Go Tom!

My good friend Tom may have neglected to tell my staff during their vetting process to nominate him as secretary of Health and Human Services that he neglected to pay $128,000 in taxes. FYI - the back taxes included those on a luxury car and driver provided by Democratic businessman and Silicon Valley favorite Leo Hindery Jr.

Let me make this perfectly clear: I, President Obama, ABSOLUTELY back Tom Daschle. Look, he wrote this very sincere letter saying: "I am deeply embarrassed and disappointed by the errors that required me to amend my tax returns.... I apologize for the errors and profoundly regret that you have had to devote time to them." Now, as far as I'm concerned, we all make mistakes. Just because Tom failed to pay some taxes does not erase the years of good honest service he provided to the United States.

If I can't appoint anyone who's ever made a mistake in his or her life, then I'm not going to have anyone taking these jobs and I'll get stuck doing all the work myself.

I firmly believe that Sen. Daschle is the right person for the very important job of ensuring that we cut costs, reform our health care system, and finally give the American people in health care the outcomes they deserve.