WASHINGTON, Feb 4: President Barack Obama sought to recover on Wednesday from his toughest day yet in office after admitting he “screwed up” in a storm over taxes that forced his pick to lead health reform to withdraw.

Mr Obama’s carefully staged push for support of his massive economic stimulus plan was overshadowed as both health czar nominee Tom Daschle and another nominee Nancy Killefer — tapped to be government budget watchdog — withdrew because of tax issues.

In a flurry of television interviews Mr Obama had hoped to pile pressure on lawmakers debating the near $900 billion package in the Senate, but was forced to face down the ethics questions instead.

“I don’t want to send a message to the American people that there are two sets of standards, one for powerful people, and one for ordinary folks who are working every day and paying their taxes,” Mr Obama said in an interview with CNN.

“I think this was a mistake. I think I screwed up.”

Mr Daschle’s demise came hours after Mr Obama’s nominee for White House budget chief Killefer withdrew her nomination, reportedly over her failure to pay past unemployment taxes for household help.—Agencies

Opinion

Editorial

Economic plan?
Updated 15 Dec, 2024

Economic plan?

So long as the government does not realise that it needs to put its own house in order, growth will remain anaemic and the world will be reluctant to help.
Registration tussle
15 Dec, 2024

Registration tussle

MAULANA Fazlur Rehman appears to be having trouble digesting the fact that he was taken for a ride. The government,...
Dangerous overreach
15 Dec, 2024

Dangerous overreach

THE latest wave of arrests and cases filed against journalists and social media users under Peca marks an alarming...
Half measures
Updated 14 Dec, 2024

Half measures

The question remains: Were suspects' prolonged detention, subsequent trial, and punishments ever legal in eyes of the law?
Engaging with Kabul
14 Dec, 2024

Engaging with Kabul

WHILE relations with the Afghan Taliban have been testy of late, mainly because of the feeling in Islamabad that the...
Truant ministers
Updated 14 Dec, 2024

Truant ministers

LAWMAKERS from both the opposition and treasury benches have been up in arms about what they see as cabinet...