For HHS, Sebelius the Only Name on SEIU’s Mind

The list of names connected to the vacant slot at the top of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seems to get longer every day but for one prominent labor leader, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) is the only one she could think of.

Now, health reform is a big, big issue for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), not least because the union represents about 1 million healthcare workers, so you’d figure Secretary Treasurer Anna Burger would be closely tracking whom President Obama might name to lead his administration’s health efforts. Maybe so, but when pressed she could only “remember” one name: Sebelius.

At a press briefing Friday morning, Chicago Sun-Times Washington Bureau Chief Lynn Sweet asked Burger whom she favored for the HHS job now that former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) is out of the picture.

“I think that there’s some really strong candidates out there. Like, Gov. Sebelius’s name gets dropped a lot, [she] also has been a strong advocate for healthcare in her state and knows a lot about it,” Burger said.

Sweet: Anyone else?

Burger: “I haven’t looked at the list lately.” Maybe because SEIU’s list has only one name on it.

–Jeffrey Young