HHS Rumors Focus on Bredesen, DeLauro, Sebelius

by: Chris Bowers

Mon Feb 09, 2009 at 15:00


Current rumors on President Obama's candidate to head the department of Health and Human Services seem to be focusing on three candidates: Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, Connecticut Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, and Kansas Govenror Kathleen Sebelius.
  1. Rosa DeLauro is quickly becoming a favorite candidate of progressive health care reform advocates. She is the second-highest ranking woman in the House of Representatives, is extremely close to the issue, is a member of the Progressive Caucus, and Rahm Emanuel actually lives in her basement. Two sources claim that she is under consideration by the White House.

  2. Kathleen Sebelius has emerged as a top contender, according to a "senior administration official" in what was undoubtedly a trial balloon style leak. She wouldn't be bad, as she has experience as insurance commissioner in Kansas. However, in moving to HHS, she would take away our only real shot at winning a Senate seat in 2010. Also, this might actually be an issue where major connections inside Congress are required, and Sebelius lacks that compared to DeLauro. She is probably less progressive than DeLauro, too.

  3. While there haven't been any news reports on it that I can find, rumors are that Phil Bredesen visited the White House last week about the position. Even without confirmation of his visit, it is well known that Bredesen is under consideration. As a health care cutting Governor in bed with the insurance industry, Bredesen would simply be a terrible, awful choice for HHS. Rumors of his consideration have sparked a backlash from health care advocates, something that cannot be said about either Sebelius or DeLauro.
Lots of other names have been floated, including an active campaign to support Howard Dean for HHS, but these are the only three names I have seen associated with direct White House consideration.

If anyone else can find news stories linking any other names with actual White House consideration, rather than random speculation or advocacy group support, please list them in the comments.

Update: Oregon Senator Ron Wyden might also be in the mix. However, the main news story that started such speculation doesn't seem to connect him to actual consideration, just "one of several prominently mentioned in Washington, D.C., health-policy circles and in news stories and blogs." Also, the speculation has not been followed up with an recent buzz.

Wyden could be a decent pick, but he is so tied to specific health care legislation--The Healthy America Act--that I'm not sure he really works for the Obama administration.  
Chris Bowers :: HHS Rumors Focus on Bredesen, DeLauro, Sebelius

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HHS Rumors Focus on Bredesen, DeLauro, Sebelius | 14 comments
Can you link to some advocacy? (0.00 / 0)
Particularly on DeLauro--who's coming out in support of her?
People I know (0.00 / 0)
Just some people I know working on the issue.
[ Parent ]
john podesta? (0.00 / 0)
I heard he didn't want it at first; might he reconsider now?
Wyden... (4.00 / 3)
Hasn't Ron Wyden also been among the rumors? He's very progressive, which is good, but that's why I think he needs to stay in the Senate.

DeLauro would be just perfect for the spot; Sebelius needs to run for Senate.

Conduct your own interview of Sarah Palin!

"our only real shot at winning a Senate seat"... in Kansas I hope (0.00 / 0)
Otherwise that's a bit negative.

New Jersey politics at Blue Jersey.
DeLauro would be great at HHS (4.00 / 1)
I read a little about her after seeing this post, and I quickly determined that I like DeLauro better than any other candidate who's name has been raised for HHS. She seems like a well-spoken, hard working, solid progressive who not afraid to engage with the right.
sounds like someone obama wouldn't pick (0.00 / 0)
no bipartisan connections?
[ Parent ]
Gov. Dean and HHS (4.00 / 4)
Obviously, I'm a bit biased on the matter as one of the organizers of this grassroots campaign for Dean for HHS but I wanted to mention that besides there being an active campaign for Gov. Dean, he's also the only candidate with public endorsements from a number of lawmakers including Sen. Harkin, Sen. Sanders, Rep. Grayson, Rep. Grijalva, and Rep. Welch. So, he's worth throwing in the mix...

The Hill: http://thehill.com/leading-the...

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/group....

Campaign Site: http://www.DeanForHHS.com

I find DeLauro interesting (4.00 / 1)
DeLauro (who by the way is married to pollster Stan Greenberg) was supposedly on the list for Labor.  

What I find interesting is that she fits the profile of the kind of progressive that I think Obama would promote to key positions. One thing is that she endorsed Obama before it was a given (early February).  (By the way, I think that part of the problems with the New York Senate appointment was that Obama probably wanted someone who had endorsed him, but the entire New York delegation had endorsed one of their own.)

Another thing is that she is old enough that moving over to a Cabinet department could be her last job.  One possible reason that there have been a disappointing number of progressives is that most of the progressives who fit the experience profile of what Obama seems to be looking for would be Democrats who are loath to lose positions of seniority in the House.  DeLauro seems old enough and far enough away from chairing a committee that someone like her might find a Cabinet post more appealing.  I wouldn't be at all shocked if some progressive House members turned down Cabinet posts, resulting in less progressive second choices getting the nod.



Things You Don't Talk About in Polite Company: Religion, Politics, the Occasional Intersection of Both

Only one R in Bredesen. (0.00 / 0)
< insert punchline here >  
"undoubtably a trial balloon leak" (0.00 / 0)
In the spirit of pursuit of knowledge - how can you identify an "undoubtable trial balloon leak"?

I blog on InnermostParts.org
DeLauro would be the ideal candidate (0.00 / 0)
of the ones remaining. Bredersen would obviously be a disaster.

I'd like to get a little bit more confirmation that DeLauro is being considered though.

John McCain: Beacuse lobbyists should have more power

Does it help (0.00 / 0)
If you know that DeLauro was under sufficient serious consideration by Obama for Labor that she met with him in Chicago for almost an hour?

It feels like the job could be hers if she were willing to lobby for it but I'm not convinced that she wants the job though. She might even turn it down if told explicitly that Bredesen is next in line if she declines.  

Things You Don't Talk About in Polite Company: Religion, Politics, the Occasional Intersection of Both

[ Parent ]
deLauro (0.00 / 0)
I like her quite a lot. I moved to New Haven nearly two years ago and I've seen her do a lot in terms of fund raising for senior health-care. She's very vested in this community and in bettering the lives of people.
HHS Rumors Focus on Bredesen, DeLauro, Sebelius | 14 comments
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