He's only human, born to make mistakes

I'm not happy to see the Obama administration hiccupping its way through key appointments, with both HHS nominee Tom Daschle and chief performance officer Nancy Killefer having to withdraw their names because of furor over unpaid taxes, but I have to admit that it's refreshing to see a president who can admit mistakes.

"Did I screw up in this situation? Absolutely. I'm willing to take my lumps," Obama told NBC's Brian Williams, one of five interviews he gave yesterday afternoon. Obama told the network anchors that there are "not two sets of rules" for people, and said that average taxpayers deserve to have public officials who pay their taxes on time.

[...]

Clay Johnson III, who ran President George W. Bush's transition team and later served in the White House as presidential personnel director, said he is surprised to see three of Obama's nominees weighed down by tax troubles considering that paying -- or not paying -- taxes has long been the top concern for vetters.

"It's huge," Johnson said. "Do you pay your taxes? . . . It is something that is checked religiously."

Well, yes, the tax issue is critical. It goes directly to trust in our elected and appointed officials, and irregularities impugn the credibility of those found in arrears. However, setting aside the rampant corruption of the Bush crime syndicate, I honestly can't recall a single instance of Drunky McStagger ever admitting that he was wrong, at least not immediately, directly, and sincerely. Can you?

Yeah, he should have done a better job of oversight, but gee, our president is human. Imagine that.