The Tom Daschle saga is over. He withdrew his name from the nomination for Secretary of Health. He did the right thing to quit. Mr. Timothy Geitner was the first to humiliate the new President. The government couldn’t afford another bad apple in the team.

By quitting, Tom Daschle saved himself from the humiliating grilling from the Senate and in the sight of the American people. And, honestly, there are no excuses for his actions. Many people thought that despite his tax problems, Tom Daschle would be confirmed. But nothing would prevent Tom Daschle or Timothy Geitner from repeating the same thing. As the Bakuni of Congo say, “The snake that sheds its skin stays a snake.”