• Daschle 'deeply embarrassed' about $120,000 tax error

That's the hed/tease for a story on Yahoo (and elsewhere) today.

And I'm very glad to hear ex-Sen. Daschle is 'deeply embarrassed' by his little 'oversight.'

I am, however, made just a LITTLE uneasy that Daschle seems to be able to pay off the WHOLE of his tax bill out of petty cash or pocket change: apparently, he just wrote a check for it.

"Wowee! I owe One Hundred Twenty Thousand DOLLARS? Who gnu? No problem! Will you take a personal check?"

Which should invite (not "beg") the question: Where does a failed legislator from a tiny, insignificant, fly-over state get that kind of casual cash, except from the deep pockets of "friends" in the industries he's supposed to regulate?

Yowsa! Lobbying is GOOD fer ya... Daschle and his wife BOTH benefit from the generosity of 'strangers,' it seems.

So there's a very evident quid. The "pro quo" remains undecided as yet, but it may be inferred from the interests of the industry with most to gain (and lose) if and when Obama & the Dims go ahead with health care 'reform.'