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Official: Sebelius a top candidate for HHS
Jennifer Loven The Associated Press
Issue date: 2/9/09 Section: News
WASHINGTON (AP) - Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is near the top of President Barack Obama's list of candidates to head the Health and Human Services Department at least partially on the strength of her long and close working relationship with the president, a senior administration official said.
Other candidates, including former Clinton White House chief of staff John Podesta, remain in the mix. A decision is not imminent, a senior administration official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss private administration deliberations.
Sebelius, 60, signed on early with the Obama campaign, backing his candidacy over that of Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama's rival for the Democratic nomination and now secretary of state. Sebelius worked tirelessly for Obama's bid and was a top surrogate to women's groups, especially after Republicans picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as their vice presidential nominee.
Advocacy groups like the consumer watchdog role Sebelius played as insurance commissioner for eight years before she became governor.
A Kansas Democrat close to Sebelius said she had not spoken about the post in recent days but appeared to remain a strong contender. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not officially authorized to speak for the governor.
White House spokesman Reid Cherlin said Saturday no decision had been made.
Sebelius would be Obama's second choice for the slot. Former Sen. Tom Daschle had to withdraw his name amid an admission he had not paid all his taxes, including on a car and driver, since leaving Congress as a Democratic leader.
The loss of Daschle has many worried about the fate of any quick action on health care reform, one of Obama's top early priorities and a complex legislative effort that seemed to require the heft of someone like Daschle to push it through. As a result, most believed Obama needed to move quickly to replace Daschle, and yet the White House was so committed to that pick that it had little in the way of a backup list when he dropped out.
Other candidates, including former Clinton White House chief of staff John Podesta, remain in the mix. A decision is not imminent, a senior administration official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss private administration deliberations.
Sebelius, 60, signed on early with the Obama campaign, backing his candidacy over that of Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama's rival for the Democratic nomination and now secretary of state. Sebelius worked tirelessly for Obama's bid and was a top surrogate to women's groups, especially after Republicans picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as their vice presidential nominee.
Advocacy groups like the consumer watchdog role Sebelius played as insurance commissioner for eight years before she became governor.
A Kansas Democrat close to Sebelius said she had not spoken about the post in recent days but appeared to remain a strong contender. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not officially authorized to speak for the governor.
White House spokesman Reid Cherlin said Saturday no decision had been made.
Sebelius would be Obama's second choice for the slot. Former Sen. Tom Daschle had to withdraw his name amid an admission he had not paid all his taxes, including on a car and driver, since leaving Congress as a Democratic leader.
The loss of Daschle has many worried about the fate of any quick action on health care reform, one of Obama's top early priorities and a complex legislative effort that seemed to require the heft of someone like Daschle to push it through. As a result, most believed Obama needed to move quickly to replace Daschle, and yet the White House was so committed to that pick that it had little in the way of a backup list when he dropped out.
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