In 2005, the District of Columbia filed a $946.69 tax lien on Killefer's $1.7 million home in the affluent Wesley Heights neighborhood of Northwest Washington "for failure to pay the unemployment compensation tax."

Nine hundred bucks. Killefer probably spent more than that at Bloomies after McKinsey bonus day.

Nevertheless, in short order Ms. Killefer withdrew from consideration as the Performance Babe joining the ranks of those other WOMEN who had to withdraw because of tax problems: Zoe Baird, Kimba Wood (Clinton picks for AG) and Linda Chavez (Bush 43 pick for Labor).

This is the rule in Washington: If you are a woman and haven't paid an amount of taxes which doesn't even include a comma, you are T.O.A.S.T.

If you are, however, the President of the New York Fed and couldn't sort out $25,000 worth of tax liabilities, well - that's just guy stuff. Boys will be boys and all that and you can still be confirmed as Secretary of the Treasury.

If you are a former Democratic Senate Leader and you owed more than $128,000 in back taxes, that's something of an issue, but certainly not, by itself, a disqualification.

There was no way, on the same day that a WOMAN named Nancy had to leave because of a $900 miss, that a MAN named Tom could be allowed to continue after screwing up his taxes by an amount which includes the words "one hundred" and "thousand."

The highly touted Obama Transition Team which caused the Washingon Press Corps to swoon over the quality of its picks now reads: Three gone (if you include Bill Richardson); one damaged (Timothy Geithner) and who-knows-what is yet to come.

I think Daschle would have made it, had it not been for a woman.