One of the people taking a seat at the health care negotiating table is Tom Daschle.

The former Senate Democratic leader's nomination as health and human services secretary was derailed over a back taxes flap earlier this year. But that's not stopping Daschle from playing a significant role in Capitol Hill health care talks.

The close ally of President Barack Obama was in a strategy meeting earlier this week with top Senate and White House officials, including the actual HHS secretary, Kathleen Sebelius.

Daschle works for a prominent lobbying firm, and the Obama administration has vowed to keep lobbyists at arm's length. But White House spokesman Reid Cherlin says Daschle is one of the country's foremost advocates for health reform.

Daschle represented South Dakota from 1987-2005 before losing his seat to Republican John Thune. North Dakota Sen. Kent Conrad says Daschle has "enormous" credibility and that there are very few people who know the health care issue as well as he does.