President Barack Obama will need a new leader in the fight to reform health care in America.

Former Sen. Tom Daschle has withdrawn his nomination as the country’s next secretary of health and human services, one of the first posts picked by the Obama Administration.

According to reports, Daschle cited the recent revelation that he failed to fully pay back taxes in recent years – something he apologized for – as part of the reason he asked the president to withdraw his nomination.

Obama, in a statement, said he accepted the former South Dakota senator’s decision “with sadness and regret.”
Now the president must find another person who can work with both sides of the aisle – a trait repeatedly linked to Daschle – to work with legislators on health care reform, something Obama has preached since first announcing his candidacy for the job he now holds.

With health plans from Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) ready for deliberation and others expected from Republicans, Obama will need not only a new referee to work toward compromise, but also a quarterback to lead the effort if it is to come to fruition any time soon.