Secretary-designate for Health and Human Services Tom Daschle speaks to the media after meeting with Senate Finance Committee about his pending nomination on Capitol Hill in Washington February 2, 2009. Daschle, President Barack Obama's choice to lead reforms of the costly U.S. healthcare system, said on Monday he was deeply embarrassed about having to pay some $140,000 in back taxes, a lapse that raised questions about his nomination. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts (UNITED STATES)