Daschle Uses Senate Ties to Blaze Path for ObamaBy CARL HULSE and JEFF ZELENY
Published: February 5, 2008
WASHINGTON — When Senator Edward M. Kennedy was ready to deliver his endorsement of Senator Barack Obama, Mr. Kennedy did not call Obama headquarters. He got in touch with Tom Daschle, the former Senate Democratic leader who had quietly been serving as the liaison between Mr. Obama and fellow senators.
Behind the scenes, Mr. Daschle has played an intriguing role in Mr. Obama’s Senate career and presidential campaign as a confidant and an early supporter who lent authority to Mr. Obama’s ambitions when others doubted the prospects of the young newcomer to Washington.
Now Mr. Daschle, who represented South Dakota in the Senate until his defeat in 2004, is becoming increasingly active on behalf of Mr. Obama, serving as ambassador to big-name backers like Mr. Kennedy, building support among American Indians, pushing back against the Clinton campaign and making personal appearances of his own.
After a stinging defeat at home, Mr. Daschle has discovered the pleasures of campaigning when someone else’s name is on the ballot.
“It is all of the fun and none of the pressure,” said Mr. Daschle, who on Monday was calling through a list of party officials who will serve as convention delegates, wooing them on Mr. Obama’s behalf. “I feel liberated.”
Mr. Daschle’s strong advocacy of Mr. Obama has torn his relationship with the Clintons. Mr. Daschle worked closely with former President Bill Clinton in his White House years — and helped protect him from an impeachment conviction by the Senate. In 2001, Mr. Daschle welcomed Hillary Rodham Clinton to the Senate from New York and used his clout to help her secure committee and party positions she sought.
But his enthusiasm for Mr. Obama has made Mr. Daschle one of the de facto leaders of a bloc of top Democrats trying to steer the party away from another Clinton presidency, earning him the gratitude of Mr. Obama.
“I suspect we would not be in the same place as we are today had it not been for him,” Mr. Obama said in a recent interview. “He brings enormous credibility, enormous knowledge, a huge network, good counsel and good advice.”
The relationship between the two men began in 2004, shortly after Mr. Obama won the Senate Democratic primary in Illinois. Despite being the Democratic leader, Mr. Daschle was locked in a far more difficult campaign than Mr. Obama’s. Through the summer and fall, Mr. Obama made himself available to help Senate Democrats. He did not travel to South Dakota to campaign, but raised money for Mr. Daschle.
After Mr. Daschle’s defeat, Mr. Obama sought his help in hiring some key Daschle staff members, calculating that a seasoned team could help him learn more quickly to navigate Capitol Hill. Pete Rouse, Mr. Daschle’s longtime adviser, became Mr. Obama’s chief of staff, and Mr. Obama has since absorbed several other former Daschle political strategists and communications staff members.
After the 2006 elections, Mr. Obama turned to Mr. Daschle again. At Mr. Rouse’s urging, Mr. Obama confided his interest in a White House run to Mr. Daschle, seeking guidance from someone who had nearly taken the plunge himself. Four years earlier, Mr. Daschle had been on the verge of mounting a presidential bid, but ultimately declined.
The two met for a dinner at the downtown Washington restaurant Tosca, a favorite of Mr. Daschle’s, talking about Mr. Obama’s chances late into the night over Italian food and wine at the restaurant’s chef’s table.
“My message to Barack was, ‘Don’t always think you will have another shot,’ ” said Mr. Daschle, who now provides high-priced policy advice at the firm of Alston & Bird. “You just never know what the future will hold.”
Mr. Obama said Mr. Daschle’s encouragement — and his public endorsement within weeks of Mr. Obama’s announcement in early 2007 — were significant factors in his decision-making.
“He was able to give me a good assessment of my chances,” Mr. Obama said. “The fact that he was willing to sign on at a time when we were still putting it together gave other people confidence that this wasn’t just a flight of fancy.”
There have been suggestions that Mr. Daschle’s advocacy of Mr. Obama is driven by lingering resentment that his cooperation with the Clintons over the years contributed to his own defeat in conservative South Dakota. Mr. Daschle and close associates say that idea is without merit and that Mr. Daschle simply sees Mr. Obama — and his relatively short Washington résumé — as a chance for the party to start anew. Mr. Daschle also dismisses any talk of interest in securing a top spot in any Obama administration.
“I think he and Senator Obama just clicked,” said Ranit Schmelzer, a former Daschle aide.
Mr. Daschle has proved adept at bringing others into the fold. As Mrs. Clinton racked up Senate endorsements last year, Mr. Obama had only the backing of Richard J. Durbin, his home state colleague from Illinois. Mr. Daschle, though, was working to build relationships with his old friends — some of whom still refer to him as leader — and he urged them to watch the results in the Iowa caucuses.
After Mr. Obama’s victory, senators took notice. And despite Mr. Obama’s losing the New Hampshire primary, some of the lawmakers Mr. Daschle had been soft-selling were ready to sign on with Mr. Obama.
“Tom has a lot of credibility up here,” Mr. Kennedy said, referring to the former lawmaker’s standing on Capitol Hill.
Should the primary campaign continue into the summer as a state-by-state fight for delegates, Mr. Obama might find another advantage in his alliance with Mr. Daschle. One of two states holding primaries on the final day, June 3, is South Dakota.
“If we need that last delegate, I think he can make it happen,” Mr. Obama said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/us/politics/05daschle.html?ref=us
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