I was just at a panel discussion featuring Tom Daschle, among other Obamaland celebrities. One of the first questions was what an Obama administration would do during its first 100 days. En route to answering it, DLC president Bruce Reed half-jokingly suggested Obama would huddle with his chief of staff, Tom Daschle, and his domestic policy adviser, Heather Higginbottom (the Obama policy director, also on the panel). Daschle, who is about as modest and unassuming as anyone in public life, didn't so much as flinch, much less protest.
I know the CW is that Daschle would be a leading candidate for Obama chief of staff. But today it almost felt like a foregone conclusion. As obvious as making Higginbottom domestic policy adviser (which is pretty obvious, since it's generally the job the campaign policy director fills).
--Noam Scheiber