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Obama on Daschle: 'I Screwed Up'

By John Johnson, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 3, 2009 7:03 PM CST

(Newser) – President Obama made the rounds of TV anchors today in the wake of Tom Daschle's withdrawal with a common message: "I'm here on television saying I screwed up," he said on NBC. In an interview with Fox, he amplified the message, Politico reports: "I consider this a mistake on my part and one I intend to fix and correct and make sure we don’t screw it up again."

Obama told CNN that Daschle would have been a superb Cabinet member because of nuts-and-bolts knowledge of health reform and his political savvy. "But I think that, look, ultimately, I campaigned on changing Washington and bottom-up politics. And I don't want to send a message to the American people that there are two sets of standards: one for powerful people and one for ordinary folks."

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

President Barack Obama announces his plans to nominate Sen. Judd Gregg, a New Hampshire Republican, for Commerce Secretary, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

First lady Michelle Obama, right, throws her arms up before she and her husband, President Barack Obama, read to second graders at Capital City Public Charter School in Washington, Tuesday. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Barack Obama listens to second-raders at Capital City Public Charter School in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

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Obama tells Anderson Cooper he made a mistake. (YouTube)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 14 comments

Guest

Feb 6, 2009 6:01 AM CST

What a pleasant change after 8 very long years to hear a rather blunt apology! Also very refreshing as well. Congratulations!

cornelison

Feb 4, 2009 6:25 AM CST

There are many talented people who could fill those cabinet positions. The problem is that they don't want to be put through a grueling confirmation process.

Guest

Feb 4, 2009 5:35 AM CST

Bill Richardson had to withdraw. Obama's education nominee doesn't know proper grammar. The Treasury nominee doesn't pay taxes. The nominee for attorney general worked in the pardon office, and he didn't know anything about pardons. Obama's top terrorism advisor was involved in a security breach. We've got more scandals here during the transition than most presidencies have in one term.

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