Tom Daschle Still Advises on Health Care

Former Senator Tom Daschle was President Obama's first choice for Secretary of Health and Human Services and to head up the health care reform initiative, but he ran into problems with taxes and perks. Evidently, he's hardly disappeared from the scene, according to the New York Times:

"With unrivaled ties on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, he talks constantly with top White House advisers, many of whom previously worked for him. He still speaks frequently to the president, who met with him as recently as Friday morning in the Oval Office. And he remains a highly paid policy adviser to hospital, drug, pharmaceutical and other health care industry clients of Alston & Bird, the law and lobbying firm."

Daschle promoted the idea of health care co-ops, which is becoming increasingly popular in the Senate as an alternative to a government-run public option. Daschle's ties to the health industry have also brought some criticism. Read more here.