The Health Care Mess

Former senator Tom Daschle tries to stay in the public eye with his White House and health insurance industry ties.

By the way, just who are the uninsured?

Miscellaneous News

Clear Lake, Iowa, commemorated 50 years since the fatal plane crash which killed Buddy Holly, J.P. Richardson, and Richie Valens.
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Tom Daschle doesn't want to be a distraction anymore and has withdrawn his nomination for HHS secretary.
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A vegetarian decides to give it up and eat meat again.

Of course this is heresy among the nutty animal rights people.
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Local Campaign Notes

Several luminaries will be campaigning for Obama this week.

I missed Governor Janet Napolitano; I didn't even know she was in town. I will have to take a pass on Tom Daschle, although I have met him before. Depending on where John Tester is, I may go and see him.

It's a bummer when one does not have a car.

Campaign Notes.

Why am I not surprised a Republican "expert" like Erik Herzik would chastise Democratic candidates for not showing up at last night's fundraising dinner?

This is another excuse at digging at Democrats like Harry Reid trying to push for the earlier caucuses.

In case Herzik hasn't noticed, the Republicans moved their caucuses up, and there have been far fewer candidates bothering to show up in Nevada than the Democratic candidates.

So far, all of the six major Democratic candidates and most of their spouses have appeared here in Reno, many several times.

Elizabeth Edwards, as mentioned below, will make another appearance in Reno Sunday. She was last here in July for the opening of the Reno Edwards headquarters.

As soon as I got home this evening, I went down to the Obama Reno headquarters to listen to prominent supporter Tom Daschle, former senator and U.S. Senate leader from South Dakota, speak of why people should vote for him for president. Obama, that is, not Daschle.

I always pegged Daschle as being tall and lanky, but he is actually of only average height, about 5'8". In addition to talking about how Obama is inspiring much in the way JFK was when he was younger, Daschle said he has a new book coming out about health care, which he said is a mess.

Daschle, who had a lot to deal with during his tenure in the Senate, was unfairly maligned by the so-called "progressive left," who trashed him as a "pink tutu" Democrat. When people resort to that kind of shit, they reveal their ignorance about the political process. When you don't have the numbers, there's not a lot you can do. It's mostly reactive. One should also remember many Democrats, like Daschle and current Majority Leader Harry Reid, are from red states, and they can't take chances like Barbara Boxer or Dennis Kucinich can.

Daschle was scheduled to speak tonight, along with former ambassador Joseph Wilson, at the Grand Sierra Resort. This was for the annual Virginia Demmler Memorial Dinner, held every year at this time. I was going to go, but I changed my mind. I didn't get to see Wilson, who was there on behalf of Hillary Clinton.

I had my camera with me, and I snapped close to 20 pictures of the former senator. I shook hands with him after his speech, complimenting him on his remarks.

More is here.