I'm noticing a trend with these Cabinet appointments.

Speaking of tax cheats in high levels of government, Tom "Thumb" Daschle withdrew himself yesterday from his nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services. You remember Tom Daschle, right? The guy who led filibusters on many of Bush's federal judicial nominees, then lost reelection to a conservative Republican while he was the sitting Senate minority leader? Yeah, that guy. He owed well over $100,000 in taxes on a chauffeured limousine (stereotype alert!), and that issue came to light after Obama selected him. First, hats off to the Obama transition team for screening Daschle properly before throwing a Cabinet position at him. And second, more hats off to Daschle for agreeing to take the position, knowing he owed tons of money in taxes, and I guess just hoping that it wouldn't come to light before he was confirmed by the Senate.

At least he had the decency to resign, or at least go quietly if he was forced to resign. But you'd think a person who wants to run the Treasury Department should be the first Cabinet nominee to resign for not paying taxes. And yes, I realize this is old news by now. But I didn't win three* Peabody Awards for nothing. I don't know why you go to CNN when you could just come here for your news.

* Zero