Sebelius a Leading Contender for HHS
EmailA White House official tells ABC News that Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is a leading contender to become President Obama’s nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Sebelius, the former Insurance Commissioner and an early backer of then-Sen. Obama’s presidential campaign, happened to be in Washington, D.C., last week to deliver keynote addresses at the Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference and the National Education Association Women’s Observance.
Both appearances were on her schedule before the president’s previous HHS nominee, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., dropped out due to controversies surrounding more than $100,000 in back taxes he only recently paid.
While in town, Sebelius met with White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett where they discussed the HHS position.
- jpt
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Make sure she paid taxes.
Hopefully, HOPE.
Posted by: phobia | February 8, 2009, 3:34 pm 3:34 pm
I’m sure the GOP gremlins are busy at work, hoping to dig up something potentially damaging or tax related, or at the very least, embarrassing for Sebilius. What pesky and vicious little creatures they are!
Posted by: kathy | February 8, 2009, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
Nope. Howard Dean … you know, the DOCTOR everybody but the elite-right ringers in the “Democratic” leadership loves.
Scrap the “stimulus” and make National Health the vehicle for “rescue”.
And let Obama pay back his blasted supporters — especially the ones who can’t talk turkey to the right — with ambassadorships, cash, or something …
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 8, 2009, 3:59 pm 3:59 pm
Sebelius is terribly boring, but I think as good a choice as any for the job. That will leave Kansas open in 2010, as the Lt Gov says he won’t run, we’ll see.
Posted by: samhiguchi | February 8, 2009, 4:02 pm 4:02 pm
Sebelius is terribly boring
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Shh. If she is, then the GOP could latch onto that for some character assassination.
Posted by: kathy | February 8, 2009, 4:10 pm 4:10 pm
I’m sure the GOP gremlins are busy at work, hoping to dig up something potentially damaging or tax related, or at the very least, embarrassing for Sebilius.
Posted by: kathy | Feb 8, 2009 3:57:29 PM
——
If she was honest, what are you worrying about?
Posted by: phobia | February 8, 2009, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
“Sebelius is terribly boring”
What’s needed is Dean — he’s a doctor, he’s an uber-WASP, AND people love him.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 8, 2009, 4:17 pm 4:17 pm
Sebelius is a good pick. Kathleen took care of her citizens and would not let Anthem and Blue Cross merge. I’m in Virgina where this happened and our Anthem Health Insurance premiums have sky rocketed. Our Gov. Kaine has been MIA since he stated campaigning for Obama. It looks like it paid off for Kaine. He was appointed Head of DNC and we still now have a part time Gov. in Va.
Posted by: mjstr | February 8, 2009, 4:35 pm 4:35 pm
If she was honest, what are you worrying about?
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“Subtlety is lost on those whose perceptions are limited.”
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Posted by: kathy | February 8, 2009, 4:39 pm 4:39 pm
She is smart, a good speaker, and supportable but I would prefer Mr. Dean who recharged a dying party and knows the field from inside.
Posted by: Richard McDonough | February 8, 2009, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
Obama won’t bring Dean onboard while Gibbs is still part of the team. The bad blood between Dean and Gibbs doesn’t permit a working relationship.
Posted by: mad | February 8, 2009, 5:23 pm 5:23 pm
“Obama won’t bring Dean onboard while Gibbs is still part of the team. The bad blood between Dean and Gibbs doesn’t permit a working relationship.”
Well, Gibbs would be NOT much of a loss. Every time he opens his mouth, he makes the “Obama” organization look secretive, spiteful, and certainly not either embodying or heading for “hope”, “change”, or answered questions. “I’ll get back to you” and “I don’t want to get ahead of … ” can’t be that difficult to repeat over and over — unlike Dr. Dean, Gibbs is infinitely replaceable. Certainly Scott McClellan, in a show of “bipartisanship” and inclusiveness, could handle it — or, if a female’s required, Dana Perino (or Sebelius :^).
Dr. Dean’s “success” at National Health — the Obamas seem to be fond of the word “success”, when what they actually mean seems to be “rich” — would reflect some good juju on Obama, who surely needs some.
Dean is one brave man, and everybody knows it … remember his stand against the FCC, way back when? That John Kerry and CNN sabbed Dean was as important an American political event as the assassination of JFK (or, uh, of Lincoln). It WAS sort of a “soft” assassination, but … Dr. Dean didn’t die.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 8, 2009, 6:06 pm 6:06 pm
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is a terrible choice for HHS. She’s simply not qualified for the position. Sebelius has no Wash D.C. experience, none with Congress which is vital to this position. Sebelius has been a Gov. without distinction. Her father, John Gilligan, was Gov. of Ohio in the early 70′s and holds the reputation as the worst Gov. of Ohio in modern history. He was a one termer. Sebelius has a boring, mind numbing style of speaking. There are much better choices than this one, it’s should be irrelevant that she endorsed Obama.
Posted by: K | February 8, 2009, 6:10 pm 6:10 pm
I agree that Obama could easily do without Gibbs. He’s doing a terrible job as WH Press Secretary. In fact, most of Obama’s choices are lackluster except for the brilliant Hillary Clinton who should be President. Missed opportunities indeed. Obama is simply not ready for prime time. We told you so.
Posted by: K | February 8, 2009, 6:12 pm 6:12 pm
Gibbs, continued …
… of course Gibbs — like, apparently, the Clintons — probably has plenty on Obama, after their being together for so long.
Which COULD be a reason TO get rid of him, since Obama’s gotten as far as He’s ever GOING to get, unless He’s hoping to be acclaimed Planetary Proconsul.
In other words, He needs Dean waaaay more than He needs Gibbs.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 8, 2009, 6:13 pm 6:13 pm
It should be Howard Dean. Oblabla owes Dean a lot. I thought the bad blood was between Dean and Emanuel. When Dean started his 50 State plan, Emanuel was a big opponent, thought it was a waste of money. Well, who was right? Dean. Obama used his plan to get himself elected. Now who is Chief of Staff and who got thrown under the bus?
Posted by: Keith | February 8, 2009, 7:11 pm 7:11 pm
“What pesky and vicious little creatures they are!” Could Reps EVER be as vicious as the rumor blogs and media “investigation” of Sarah Palin?
Posted by: dave | February 8, 2009, 9:10 pm 9:10 pm
I’m all for Obama picking Sebelius. Anything to get her out of Kansas… People always go on about how she must be super popular here because she got elected in such a heavily-leaning GOP state, but what they don’t realize is that she only got elected because the alternative choice was absolutely terrible and incompetent. Any semi-competent Republican in Kansas will win every time. She just got lucky and Kansas has been paying since.
Posted by: blueowl | February 8, 2009, 10:48 pm 10:48 pm
Keith, the issues between Dean and Emanuel are professional disagreements.
Dean sees Gibbs as someone who savaged him in a more personal way in a campaign ad.
Posted by: mad | February 8, 2009, 11:54 pm 11:54 pm
I hope that President Obama doesn’t pick a politician for Secretary of Health. We need somebody who really knows about healthcare and doesn’t have a political axe to grind. Somebody with a fresh perspective to wade through the maze of our broken health care system.
Posted by: 1495Findlay | February 10, 2009, 12:35 am 12:35 am