So instead I'll just say that the Obama administration had better get its freaking act together and start vetting their nominees better. I mean, so much for No Drama Obama. All these tax problems are knocking the administration off message, and the Republicans are eating it up. This is not the change we voted for. In fact, it's not change at all. It's exactly two weeks into this administration and they're already issuing denials from the press podium. Give me a break.

Now personally, I don't think any of these things should disqualify the nominees. A $600 tax lien on the woman who was nominated for White House Performance Officer? Big deal. It has nothing to do with how she would do her job. A forgivable error on Daschle's reported income? Big deal. (His ties to medical industry were actually more worrying). These things don't matter in and of themselves. But the problem is that they paint a picture that reinforces the very cynical view most Americans have of government that Obama worked so hard to overcome during his campaign. He of all people should know that the big picture matters--that the general impression of a situation is just as important as the details.

The Republicans are already going after him with swift force. If he wastes his political capital on simply getting his administration confirmed he's not going to have enough left to actually get legislation passed that matters to those of us who voted for him. They need to take a deep breath and start getting everything right for the next couple of months. There just isn't time for these distractions.