Posts
After weeks of speculation, it's confirmed that Obama's tapped Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to be the new Secretary of Health and Human Services. I know that Obama's shown on innumerable ocassions that his ability to think several moves ahead is unparalleled, and what seem like obvious errors on his part in the short term usually turn out to be masterstrokes in the long term, but I still think he's absolutely wrong on this one.
Sebelius is that rare political creature: A popular Democratic Governor of an overwhelmingly red state, not unlike Former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, who's now Secretary of DHS. Both of these women would've been formidable, even favored candidates were they to run for the Senate from their respective states. And if there's one harsh political truth we've seen this last month, it's that more than all the idealism and post partisan rhetoric, the crucial difference between good and historic legislation is a filibuster proof majority in the Senate (60 seats, for those unfamiliar with US politics; the Dems are currently at 59). It's possible that Sebelius and Napolitano are temping at their respective Cabinet positions and will run for the Senate at the earliest possible opportunity, but wouldn't Governorship be a much better launching pad for a Senate run than a Cabinet post in faraway Washington? And in the case of Napolitano, I know Obama was making a powerful peace offering by taking out McCain's most potent challenger for the '10 Arizona Senate race, but he should realize by now that McCain's obviously a bitter, defeated guy who's not likely to suddenly see the light and turn into an inspiring, stalwart ally. The 'maverick' is dead.
It's not too late to start plotting and encouraging a Napolitano run in '10, I wager her popularity will prove to be enough to offset the disadvantage of not being a governor anymore. Hell, should Obama's healthcare push be successful, as Secretary of HHS, Sebelius would also get to bask in the glow, and she'd be ideally positioned for the Senate. Obama should keep in mind that 2010 won't be a wave election like '06 and '08. Although the Republicans will still be in shambles, the Dems will have some unpopular candidates of their own to defend, and they'll need all the help they can get. Any one of these women might very well turn out to be the difference between 60 and something less than that.
Sebelius is that rare political creature: A popular Democratic Governor of an overwhelmingly red state, not unlike Former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, who's now Secretary of DHS. Both of these women would've been formidable, even favored candidates were they to run for the Senate from their respective states. And if there's one harsh political truth we've seen this last month, it's that more than all the idealism and post partisan rhetoric, the crucial difference between good and historic legislation is a filibuster proof majority in the Senate (60 seats, for those unfamiliar with US politics; the Dems are currently at 59). It's possible that Sebelius and Napolitano are temping at their respective Cabinet positions and will run for the Senate at the earliest possible opportunity, but wouldn't Governorship be a much better launching pad for a Senate run than a Cabinet post in faraway Washington? And in the case of Napolitano, I know Obama was making a powerful peace offering by taking out McCain's most potent challenger for the '10 Arizona Senate race, but he should realize by now that McCain's obviously a bitter, defeated guy who's not likely to suddenly see the light and turn into an inspiring, stalwart ally. The 'maverick' is dead.
It's not too late to start plotting and encouraging a Napolitano run in '10, I wager her popularity will prove to be enough to offset the disadvantage of not being a governor anymore. Hell, should Obama's healthcare push be successful, as Secretary of HHS, Sebelius would also get to bask in the glow, and she'd be ideally positioned for the Senate. Obama should keep in mind that 2010 won't be a wave election like '06 and '08. Although the Republicans will still be in shambles, the Dems will have some unpopular candidates of their own to defend, and they'll need all the help they can get. Any one of these women might very well turn out to be the difference between 60 and something less than that.
No comments:
Post a Comment