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Tom Daschle's Secret Life Moonlighting For The Insurance Industry

First Posted: 09/17/09 06:12 AM ET Updated: 05/25/11 02:50 PM ET

Daschle Taxes

Time.com:

This is how Washington really works: Even a top liberal advocate for taking a strong stand against the insurance industry in the health reform fight takes money behind the scenes from the insurance industry.

On Sunday, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, who was once a nominee to be President Obama's Secretary of Health And Human Services, appeared on NBC's Meet The Press, playing the role of the liberal standard bearer, opposite Oklahoma conservative Sen. Tom Coburn. Daschle spoke out against insurers, praised the so-called "public option," and at one point framed the debate over health reform to host David Gregory this way:

Read the whole story: Time.com

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This is how Washington really works: Even a top liberal advocate for taking a strong stand against the insurance industry in the health reform fight takes money behind the scenes from the insurance in...
This is how Washington really works: Even a top liberal advocate for taking a strong stand against the insurance industry in the health reform fight takes money behind the scenes from the insurance in...
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12:29 PM on 08/25/2009
Why is discussion closed on the topic:

Daschle Behind Health Care Co-Op "Compromise"?

Co-ops potentially have one good thing - governing boards made up of those insured. C-span had the CEO of the one in Washington (state) being presented as the model on last weekend. The problems that came from this discussion (as far as I could tell since questions and answers were both rather obtuse) are: (1) only 1% or less of insured actually participate in electing board members, (2) it essentially acts as an HMO and as such restricts your access to a doctor and (3) this one has failed to have any impact on containing health care costs in comparison to insurance companies in the same region.

This is what Daschle wants?
03:48 PM on 08/22/2009
Daschle's firm pays lobbyist for the insurance compony, United Health.
He is against public option.
http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/08/17/the-secret-life-of-tom-daschle-moonlighting-for-the-inurance-indutry/
03:44 PM on 08/22/2009
Daschle's wife own a lobbying firm.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15799.html
12:33 PM on 08/18/2009
Who can you believe?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
drjay79
11:34 AM on 08/18/2009
He reminds me of low life John Edwards, they could be brothers.
11:20 AM on 08/18/2009
isn't this guy that preacher that had a relationship with a male prostitute.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
tbone99
cruisin' duality
11:15 AM on 08/18/2009
The utmost in hypocrisy.
despicable
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
faster72i
11:05 AM on 08/18/2009
so slimy. and what a disappointment. this healthcare debate makes me more disallusioned with our gov't (dem or repub) by the day.
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10:45 AM on 08/18/2009
What would Tom Daschle be willing to do for a cheeseburger?

http://www.rollingstone.com/blogs/taibbiunbound/2008/12/the-whore-factor.php
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Clayton139
Fight The Right-Wing (R) Spin Machine! VOTE 1% OUT
04:12 PM on 08/18/2009
Good Read !
10:45 AM on 08/18/2009
He is one of those guys who talks out of both sides of his mouth. Zero trust.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
glockman
11:30 AM on 08/18/2009
You say that like he's the exception in Washington and not the norm.
03:41 PM on 08/22/2009
Yes he is. According to an article in Time "Daschle, in his capacity as a high-paid consultant at the law firm Alston and Bird, is once again working closely with lobbyists for UnitedHealth"
http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/08/17/the-secret-life-of-tom-daschle-moonlighting-for-the-inurance-indutry/
Daschle is against public option.
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10:44 AM on 08/18/2009
For those who'd like to know a little more about what kind of a person Tom Daschle really is.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/02/01/daschle/

Towards the bottom is a charming story about how he abandoned the wife who helped get him elected and his three kids to marry a beauty queen. Also a clip of him speaking about the horrors of gay marriage and how it will sully the sacred bond between man and woman.
10:09 AM on 08/18/2009
ANY members of CONgress taking revolving doors into a politics after-life of 'lobbying' - is a scuzzy-bucket low-life of zero integrity that likely ALSO sold out The People while still in office.
09:56 AM on 08/18/2009
Typical lib hypocrisy.
10:17 AM on 08/18/2009
Well, THAT sure was typical.

lol
09:49 AM on 08/18/2009
Don't forget that Daschle's generation of Democratic legislators were trying for years to fight fire with fire. Lobbying was the only game in Washington that was played and still is being played. Until Obama came along and said he wouldn't take PAC money and spoiled the game for Democrats and Republicans alike. For years, that was the only way Democrats could even ante up. This election changed the rules. The only people who don't act embarrassed are the Republicans, but they are only too happy to see Democrats eat each other. For whatever connections Daschle still has, we shouldn't act like Republicans and throw the baby out with the bath water. He could have turned Blue Dog, right? Yeah, the Republicans love how we bring up Daschle's connections... That's how they thinned out the ranks of the Democrats....
03:45 PM on 08/22/2009
Dachle's wife is a well known lobbyist.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15799.html
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
Arrecho
09:23 AM on 08/18/2009
A bright new Yorker:

http://weiner.house.gov/tv.aspx?p=113