President Daschle?

I've always been intrigued with political franchises.

I used to study the crime bosses of Chicago and the political/criminal bosses of Japan. I met former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka once before his stroke and knew fairly well such interesting political warlords in Japan such as Michio Watanabe, Shin Kanemaru, Ryutaro Hashimoto, Ichiro Ozawa, Susumu Nikaido, Kiichi Miyazawa, Yasuhiro Nakasone, Koichi Hamada, Rokusuke Tanaka and others. Most of these folks were real kingpins.

Family franchises in politics are even more interesting. Taro Aso -- the grandson of well-known post-WWII Japanese prime minister Shigeru Yoshida -- may be on the verge of becoming Japan's next prime minister. He has built power more by cajoling friends and building alliances rather than through political muscle and the discipline created by hard cash, but he still clearly always was a political crown prince. I had the privilege of knowing Aso's tough as nails mother, Kazuko Aso, and one of his sisters quite well.

But back to the U.S., I just received a Democratic Governors Association note from Nathan Daschle, who is Executive Director of the DGA. His note came titled "The Next Big Thing: Project 2010" and pushed the new blog that the DGA has launched.

I really like Tom Daschle, Nathan's father. My former boss Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) was one of the first to support Daschle in his bid to become Democratic leader in the Senate -- and I often had a front row seat of his excellent mastery of the complex task of managing a bit less than five dozen and a bit more than four dozen US Senators.

To some degree it is really Tom Daschle's political machine that has been more important to Barack Obama than franchises controlled by the Daley clan, the Kennedy family, and the Clintons. Daschle's people are the ones who have animated and built out Barack Obama's incredible national operation.

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And while Tom Daschle may not ever get the chance to serve as President of the United States -- though i think he would have made a great president -- I suspect that Daschle will bring some muscle and great skill to either the White House as Chief of Staff or to Obama's cabinet (if elected) as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

While Hillary Clinton really does know the nuts and bolts of a rebuilt and redeployed health care policy system, Tom Daschle does as well and may be the person who actually does deliver real, universal health care in the United States. I discuss health policy with former Senate Majority Leader and Obama Campaign co-chair Tom Daschle in the short clip above. A longer meeting at which Daschle spoke on the subject can be watched here.

But what about the son, Nathan Daschle?

Well, Nathan, son of Tom, writes a snazzy letter, married well and got covered in Washington Life. If he thinks now about keeping his eye on good public policy, staying out of financial trouble, not taking short cuts, and learning how not to let minor squabbles and differences with others distract from the battles really worth fighting, Nathan Daschle could be one of the names you see considered for high office down the road.

Here is a profile of the 34 year-old Nathan that ran in Washingtonian Magazine two years ago:

Word is that Daschle, the new general counsel to the Democratic Governors Association, would be on the fast track to legal stardom even if his father weren't former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle. Besides that, the young Daschle didn't have an ordinary childhood--he was written up as a nine-year-old for finding Vice President George Bush's glasses at the Rayburn Building pool. His mother is Laurie Fulton, a top partner at Williams & Connolly.

A graduate of Harvard Law School, Daschle worked for the Natural Resources Defense Council before joining the litigation department of Covington & Burling. After trying just one case, which he won, Daschle left Covington last June to become general counsel and policy director of the governors group.

Working at the intersection of law and politics puts Daschle in a position to influence politics for some time. Republicans who worked hard to pitch his father out of office may not find comfort in the rise of another Daschle, who might prove equally formidable.

Nathan Daschle, and his dad, will no doubt email me that this was an over the top blog post and will express surprise and dismay to friends and co-workers. They have to do that. Humility is key in town, spiced up with confidence and competence.

But I read the young Daschle's letter, and it came with no fanfare or indulgent line like "as the son of Tom Daschle, I am writing to. . ." It was a good, motivating note that let a lot of the political and policy class know that Nathan Daschle is increasingly becoming a name with which we should all become a bit more familiar.

This is just the way the system works -- whether it should or not. So, you heard it here. I suspect Nathan Daschle may very well run for the highest office in the land some day. Despite the fact that I know little directly about him, I see nuances here of someone solid -- and I like what I see so far, which is the beginning of political machine building.

To some degree, it's a lot more fun speculating about the country's leadership far down the road than it is writing about the same small cast of characters we now see around Obama and McCain every day from now until November 4th.

In fact, I bet HuffPost readers can think of some other potential presidential challengers down the road too. Feel free to record your thoughts below, but remember to be civil. (thanks)

And also remember to check out the DGA's Project 2010 Blog. . .which is the real reason I got to have some fun with this subject.

-- Steve Clemons publishes the popular political blog, The Washington Note

Comments

[Doofus]

As a former Senate majority leader, Tom Daschle
would make a great chief of staff for Obama.

And he has a 'machine'? Wow! Who knew?

[Thad]

You're joking, right? Tom Daschle?

There's a lot about the current state of the Democratic Party that I'm willing to give Daschle credit for -- its perpetual lying down for Bush, its utter ineffectiveness, its early support for the war in Iraq and the continuing degradation of the Constitution -- but the Obama political machine is not one of them.

If there's anybody Obama has to thank for helping put in place the machine that's helped him get where he is -- aside from himself and his own great talents -- it's Howard Dean. This is Dean's network. The appeal to the youth vote, the outsider image, the strong grasp of how to use the Internet, the fundraising prowess, the willingness to campaign in all 50 states -- if Tom Daschle had any of these things, please, feel free to explain how.

[MaryT63]

At various stages of the primary I saw changes in Obama's campaigning style, going timid with no fight in him. Then I saw Daschle w him. I said oh my god. I remember Daschle as SML. He came off as timid w no fight. The repubs bashed him, he lost his senate seat. Obama lost the SD primary w Daschle campaigning w him. Go figure. I don't approve of this centrist crap. That means there is no opposition party, no opposing position. Today centrist means republican-like. On big issues there should be compromises but you don't have to sell out. So when you are campaigning what are you offering that is different from your opponent. This crop of Dems in congress, esp the ones that came in during the 1990s and 2000s are centrists not like Kennedy, Byrd, Feingold, etc.
Obama won supporters because he was who he is - a progressive democrat. When he speaks, he fumbles and stumbles with his thoughts and words, not clear and articulate which indicates he's trying to fit a mold he does not believe in. Too bad...

[levibatgirl]

I saw Daschle on one of the Sunday news/talk programs and he was practically useless at defending Obama from smears from the wingnuts.

Kerry was on that day too and he kicked arse compared to Daschle.

[CAPTAINSKIPPY]

Forget it, he moved to the muddle, when middle was bad enough . Was a fan awhile when Tom represented South Dakota, but when he played rollover guy for Bush too often, he moved to my Just Say NO list.

[Benny59]

I am a native South Dakotan and I have met Tom Daschle, have talked with him and still rue the day he was defeated by John Thune. The Bush machine put huge money into Thune's campaign to unseat Tom and got a lapdog for their trouble. We saw a great politician, a voice of reason and a caring individual leave the service of our state after many years. Tom's voice and skills were feared and had to be muted. The result...the republicans nearly ruin this country. Tom's quiet leadership and political skills serving an Obama administration is just another reason to vote for him. Tom Daschle built his reputation on his knowledge, skills and ability...certainly not on the clout South Dakota commands in Washington. He is a common man with exemplary skills in service to his country.

[theone718]

White House Chief of Staff has his name written all over it.

[RiseHillary]

That would have more status than lobbyist, which is now his role.

[AurigaRa]

it was clear that Tom Daschle was behind much of Obama's success. The rethugs may be able to run him out of office but his strengths will shine through. I hope Pres Obama gives him a top job in his administration.

And good luck to his son. We need more people like his dad working for America.

[SEQUOIABISON]

Daschle would be great in any cabinet position in the Obama administration, from secretary of state to secretary of agriculture he has a diverse wide range of talents. But lets get our man elected first.

Obama/Biden

[dadw5boys]

Tom got fooled by Phil Graham with the Commodities Refom Act !

That is the one Graham slipped the ENRON LOOPHOLE in at the last minuite!

[Edmonsky]

Steve Clemons:
Republicans know how to win elections. Most Republican pundits are all hands on deck to elect McCain/ Palin to the office of the president. Steve, there is only 2-months left to the election and the key is to elect Obama / Biden; every other political issues ought to be relegated to the background until after the election.

Most Republicans are audaciously using all the resources around them as echo-chamber in advancing the candidacy of McCain / Palin. By telling us that the Daschle machine is the anchor at the fundation of Obama"s success, the outcrop is to create awareness among other competing power centers that will lead to resentment and jealousy and thereby depressing the energy level among Democrats. Please accept my apologies if my comment is offensive.

[S1m0n]

I don't know either of you from Adam, but it feels pretty over-the-top to me, too.

[AMERIKA]

Tom is a good guy.

[RiseHillary]

Tom may be a good guy, but he has been a lobbyist since losing his senate seat, and his wife was a lobbyist all the while he was Majority or Minority leader of the US Senate. What does that tell you?

[Stanley]

It says they have to eat.

[schatsie]

and I will never forget how Tom caved on the Iraq war and the funding....No 77 filibusters when he was there...only the repugs get away with that... and then he and his wife are lobbyists for whom????