It isn't going to be Governor Dean for HHS.

[onehandle]

Whatever the problem was between him, Obama, and the DNC. It doesn't matter.

Dr. Dean has gone into the private sector to get his due.

[DianeK]

1. do you have a link to back that up?

I am pretty sure that Dr.Dean would happily and competently serve

[onehandle]

2. It's my opinion that he will not be asked.

His future plans are in interviews and in his Wikipedia entry.

Speeches, boards, money.

[question everything]

4. I never understood why he had to step down from the DNC chair

It was he, after all, who came with the 50 states strategy that gave us both the White House - at a huge margin - and Congress.

[KittyWampus]

5. He said multiple times he would step down if Obama won. He said the job then became

too political.

[Occam Bandage]

8. He said over a year ago that he would step down if the Dems took the White House,

since he didn't want to be a puppet in charge of nothing more than the political arm of the White House.

[frazzled]

3. I don't think the problem was/is with Obama

Dean leaving the DNC chairmanship was totally normal practice: it is highly unusual for any chair to serve over four years.

As much as I would like to see it be Dean, I think the first qualification (if the issue is going to be passing health legislation) is a good working relationship with Congress and the ability to know how to get the legislation through. On that score, I think the problem would be with the Congressional Republicans, who will paint him as a socialist maniac ... and even with some Dems, (hint: Schumer et al) who remained pissed with him for not giving them more money for reelection races.

[Occam Bandage]

6. I think if Obama wanted Howard Dean as a high-level adviser, Dean would already be one.

All that would require of Dean would be a few short policy papers from time to time. I suppose there's an outside chance Dean will be picked, but I'm guessing Obama will pick someone less brazenly political than the outgoing chair of the Democratic party.

[phleshdef]

9. People often overlook the possibility that Dean may not want a position.

[Occam Bandage]

12. I agree. nt

[NashVegas]

7. Is It Too Much to Ask, For Rahm To Have a $200k Tax Bill?

[onehandle]

10. Yes. Rahm was one of Obama's best picks.

Hillary, Joe, Rahm...

A stellar team.

[Phoonzang]

11. If it's not...

..expect the usual meltdown here on DU.