosphere. The New York Times has now called for withdrawing Daschle’s nomination, concluding:
Mr. Daschle is another in a long line of politicians who move cozily between government and industry. We don’t know that his industry ties would influence his judgments on health issues, but they could potentially throw a cloud over health care reform. Mr. Daschle could clear the atmosphere by withdrawing his name.
While the ethics questions raised by Dachle, along with the nominations of Geithner and Richardson (whose nomination was withdrawn) are minor compared to the virtually institutionalized corruption and disregard for the rule of law seen under the Republicans, it is still striking how the reaction differs. During the Bush years it was common for conservative bloggers and media to back the Republicans, often trying to assist them in covering up any wrong doing. In contrast, when there have been ethical questions raised by nominees of a Democratic president, the response of liberal bloggers and the media has been to attempt to hold them to a higher standard than we have seen from government in the past.
The Obama administration cannot expect blind support from the left as Bush often received by the right (except for when they criticized him for not being consevative enough). This might not be exactly what Obama had in mind when he spoke of a post-partisan era, but this is what is expected by many of those who voted for Obama.
