I'm sure there's an obvious reason (perhaps mentioned elsewhere) that I'm missing, but what about Dean? Too pugnacious?

Urrrrr.... durrrr.... the perils of reading posts reverse-chronologically.

Just does not get along with 1) the Obama team for sure 2) and Congressional leaders (presumably at least) 3) Would be a perfect foil for Republicans trying to defeat the legislation

would wyden work if he brought to the table ideas for compromise between obama's plan and his crafted legislation? (a girl can dream, right?)

Judy Feder should definitely be added to this list. She is incredibly knowledgeable about health care systems, public programs, and health care reform. She's committed to reasonable approaches to comprehensive reform and is politically astute. She'd be great.

I want Dean.

Bingaman?

Bill Bradley.
http://www.ontheissues.org/celeb/Bill_Bradley_Health_Care.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views/022400-108.htm

He can easily move a bit to the right to embrace the nuances of Obama's approach, and even strengthen them. He's got national clout, is a top-tier wonk, and is still well-regarded (at least publicly) by his former colleagues.

And he's got a better jump shot than Obama.

Mitch McConnell to HHS. He couldn't block any legisation there, helps Dems reach 60 Senator holy grail.

Jay Rockefeller?

Dude?

My, the list is much better than a few minutes ago. I couldn't see Podesta and Sibelius in the same tier. In fact I don't see anybody in the same tier with Podesta either. Perhaps they could cut a one year deal behind the scenes, get through some stuff, and groom a replacement.

It's a shame it took so long for Daschle to go.

Rendell would mean a R Gov in Penn. So no way.

Please don't take our senior senator away. Oregon hearts Ron Wyden.

Agree with the cons regarding Kitzhaber - and am pretty sure he'd never take the job anyway (he's got a reputation as a DC hater).

Definitely thinking that HHS and health care reform czar should probably be separate at this point. Get a good administrator to run HHS and someone who is very talented politically to maneuver health reform through Congress with the public option intact (that's that standard I'll be judging health reform on, anyhow).

Wouldn't it be great if he picked Pete Stark? Sure, Stark disagrees with Obama on how to restructure health insurance, but judging from the Gregg appointment agreeing with the President's policies isn't a requirement for getting a Cabinet position.

Max Baucus?

Here's a REAL wildcard: Bill Clinton. He obviously knows the issue, or could learn the intricate nuances very quickly. He knows Washington, and obviously brings an inherent gravitas to the position, and the drive for the ultimate objective. He knows what NOT to do. And, he's really not doing anything that he can't not do right now, plus he can engage his political thirst again. The only problem is that he IS Bill Clinton, and unfortunately, that may be a VERY big problem.

Ezra, don't toy with my heart floating Podesta's name like that.

Zeke Emmanual?

Politico is saying that Phil Bredesen and Jim Cooper are in the mix.

Please, god, no.

You can't take Rockefeller out of West Virginia right now -- the political vacuum there is sharp enough, with Byrd's health issues.

The problem here actually underlines the problems with Daschle: this is not an especially inspiring set of choices, and it seems to me to be thinking to hard about "grand plan" and less about "what's needed, just now" - HHS is the shepherd of TANF (formerly AFDC), and it's the "Human services" component, it seems to me, that we need to address, strongly, at a moment of rising poverty and desperation surely taking hold. As well, the real challenges of health care - as aopposed to health care reform - is making sure the poorest and neediest can have access to care; that's an intersection of poverty and health issues that should be central to HHS; I don't get the feel for that thinking in these nominee suggestions.

The point I'm making is that the "Daschle problem" was more than taxes - it was the scrutiny that only increased as the enormity of his role was being discussed and examined. And solving for a new solution that's just like Daschle only makes what's not being looked at more stark. We need more at HHS than a guy spending all his time on Health Care Reform. And I hope the Obama people see that.

"...Phil Bredesen..."

Fuck no.

Judy Feder.

Why is there so much push back against Dean? Why no mention here?

What are the rest of us who think he would be a good choice for either of the two positions Daschle was up for, missing?

But first, why not even a peep here in this post and progressive site?

When Ezra says "I'm hearing", whatever follows is wrong.

Great point, weboy. That never made any sense to me. Its a huge job over at HHS all on its own. And a huge job to get health care for the rest of the country. While those two people need to work closely together they can't be the same person, unless all the real work at HHS is being done by the "asst" or the "secretary" to the top person.

aimai

I recommend Ira Magaziner. I recall back in the campaign people thought Hillary Clinton was just the person to lead on health care reform because of all the hard lessons she learned from 1994. Having been through the fire, surely she would know how to do it right this time.

Well, if we can't have Hillary, then I'd say Ira Magaziner is the closest thing to Hillary.

Things Dean is good at:
Chairing the DNC
Running an anti-establishment campaign
Being Governor of Vermont
Healing sick people

The job:
Run HHS
Sell health care reform to Senators (optional)

I don't have anything against Dean -- I think he was a good DNC chair. But I don't see that his skill set is the right one, even though the doctor thing is nice, PRwise.

There's only one rational conclusion to draw based on your analysis; Obama needs to look way outside the box and find someone young, energetic, and deeply devoted to the issue. Maybe a blogger of some kind...

hmmm, well at least Sam Stein and former Gov. Codey got my vibe:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/03/daschle-replacement-buzz_n_163667.html

Al Capone. He meets the job requirements, he can do the job right where is, and he wouldn't need to be paid.

Kerry? Utterly ridiculous. He's got the job of a lifetime at Foreign Relations.

Any sources of yours who suggest Kerry should be ignored from here on out.

Podesta as OHR (just try turning the President down) and Sebelius to HHS (also knows the state side of Medicaid)

Bredesen would be a corporatist disaster. Might as well appoint Bill Frist.

I'm not sure Dean is the one, Neil, but don't you think there's some overlap between the skill sets for being a governor and running HHS? If not, what sort of experience is acceptable? Are only people who've previously been cabinet secretaries eligible? Only people who've been assistant secretaries of HHS?

Dean doesn't even make the list, huh? That makes me sad. A doctor who is also a proven political administrator.

How about Howard Dean. WTF an actual physician maybe!!

I know that is hard to comprehend.

I am puzzled by the argument against Howard Dean that some are making, that he allegedly does not get along with Obama or some of Obama's team. Isn't this the guy who's pushed the "Team of Rivals" concept? Didn't he say he wanted disagreement, so he got all views? Why should we have a cabinet consisting just of Clinton retreads and Republicans (and one true progressive whose nomination to DoL is still being held up)?

If the issue is worry about getting a program through Congress, remember that unlike all the names Ezra floats, only Dean actually got a health care reform program enacted (though at the state level).

Rendell can't leave Pennsylvania. Last month, Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll died of cancer. Under the Pennsylvania Constitution, the President Pro Temp (Majority Leader) of the State Senate is both Lt. Gov. (which comes with executive and judicial responsibilities) and a member of the Senate at the moment. His name is Joe Scarnati, and he is a very conservative Republican who Rendell would not want to elevate to the Governorship.

Then there's another matter which would make it so Rendell (unfairly) couldn't get past the vetting. Former State Senator Vincet Fumo is going through a corruption trial--Rendell has been subpoenaed to testify for the Defense.

Podesta is the logical choice, but he probably won't take the job. How about former FDA chief David Kessler? He's smart enough and enjoys bipartisan respect.

Joe Califano.

Lots of good names but little sense from commenters of what these jobs entail. Daschle was somewhat unique in that he might have been able to do both HHS and health reform,but few others have those skills. Head of HHS is essentially a management job with leadership when there are big problems to solve. Health reform requires deep knowledge of the legislative process (which IRA Magaziner did NOT have)and good relationships with the Senate. It's the Senate, Senate,Senate where health reform will live or die. Now imagine some of the names mentioned above in relation to the Senate. That pretty much eliminates quite a lot of them. And by the way, Kitzhaber is not adored by people who know him or worked for him in Oregon. Gotta check those references!

Why not go for broke-
John Dingell He is 82 & just lost his chairmanship of Energy & Commerce. Give the man once last chance to fulfill the father & son's 60 year crusade for a national health program .

Unfortunately, Pat Moynihan is unavailable.

That makes sense, KCinDC, but it doesn't distinguish him very far from a lot of other people who have been governors or former cabinet members, or who have held some big position of administrative responsibility.

I'm not saying he couldn't do the job, I'm just saying that

I forgot about that statewide health care thing in Vermont, though. I have no idea what the details of that were.

I'm very disappointed to see Daschle withdraw. I thought he was the best Cabinet choice Obama made.

Finding a replacement for Daschle seems near-impossible because he was the perfect combination of policy wonk and dealmaker. I was thrilled about his nomination because I took it as a sign that Obama was firmly committed to getting a major health care bill passed. Daschle's main advantage was not his policy expertise (solid, but not unique) but his ability to get the bill through the Senate. And how do you replace his knowledge of the Senate?

My thoughts on possible replacements:

John Kitzhaber: as a native Oregonian, I love Kitzhaber. I think he's a great guy and would have been a great governor, had he not had the misfortune to govern with a Republican legislature (he earned the nickname Dr. No for his many vetoes). He's totally committed to universal health care. He knows the intricacies of health policy. And he's a genuinely down-to-earth, straight-talking, ordinary guy with an earnest desire to help people. But Kitzhaber isn't right to replace Daschle. He's the guy who'll help you design a great health care bill; he's not the guy to get the bill through the Senate. (I wanted Kitzhaber to be chosen for Interior.)

Podesta, Sebelius and Bill Bradley all sound like strong choices to me.

My suggestion: Pete Rouse. He's the closest thing to a clone of Tom Daschle.

Ezra, who are your progressive dream candidates? Who would you love to see at HHS and OHR? And do you think it should be the same person?

People touting Rendell might want to try talking to people from PA, who actually know him. He's a crook. He's never been caught at anything big (yet) because he's smooth, but putting him in front of the scrutiny that the confirmation process would entail is a very bad risk.

The case against Dean always seems to boil down to "Rahm doesn't like him". Which is a terrible reason to rule him out.

I'm now hearing some buzz about Rosa DeLauro -- in particular, TPM thinks Max Baucus might have her in mind.

This doesn't immediately strike me as a bad idea. What say you?

Agree about splitting the two positions.

Is there any high-profile name from the foundation community? Drew Altman or Karen Davis?

Reed Tuckson for HHS?

Bill Frist.

Not lefty enough for you? Well, there's George Clooney, he played a doctor on TV.

Dick Gephardt could prove useful,
he knows the issue and he knows the house side of congress. I also like Bill Bradley, he knows the senate and is a wonk with a heart.

Just fell and bumped my head. Jakob Hacker! Why didn't it hit me before?

The optics on Rendell are bad. He's an old-school machine Democrat, definitely not what's needed while the GOP tries to gin up ethics controversies. Rendell gives the GOP too much ammo. Besides, Rendell was a complete bastard to Obama in the primary.

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