Former Senator Tom Daschle has withdrawn his name from nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Tom Daschle has withdrawn his nomination to be Health and Human Services secretary. That’s according to a joint White House statement from President Barack Obama and his former nominee.

Obama said Tuesday he accepted the withdrawal “with sadness and regret.”

The inevitable question: Who will replace Daschle? Will Obama go totally outside of Washington to a policy wonk, perhaps at a university? Or will he stick with an inside-the-beltway choice who can schmooze members of Congress and others?

It appears to have been the Times‘ call for withdrawal that sunk the nomination. If you’re a sitting liberal Democratic president and you’ve lost the Times, what do you really have left?

By the way, this is the second Obama nominee to withdraw due to tax issues today. I couldn’t post earlier, but Nancy Killefer withdrew her nomination earlier as chief performance officer. Yeah, another nominee with tax problems. What is that now, three?