Reports: Daschle accepts job as HHS Secretary.
By on Nov 19th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Reports: Daschle accepts job as HHS Secretary.
Roll Call reports that Former Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), who is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, “has been offered the job of Health and Human Services secretary by President-elect Barack Obama and has accepted the job.” Daschle is also set to take on the position of “health care czar” in the Obama White House. CNN’s Ed Henry is also reporting he negotiated the “health care czar” position in order to be “the point person on all White House health-related issues.”
UpdateThe New Republic's Jonathan Cohn calls this "a perfect role for Daschle."
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What, not a Clintonite?
¶ AIO
November 19th, 2008 at 12:25 pmGood choice. He is a good man.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:27 pmJust watch. Some nutcase will claim that Daschle is a "Clintonite" just because he was in office at the same time Clinton was President. Personally I don't get what is such a big deal about Barack putting "Clintonites" in his Administration. There are basically two choices: 1) experienced people who worked in Washington during the last Democratic administration who know how Washington and the Hill operate, and 2) neophytes who couldn't find Metro Center if they rode the entire length of the Orange line. Personally I would want the former; the latter remind me of Sarah Palin.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:29 pmWhat's wrong with Clintonites after 8 years of Nixonites and Reaganites?
November 19th, 2008 at 12:33 pmI agree, a good choice. As long as he doesn't get another white powdered letter (I think that was a Repug nasty plot somehow) he should work out pretty well in this position.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:35 pm#
Nevar Says:
What’s wrong with Clintonites after 8 years of Nixonites and Reaganites?
Because we may not actually be heading head-long to the End Times like these idiots are praying?
Cueing RaptureReady...
November 19th, 2008 at 12:36 pmThis is a great choice.
Nevar Says:
What’s wrong with Clintonites after 8 years of Nixonites and Reaganites?
I am trying to figure this out. Anyone who is a Democrat with any recent experience working in a government appointment worked for the Clinton Administration.
Just who the hell do the critics want, neocons and fascists from the Bush1/Bush2/Reagan maladminstrations?
Some people have no f_cking sense at all.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:40 pmI'd like to see Max Cleland as head of the VA.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:41 pmGood to see Tom Daschle back in government , he's been missed . Excellent choice ! Go get em Tom !
November 19th, 2008 at 12:51 pmWayne ,
November 19th, 2008 at 12:57 pmand what category does Joe Lieberman fall into ? Because a (D) appears behind a name doesn't necessarily mean the individual is good for America , though most likely it does except in rare instances portend the lesser of 2 evil .
It's time to think out of the (2 party ) box .
Bernie Sanders says hello .
Good pick. Obama is trying to cherry pick the best combination of talent and experience he can find so he can hit the ground running on 1/20. That includes people who served in the most recent Dem administration. If I recall that was a far more successful presidency by any metric other than number of body bags than the one before and the one after.
November 19th, 2008 at 1:00 pmTom also works for Alston & Bird, an influential D.C. lobbying house:
http://www.alston.com/tom_daschle/
November 19th, 2008 at 1:22 pmCurlew Says:
Just watch. Some nutcase will claim that Daschle is a “Clintonite” just because he was in office at the same time Clinton was President. Personally I don’t get what is such a big deal about Barack putting “Clintonites” in his Administration. There are basically two choices: 1) experienced people who worked in Washington during the last Democratic administration who know how Washington and the Hill operate, and 2) neophytes who couldn’t find Metro Center if they rode the entire length of the Orange line. Personally I would want the former; the latter remind me of Sarah Palin
You missed an option. Experienced people who worked in the Bush Administration. But, that's a non-starter. You are entirely correct. If Obama wants people with experience he has no choice but to choose people who once worked for Clinton.
I also don't understand what's wrong with people who worked for Clinton. Just because they were part of the Clinton administration DOES NOT mean they are avid supporters of all things Clinton.
November 19th, 2008 at 1:36 pmstateofthedivision Says:
Tom also works for Alston & Bird, an influential D.C. lobbying house:
http://www.alston.com/tom_daschle/
So. You really are bound and determined to find fault with Obama before he has really done anything to fault, aren't you.
Do you really believe that because someone at some time worked for a lobbying firm that they are forever tainted and will never do anything other than what is good for their former lobbying firm?
Besides, there really are good lobbying firms who lobby for things that are good for "we the people". It was the Republican fat-cat corporate lobbyists who have given lobbying a bad name. Same for earmarks. There are good earmarks for worthy projects. Unfortunately they get slimed by the bad earmarks.
November 19th, 2008 at 1:40 pmUncle Ho Says:
I’d like to see Max Cleland as head of the VA.
Or Tammy Duckworth. Or both!
November 19th, 2008 at 1:40 pmHere's what the lobbying firm Tom Dashle belongs to does (looks to me like they are one of the good guys):
Energy, Environmental & Land Development
* CleanTech
November 19th, 2008 at 1:44 pm* Climate Change & Carbon Management
* Electric & Gas
* Energy & Project Finance
* Energy & Sustainability
* Environmental
* Land Development
* Renewable and Alternative Energy
* Water Resources
Bilbo, my post sounds remarkably similar to the first sentence in Politico's bio of Senator Daschle.
http://www.politico.com/arena/bio/tom_daschle.html
Please contact them with you concerns about their biased coverage.
November 19th, 2008 at 1:50 pmfreeman Says:
Wayne ,
and what category does Joe Lieberman fall into ? Because a (D) appears behind a name doesn’t necessarily mean the individual is good for America , though most likely it does except in rare instances portend the lesser of 2 evil .
It’s time to think out of the (2 party ) box .
Bernie Sanders says hello .
And what appointment did Senator
TraitorLieberman serve in the big Clenis administration, exactly freeman?Duh?
November 19th, 2008 at 1:53 pmstateofthedivision Says:
Bilbo, my post sounds remarkably similar to the first sentence in Politico’s bio of Senator Daschle.
http://www.politico.com/arena/bio/tom_daschle.html
Please contact them with you concerns about their biased coverage.
And yet you know that Politico is a biased site and you come here and quote them. I guess that makes you biased also.
November 19th, 2008 at 1:58 pmActually, I don't "go to" Politico. I did a search for Tom Daschle's bio.
I post a link to Tom Daschle's information from his employer and you acuse me of being biased?
Take responsibility for what you do with the information. If I want to write a blistering piece on Tom Daschle, I am fully capable of doing so.
In this case, I wanted to point people to his wider bio. If you don't like it, ignore it. Apparently, you lack that skill.
November 19th, 2008 at 2:09 pmstateofthedivision Says:
In this case, I wanted to point people to his wider bio. If you don’t like it, ignore it. Apparently, you lack that skill.
Next you will posting links to drudge and redstate and blaming your posting from their site on them?
November 19th, 2008 at 2:14 pmLike I said, I don't frequent Politico. I search the web for answers to my questions. I spend much more time at EDGAR, pouring through SEC filings than political sites. I come here because this has been a progressive website.
It seems to have taken a turn toward Think Centrist or is it now Think Corporatist? That's fine.
Don't watch Rahm Emanuel's talk with Wall Street CEO's on CSPAN. And ignore Tom Daschle's trip the 2008 Bilderberg Group meeting, moved to Chantilly, Virginia.
Just cheer loudly for the New Blue Team! Rah rah rah! (Thinks what the addition of a simple "m" does to that cheer.) Best to all!
November 19th, 2008 at 2:29 pmstateofthedivision Says:
Don’t watch Rahm Emanuel’s talk with Wall Street CEO’s on CSPAN. And ignore Tom Daschle’s trip the 2008 Bilderberg Group meeting, moved to Chantilly, Virginia.
I would rather just ignore idiots who grasp at straws to find something wrong with someone who hasn't even been sworn in yet. Or ridicule them.
November 19th, 2008 at 2:46 pmBilbo; Tammy Duckworth would also be an awesome choice.
November 19th, 2008 at 3:16 pmUncle Ho Says:
Bilbo; Tammy Duckworth would also be an awesome choice.
It would be even more awesome if they could incorporate both of them into the VA. What better people to run the VA than people who have given limbs for the fight and have made their lives productive and inspiring! Neither one of them would allow what happened at Walter Reid to happen under their watch.
November 19th, 2008 at 3:30 pmThese people know what it's all about. They've both been there, they've both dealt with the system. I believe either or both of them would cut to the chase on revamping the system to the benefit of our veterans.
The last 8 years have been nightmarish for our vets. A maze of fruitless passing the buck, Walter Reed, stopping vets from registering to vote, you name it.
November 19th, 2008 at 3:37 pmWayne & Bilbo:
Politico reports that President-elect Obama has chosen Gov. Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) to serve as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Napolitano is a border governor who “brings law-and-order experience from her stint as the Grand Canyon State’s first female attorney general.”
That's TP's lead paragraph in this morning's lead summary. Be sure to castigate TP's staff, like you did me.
November 20th, 2008 at 10:05 amThe NYT has a piece on Daschle:
Obama’s Pick of Daschle May Test Conflict-of-Interest Pledge
November 20th, 2008 at 12:22 pm