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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Obama admits errors over cabinet | Obama admits errors over cabinet |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| US President Barack Obama has said "I screwed up" over his handling of a controversy that led two politicians to decline posts in his administration. | US President Barack Obama has said "I screwed up" over his handling of a controversy that led two politicians to decline posts in his administration. |
| Tom Daschle was to become the new secretary of health, and Nancy Killefer was Mr Obama's choice to oversee budget and spending reform. | Tom Daschle was to become the new secretary of health, and Nancy Killefer was Mr Obama's choice to oversee budget and spending reform. |
| They both withdrew when questions were raised about their tax affairs. | They both withdrew when questions were raised about their tax affairs. |
| The president said he was taking full responsibility and promised it would not happen again. | The president said he was taking full responsibility and promised it would not happen again. |
| But a BBC Washington correspondent says the growing number of Mr Obama's nominees facing tax problems appears to be undermining his calls for a new era of responsibility. | |
| Speaking in a series of TV interviews late on Tuesday, President Obama also said he wanted to avoid including anything that might spark a trade war in a planned economic stimulus package. | Speaking in a series of TV interviews late on Tuesday, President Obama also said he wanted to avoid including anything that might spark a trade war in a planned economic stimulus package. |
| Mr Obama was responding to EU and Canadian criticism of a "Buy American" clause in the $800bn (£567bn) package, which is being debated in the Senate. | Mr Obama was responding to EU and Canadian criticism of a "Buy American" clause in the $800bn (£567bn) package, which is being debated in the Senate. |
| Mr Obama said he did not want the US "to start sending a message that somehow we're just looking after ourselves and not concerned with world trade". | Mr Obama said he did not want the US "to start sending a message that somehow we're just looking after ourselves and not concerned with world trade". |
| Distraction fears | Distraction fears |
| Mr Daschle, a former senator and an early Obama backer, withdrew his nomination on Tuesday, after it was revealed last week that he had failed to pay some $130,000 in taxes. | Mr Daschle, a former senator and an early Obama backer, withdrew his nomination on Tuesday, after it was revealed last week that he had failed to pay some $130,000 in taxes. |
| President Obama: 'We don't have two sets of rules' | President Obama: 'We don't have two sets of rules' |
| He said he would have not been able to operate "with the full faith of Congress and the American people". | He said he would have not been able to operate "with the full faith of Congress and the American people". |
| He also said he did not want to "be a distraction" from Mr Obama's agenda. | He also said he did not want to "be a distraction" from Mr Obama's agenda. |
| The president said he had accepted his nominee's withdrawal "with sadness and regret". | The president said he had accepted his nominee's withdrawal "with sadness and regret". |
| Mr Daschle's move came only hours after Nancy Killefer, nominated as budget watchdog, also withdrew over tax issues. | Mr Daschle's move came only hours after Nancy Killefer, nominated as budget watchdog, also withdrew over tax issues. |
| Ms Killefer said she did not want a personal tax issue -reportedly concerning household help - to delay Mr Obama's plans. | Ms Killefer said she did not want a personal tax issue -reportedly concerning household help - to delay Mr Obama's plans. |
| Her appointment to the newly-created post of chief performance officer was intended to help cut wasteful government spending. | Her appointment to the newly-created post of chief performance officer was intended to help cut wasteful government spending. |
| 'Setting an example' | 'Setting an example' |
| In a statement, Mr Obama said: "Tom has made a mistake, which he has openly acknowledged. He has not excused it, nor do I." | In a statement, Mr Obama said: "Tom has made a mistake, which he has openly acknowledged. He has not excused it, nor do I." |
| Cabinet nomination crisis The president went on: "Now we must move forward with our plan to lift this economy and put people back to work." | Cabinet nomination crisis The president went on: "Now we must move forward with our plan to lift this economy and put people back to work." |
| But in his TV interviews Mr Obama said he regretted the way he had handled the case. | But in his TV interviews Mr Obama said he regretted the way he had handled the case. |
| "I've got to own up to my mistake which is that ultimately it's important for this administration to send a message that there aren't two sets of rules," he told NBC news. | "I've got to own up to my mistake which is that ultimately it's important for this administration to send a message that there aren't two sets of rules," he told NBC news. |
| "You know, one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks who have to pay their taxes." | "You know, one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks who have to pay their taxes." |
| "I think I screwed up," he told CNN. "And, you know, I take responsibility for it and we're going to make sure we fix it so it doesn't happen again." | "I think I screwed up," he told CNN. "And, you know, I take responsibility for it and we're going to make sure we fix it so it doesn't happen again." |
| Car and driver | Car and driver |
| White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said both nominees had come to the decision to withdraw on their own. | White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said both nominees had come to the decision to withdraw on their own. |
| "They both recognised that you can't set an example of responsibility but accept a different standard of who serves," Mr Gibbs said. | "They both recognised that you can't set an example of responsibility but accept a different standard of who serves," Mr Gibbs said. |
| Daschle had failed to pay $130,000 in taxesMassachusetts Senator John Kerry said Mr Daschle's withdrawal was a great loss to the cause of health care reform. | Daschle had failed to pay $130,000 in taxesMassachusetts Senator John Kerry said Mr Daschle's withdrawal was a great loss to the cause of health care reform. |
| "When the smoke clears and the frenzy has ended, no-one will believe that this unwitting mistake should have erased 30 years of selfless public service and remarkable skill and legislative expertise on health care," he said. | "When the smoke clears and the frenzy has ended, no-one will believe that this unwitting mistake should have erased 30 years of selfless public service and remarkable skill and legislative expertise on health care," he said. |
| Mr Daschle paid about $128,000 in back taxes and $12,000 in interest last month. | Mr Daschle paid about $128,000 in back taxes and $12,000 in interest last month. |
| Appearing before the Senate Finance Committee on Monday, he apologised for what he said had been a mistake. The tax issue stemmed from the use of a car and driver provided to him by a friend and consulting client. | Appearing before the Senate Finance Committee on Monday, he apologised for what he said had been a mistake. The tax issue stemmed from the use of a car and driver provided to him by a friend and consulting client. |
| The BBC's James Coomarasamy in Washington says Mr Obama has been facing growing criticism over the contradiction between his pledge to create a new, ethical administration and the problems of his nominees. | The BBC's James Coomarasamy in Washington says Mr Obama has been facing growing criticism over the contradiction between his pledge to create a new, ethical administration and the problems of his nominees. |
| US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was confirmed last week only after long arguments over his failure to pay $34,000 (£24,500) in taxes he owed until shortly before he was nominated. | US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was confirmed last week only after long arguments over his failure to pay $34,000 (£24,500) in taxes he owed until shortly before he was nominated. |
| In January, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson announced he was withdrawing from consideration as commerce secretary after an investigation was launched into a state contract that had been given to his campaign donors. | In January, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson announced he was withdrawing from consideration as commerce secretary after an investigation was launched into a state contract that had been given to his campaign donors. |
| Republican Senator Judd Gregg was on Tuesday nominated instead, the second from his party to be asked to join Mr Obama's cabinet. | Republican Senator Judd Gregg was on Tuesday nominated instead, the second from his party to be asked to join Mr Obama's cabinet. |