"As governor of Tennessee, Bredesen is famous -- or infamous -- for gutting TennCare, the state's low income health care provider."

Indeed.

Bredesen as nominee would make me actually hate Obama.

And if the Obama administration actually wants the left to hate them for political reasons, it would be the way to go.

(I also agree with Ezra that it is unlikely for Bredesen to actually get the nod. Obama likes having a tension with the left, but I find it difficult to believe he'd want to actually want to punch us in the nuts.)

Bredesen as nominee would make me actually hate Obama.

I suddenly feel the need to learn more about Bredesen and to subscribe to his newsletter.

Off-topic to Bredesen, but on-topic to this year's healthcare reform effort:

The fact that Elizabeth Edwards is coming out with a book in May about her hubby's sexual infidelity is very good news for passing universal healthcare this year.

Once she makes the rounds on TV talking about the scandal, she will be freed up to discuss healthcare reform again.

In fact, her profile will be oddly enlarged.

And May is perfect timing. We're going to want to pass a bill this summer, and throwing a sympathetic personality who is an articulate advocate for universal healthcare onto the TV airwaves ahead of the legislative blitz seems like A Damn Good Thing to me.

@Tyro:

I love the formulation that you used. Do you know where it's originally from? I keep having a vague notion it's from The Simpsons.

As a Tennessean, Phil Bredesen is one of my least favorite Democrats ever. Not a single progressive accomplishment to his name, not much party loyalty. He basically governed like a Republican. I don't like to bash Blue Dogs, as most of them are at least good for *something*--but not Bredesen. Though I supposed as a cabinet member he would be constrained to push Obama's agenda rather than his own.

Petey, the original phrase is, "Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter," usually used when addressing someone who's made some crazy comment. Looking it up, it comes from the episode of the Simpsons where the employees of the nuclear power plant have to climb up to the top of the mountain as a teambuilding exercise (season 4, episode 10).

"I don't like to bash Blue Dogs, as most of them are at least good for *something*--"

And that *something* is winning races as a Democrat in the South.

But appointing Bredesen in particular to head up healthcare reform would be like appointing Jim Inhofe to be his global warming czar...

Danke, Tyro. I'd tried to Google it in the past without knowing the precise phrase, but the components were too common for Google to work for me.

I remember it clearly from the Hank Scorpio episode now. It's pure gold. I always wanted to use it on the Ron Paul zombies during the '08 campaign...

I'm with will re: Bredesen as a Blue Dog/DINO/whatever. And as pathetic as he is from a liberal POV, I'd also be more upset to lose even a lame Democratic governor and be stuck with East Tennessee GOPer Ron Ramsey. It's virtually certain that we'll end up with a Republican governor in two years anyway-- TN has thrown its political lot in with the racists, fundies, and looters-- but I'd kinda like to keep a veneer of civilization as long as possible.

Tennessee is the wrong state. How about Arkansas -- as in Hope, Arkansas. Bring in Clinton. Bill. Clinton. Do it.

"Update: Jon Cohn has much more."

What Jon Cohn said.

I guess it all depends on where you see the biggest threat. If you think you need to neutralize universalists, bring on someone like Dean. If you think you need to placate the insurers, someone like Bredesen kind of makes sense.

I realize a LOT of people on the left dislike the idea of placating -- or even involving -- insurers in health reform. But honestly I think the only way we're going to see an actual, successful bill is to look at this in coldly political terms. Who do we need to pull on board to get this thing passed? As bad as it feels to say, I think Obama NEEDS someone who can work constructively with folks who make money off the current system (that is if our goal is actually passing health care reform rather than just getting the emotional thrill of seeing someone advocate something like single payer from the White House).

Of course none of this is to say the left shouldn't be ready to jump down the guy's throat the minute he starts screwing patients in favor of insurers.

Maybe the US government should just get out of healthcare completely, and outsource it to a panel of health insurance firms to pick the meat from our bones. The advantage would be that the Dems wouldn't be around to kick around like a blind mule by every media and GOP bully.

Bredesen could only be topped for ridiculousness by Gingrich, Rove and Limbaugh. Hey GW Bush might be available....hahahahah

So, I read the Cohn article and I guess I'm a little underwhelmed.

The situation seemed to be: Medicaid is expensive, but tax raises are/were politically impossible in Tennessee.

If that's enough to disqualify a Democratic governor, get ready to write off virtually every one in the country. Health care is routinely one of the biggest state budget line items -- to the point that "you can't do health care reform on the state level" has become an almost totally uncontroversial point. Medicaid cuts are coming nearly everywhere thanks to the crappy economy, ESPECIALLY if this stimulus doesn't pass.

I dunno -- I agree that the optics are iffy. But I don't understand the out and out hate.

"I dunno -- I agree that the optics are iffy. But I don't understand the out and out hate."

Bredesen seemed unusually enthusiastic about the politics of throwing poor folks off the rolls.

It's just not behavior that should be rewarded. It's sorta a moral hazard issue.

-----

That said, I agree with Cohn's argument that Bredesen doesn't have the right toolkit and background for the job. His instincts are going to be wrong at crucial points.

Healthcare reform doesn't have to just pass. It also has to work once it's passed.

As a Tennessee Democrat, I can attest that Bredesen became a Dem to run for mayor of Nashville, which is the ONLY way to get elected in this city. He and his wife were both members of the local Republican organization before his turning to political pursuits -- after he made a killing in the for-profit health care industry. He would be a disaster on the national level.

This would be horrific. With regard to health care, McCain might as well have won if this happens.

NS

There were other options that could have been tried, but Bredesen never even made the attempt. He made no defense of the program and adopted the rhetoric and positioning of TennCare opponents from the start. He wanted nothing to do with the fight required to save TennCare and appeared to have no real interest in saving the program to begin with.

The post Ezra links to when he talks about how Tennessee liberals were angered is mine (thanks for the link, btw) but it does have some examples with links of the kinds of things Bredesen refused to attempt.

DINO Bredesen?? God help us.

As a resident of Nashville, Tennessee I can only say: HELL NO. Good grief, this is a horrible idea. Bredesen ran on "fixing" TennCare, our state health insurance program. His "fix" was to kill it and throw tens of thousands of people out into the healthcare wilderness.

Did someone spike Obama's water with Republican Kool-Aid?

I'm a Tennessean who voted for Bredesen twice for governor (although given the Republican candidates, that doesn't say much).

He's an extremely smart man and a very capable administrator, and in an ordinary year, I think he'd be a decent pick for HSS.

This isn't an ordinary year, tho. We need someone who can really champion health care reform, and I don't see Bredesen doing that. For one thing, he's lacking passion.

On top of that, his support for Obama was lukewarm, at best. I really don't see Obama picking him.

Please God NO! I'm a Tennessean and Bredesen doesn't need to be anywhere near HHS. Not only is Bredesen the WORST possible choice for HHS but putting him there would give TN a RADICAL REPUBLICAN Governor. Our Lt. Gov. is GOP. This is so wrong on so many levels. I'm with the other commenter -- picking Bredesen might actually make me despise Obama.

I too am a Tennesseean and can attest to the fact that Gov. Bredesen holds working people in contempt. Whether it is gutting TennCare or shredding the safety net or workers compensation, this man is a cheerleader for big insurance and big medicine.

Countless sick people suffered and died in Tennessee because of Bredesen's callous disregard for human life when he cut the sick, poor and disabled off of TennCare. My sister was one of the casualties. A large group of religious leaders, health care activists and sick people slated to be cut off TennCare, occupied the State Capitol for several weeks in 2005, pleading for mercy from Bredesen--in vain. I think the election of Obama is one of the best things that has happened in our nation in my lifetime. His promise to care for and protect the oppressed and disadvantaged is Christ-like. But,if President Obama places Bredesen in a position to kill more Americans, his righteous reputation will be profoundly damaged and he will have betrayed our hope.

I know from personal experience over the past five years what is the acceptable standards of health care in Tennessee. Bredesen would be a huge mistake http://www.wisecountyissues.com or Google WiseCountyIssues to see what I am talking about.

you nazis repblicans and bush and a pretender democrat breden, cant get no help tn republican state , cut off poor and needy people , all should be court marcheled and hanged for treasin, and discrimation against poor folks needy , no insurance, no jobs no money, cutoff kids insurance too, bush of nazis killers....people did die and many more genocide ....

I too am a Tennesseean and can attest to the fact that Gov. Bredesen holds working people in contempt. Whether it is gutting TennCare or shredding the safety net or workers compensation, this man is a cheerleader for big insurance and big medicine.