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The news of Tom Daschle's withdrawal from consideration for the HHS and health-reform-czar is deeply unfortunate. It would be hard to say that the chance of health care reform didn't take a hit.

I am forced to wonder that having scruples in one area can prevent one from actually exercising one's scruples in another area. Let's stipulate that Daschle's non-payment of taxes was deeply irresponsible, unseemly, even inexcusable; and that his work as a "strategic advisor" is only technically different from lobbying. But, let's also say, for the sake of argument, that Daschle was indispensible to universal health care passing. Are Tom Daschle's missed tax payments and corporate-shilling background a reason to sacrifice health care for 47 million Americans? I think few people would say so.