Dean Gets HHS Endorsement From Patrick Leahy

[camera obscura]

Chalk up another endorsement for Howard Dean taking over the reins of the Department of Health and Human Services.

On Monday, Sen. Patrick Leahy said that the former DNC header and fellow Vermont Democrat would be the ideal candidate to take the spot of recently withdrawn HHS nominee, Tom Daschle.

"I think Howard Dean would do a great job," Leahy told the Huffington Post at an event at Georgetown University. "He is a physician. As governor he had to deal with everything that went right with HHS and with everything that went wrong. He can tell us that these are the things that a governor has to face, Medicare especially and other things, he is very knowledgeable. He would be very good ... And he is obviously a tireless worker."

In coming out in support of Dean -- who has been mum on the HHS rumors -- Leahy joins a group of elected officials, including two fellow Vermonters. Last week, Sens. Tim Harkin (D-IA) and Bernie Sanders, as well as Reps. Peter Welch and Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), all offered endorsements of sorts for the former Vermont Governor. And yet, Dean chances at ascending to the post seem clouded by his choppy relationship with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. The major names now rumored for the HHS nod are Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius and Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/09/dean-gets-hhs-endorsement_n_165301.html

[Cha]

1. All Right! That's another one!

Thank you, Vermonters!

[ulysses]

2. if Dean at HHS is torpedoed because of Emanuel,

I want someone to give me a dollar for every time I was told not to worry about having Emanuel's centrist ass as CoS "because he doesn't make policy".

[camera obscura]

3. I was one of those people, but if Dean gets the shaft, I'll recant everything.

[EFerrari]

4. We have Harkin, Sanders and now Leahy.

Who else that may be back channel and not public?

[Cha]

5. I didn't say that 'cause I don't

know shit about the inner workings of the Obama admin.

[ulysses]

6. sorry - I meant to reply to the OP.

:)

[TheWraith]

9. Why does everyone assume that if Dean doesn't get the job it's an evil plot?

Hell, I like Dean for the job, but all this Politico-inspired rumormongering about "snubs" to Dean are based on thin air.

[ulysses]

11. I'm not making that assumption.

Hell, Dean might not even want HHS for all we know.

[Demoiselle]

15. I gotta disagree with you...

My sense is that Dean has always scared the shit out of the Washington Establishment--Democrat, Republican, and Chattering Classes. (Media.) We're not talking organized evil plot here so much as members of a private club reacting in unison, terrified in their guts that someone (Dean) will burst through the doors and shake things up. I'm old (oh, am I old!) and Howard Dean is the most original figure I've seen in politics in my lifetime....even more original than Obama, in a way.
Did you see the Moyers interview on Friday night with the two men who delineated the whole Washington group think syndrome? Their point was, among other things, that career journalists are also terrified of anything blowing things open in DC. My sense of Rahm Emmanuel is that he is the consummate inside player, and perhaps threatened by Howard as well. I truly feel it's a waste NOT to use Howard Dean in this administration.

[lyonn]

7. Is this Rahm (DLC) vs Howard Dean (DNC)?

Obama said he was looking for diversity, if Emmanuel is responsible for stopping Dean as HHS this could put a big cloud over his Administration. They can include Repubs but not DNCers??

[TheWraith]

10. The DNC and the DLC aren't rival organizations.

The DNC is the Democratic Party. The DLC is a think-tank within the party.

[lyonn]

12. Didn't these two factions seriously disagree about the 50 State

plan and how the DNC wanted to spend the election money?

[camera obscura]

19. Yup, but it's hard for some people to admit defeat in the face of Dean's success.

[WI_DEM]

8. Just because Emanuel has had choppy relationships with Dean shouldn't disqualify him

from serving in this position. Mr. President, you need the best people not somebody who can kiss Raum's ass.

[Cha]

14. That's good..put that in the comment

section of this petition if you haven't signed it already. :)

[disndat]

18. You need a heavy hitter as head HHS

like the AG office, not window dressing like some of the other Sec'y positions. Sebelius and others mentioned don't fit the bill as well as Dr. Dean.

[Gregorian]

13. Now I'm all warm! And I LOVE Camera Obscura!

Hey my asconi just melted! That's lyrics from anther great group. But I love this tune!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTa_RQC8ZxA

Yay! Dean! And yay for one of the only pop tunes that can make me cry.

[camera obscura]

16. You're the first person to recognize my name's origin ;) Congrats!

I love that song as well!

[Cha]

20. And, they're a Glasgow

band..thank you!

[Gregorian]

21. And I watched Trainspotting last night.

Thus the circle is complete.

[chill_wind]

17. Yeah! : - ) K & R.

[rvablue]

22. Kick. n/t