Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination for secretary of health and human services Tuesday.

“That’s a big loss because Obama was depending on him to shepherd his health plans through the legislature,” said Mikel Wyckoff, associate professor of political science. “As a former Senate majority leader, he was an ideal person for the job.”

Daschle is the second person appointed for a cabinet post in the Obama administration to withdraw a nomination due to controversy, as well as the second high-level post appointee to withdraw because of owed taxes.

“This has become a much bigger story than the Obama administration wanted it to be,” said Artemus Ward, associate professor of political science. “He now has three nominees with tax problems, two have withdrawn.”

Matthew Streb, assistant political science professor, said he was somewhat surprised considering Obama expressed his support for Daschle the day before his withdrawal despite his tax problems.

Streb, however, said he can see how allowing Daschle to be a government appointee could be frowned upon.

“I think that President Obama has made governmental ethics a huge part of his administration,” he said. “In the eyes of many, it’d look hypocritical to have a government appointee who did not pay however much of his taxes.”

Some NIU professors were shocked upon hearing the news.

“I wish he hadn’t,” said associate law professor Dan Reynolds. “I’m in utter surprise.”

Reynolds said he did not think the tax controversy was worth him withdrawing.

“It just sounded like an explainable mistake,” he said.

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