U.S. President Barack Obama's choice for a key cabinet spot has withdrawn - leaving a major vacancy at the massive Department of Health and Human Services. Tom Daschle bowed out after problems surfaced involving taxes and possible conflicts of interest.
美国总统奥巴马推举出任一个重量级内阁职务的人选退出提名，使庞大的卫生与公共服务部出现重要空缺。汤姆.达施勒是在有关他欠税和可能存在利益冲突等问题浮出水面后退出提名的。
Tom Daschle is the third high-level nominee to withdraw amid controversy - setting back the president's efforts to complete his governing team, and drawing attention away from his ongoing battle to get an economic recovery plan through Congress.
达施勒是在争议中退出提名的第3位高官人选，使奥巴马总统组建政府班子的努力受挫，而且分散了公众对他争取国会通过经济复苏计划行动的关注。
President accepts blame for error
Mr. Obama told CBS television he takes the blame for the bungled Daschle nomination.
奥巴马在哥伦比亚广播公司电视节目中表示，他要对达施勒提名出现问题负责。
"I think I messed up. I screwed up," said President Obama.
奥巴马说：“我想是我把事情弄坏了，我把事情搞糟了。”
He said the former Senate Majority Leader would have brought expertise and experience to health care reform. But he said in the end, revelations that Daschle once owed more than $100,000 in back taxes could not be overlooked.
奥巴马表示，前参议院多数党领袖达施勒是能够以他的专业知识和经验推动医疗改革的，但是对达施勒曾经拖欠10多万美元税款这个问题不能视而不见。
"I don't want my administration to be sending a message to that there are two sets of rules - one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks who have to pay their taxes everyday," said Mr. Obama.
奥巴马说：“我不想让我的政府向人们传递这样一个信息，认为我们有两套规定，一套用于名人，另外一套用于每天都要交税的普通老百姓。”
Daschle withdrawal considered a setback for new administration
Daschle's withdrawal was a setback for a young administration that has been promoting higher standards for government officials, and tougher ethics rules.
达施勒的退出使奥巴马这个上任不久的政府受到打击。奥巴马政府一直推崇对政府官员采取更高的标准和更严格的道德准则。
Compounding the problem for the new president was the fact the Daschle announcement came just three hours after another nominee - this time for a top White House post - also withdrew, and also because of tax problems. Nancy Killefer was in line to become the government's chief performance officer - a watchdog post within the White House budget office.
就在达施勒宣布退出前3个小时，另一位被提名人也因为纳税问题而退出了，这就是被提名担任政府首席绩效官的南希.克勒夫，首席绩效官的职责是监督白宫预算办公室的工作。被提名人的接连退出使新总统面临的问题进一步复杂化了。
Earlier, ethics questions prompted Commerce Secretary Designee Bill Richardson to withdraw. Tax problems plagued Timothy Geitner, the president's choice to head the Treasury Department. He was ultimately confirmed by the Senate, after acknowledging he made a tax mistake while serving abroad.
更早些时候，操守问题迫使被提名出任商务部长的比尔.理查森退出。总统推举的财政部长人选蒂莫西.盖特纳也因为纳税问题而遭到责问。盖特纳承认他在海外工作期间在交税问题上犯了错误。不过，国会参议院最终还是批准了对盖特纳的提名。
Time to get things back on track
The president told NBC news he is frustrated with himself and his team, and it is time to get everything back on track.
奥巴马总统在全国广播公司电视节目上表示，他对他自己和他的班子很不满意，现在是让一切走上正轨的时候了。
"The era of responsibility is not never making mistakes, it is owning up to them and trying to make sure you don't repeat them," said President Obama.
奥巴马说：“责任时代不是从不犯错，而是知错就改，努力确保不再犯同样的错误。”
The White House originally planned to use the series of network interviews on Tuesday to win public support for the economic recovery package making its way through Congress. But the Daschle withdrawal provided a major distraction and dominated the questioning.
白宫原打算利用星期二各主要广播公司的采访争取公众支持总统的经济复苏计划，推动国会批准。但是达施勒的退出极大地转移了人们的注意力，成为记者提问的重点。
The president told ABC television that the focus needs to be on the nation's economic woes, stressing the situation is getting worse.
奥巴马总统在美国广播公司电视节目上说，关注重点应当是国家的经济困难，他强调指出，情况正在恶化。
"We can't afford to play the usual politics at a time when the economy continues to worsen," he said.
他说：“在经济继续恶化的时刻，我们不能承担通常那种政治活动所带来的后果。”
The economic recovery package cleared the House of Representatives on a strict party line vote. It is now before the Senate.
经济复兴计划在国会众议院获得通过，但是没有任何人跨党派投票。现在议案已经提交参议院审议。 |