Monday, February 9, 2009

Sebelius for HHS?

CNN is reporting that Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is under consideration to be the next Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Sebelius has a good personal relationship with the President and remained in the running for the vice presidential slot until near the end of the process, the officials also told CNN.

But the officials cautioned that President Obama is considering others for HHS as well. Those getting a look include Oregon Democrat Sen. Ron Wyden and Tennessee’s Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen, according to the officials.

White House spokesman Reid Cherlin stressed to CNN that “no decision has been made.” But Cherlin added the President “is moving quickly in filling this critical role.”

As Michael notes at The Reaction, Gov. Sebelius has the background for the job as well, not to mention the fact that she’s had some experience working with Republicans and managing to keep even the looniest in check in Topeka.

(It’s also interesting — at least to me — to note that Ms. Sebelius is the daughter of former Ohio Gov. John J. Gilligan, who served from 1971-1975. I worked on the Gilligan campaign in high school and hung out with the Gilligan kids during the summers in northern Michigan, where they had a summer place near ours.)