MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell says she spoke to Daschle about an hour ago, and that he was understandaby emotional ("as though he were tearful," she said.) Then she said Daschle specifically cited the New York Times--which I take to mean this morning's editorial calling for his nomination to be withdrawn. Surely it wasn't the only factor, but it was probably a non-trivial one. A striking reminder that, given all the shifts in the media landscape, a strong (and surprising) NYT editorial can still have real impact.
--Michael Crowley