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DASCHLE FOR SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES?
In this morning's Playbook, Mike Allen grabs a quote from CongressDaily on the sort of role Senator Daschle would like in an Obama administration:
“Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota has no interest in the vice presidency or in serving as chief of staff if Democratic Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois is elected president, but sources say he is interested in universal health care and might relish serving as HHS secretary. Daschle, an early and ardent backer of Obama's bid for the White House and a key player in President Clinton's push for universal health care in 1993, told CongressDaily he hopes he can be helpful, perhaps in a prospective Obama administration, on healthcare reform.’”Having recently read Daschle's book on health care, not to mention sat down with the guy for a few hours to talk it through (interview here), I'll throw in behind that. What the next president needs in is Health and Human Services Secretary isn't merely someone who knows health care, but someone who knows how to work with Congress. Clinton's nominee for that position, Donna Shalala, was a longtime academic whose governmental experience amounted to three years as Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at HUD. In the 70s. It wasn't enough. Not only was Shalala unable to achieve congressional buy-in, but she didn't convince the president that congressional involvement was of central importance.
Daschle, by contrast, is a former Senate majority leader who not only understands the chamber he once led, but knows most everyone in it. Senators I've interviewed hold him in tremendously high esteem. He'd be able to walk those halls comfortably. Just as important, he's got a depth of congressional experience that Barack Obama simply lacks, and would thus have the credibility to shape Obama's strategy in a way that makes sense for pushing his legislation through the Senate. It would, in sum, be a smart pick that suggests Obama understands he'll need to marry his policy goals to the congressional politics on this issue. Watching where Daschle ends up -- if anywhere -- in an Obama administration is probably one of the best indicators of whether Obama is serious and smart about pursuing health reform.
COMMENTS (11)
My thought was Howard Dean for HHS, in as much as he's a doctor. Daschle seems like he'd also be a good choice - although I've also heard Daschle's name for Chief of Staff.
Posted by: Spike | June 5, 2008 9:24 AM
My guess is Daschle would have his pick of jobs outside of VP, Secretary of State, and Attorney General. Any job Daschle ends up in (if any) is an indication of Tom Daschle's interests, not "whether Obama is serious and smart about pursuing health reform", a point which really isn't up for debate except among a few mandate dead enders.
Posted by: joejoejoe | June 5, 2008 9:26 AM
Talk of Tom at HHS has the added bennie of diverting any talk of Hillary in that position - a position that would poison the well (even if she promised not to bring along Ira Magaziner). :-P
Probably a moot point, though, as I can't see Hillary being eager to be a cabinet secretary where even agencies like OMB can veto your proposals.
Posted by: JimPortlandOR | June 5, 2008 9:43 AM
I think if health care is truly the top priority, he'll need someone like Daschle spearheading it-- Dean doesn't have enough 'inside the Beltway' experience to pull it off.
Posted by: Persia | June 5, 2008 9:47 AM
Great, that we're already planning out the cabinet.
Any thoughts to draperies and decor?
Posted by: leo | June 5, 2008 10:11 AM
Persia, I'd have thought the same thing before he became DNC Chairman. That's a job that requires deciding how to dedicate resources in the face of negotiating a lot of different parties with their own parochial interests and no aversion to petty backbiting. Who does that sound like? (Hint: It rhymes with "shmongress.")
Posted by: Daniel Munz | June 5, 2008 10:21 AM
Leo, I don't get it. The man is the presumptive presidential nominee of one of America's two major political parties. Incorporating the current political mood, I'd say there's a better than 50/50 chance he'll actually be president. At what point does actually planning for that eventually stop being presumptuous and just become good common sense?
Posted by: Daniel Munz | June 5, 2008 10:23 AM
The fact that he was an ineffective leader in the senate and lead us to loses doesn't concern you?
Posted by: akaison | June 5, 2008 11:14 AM
I understand the criticism, akaison, but he was at least able to pull off the Jeffords switch. And he's probably better at a position like HHS than anybody else you might think of.
Posted by: Neil the Ethical Werewolf | June 5, 2008 11:31 AM
This legislation is too important to be given as a prize for having supported Obama.
Posted by: akaison | June 5, 2008 11:45 AM
Daniel, maybe we should be talking about how Republicans will greet us as liberators after the election instead? I don't get it either.
Good point about Dean's skills, but I still wonder if he's best where he is.
Posted by: Persia | June 5, 2008 12:32 PM