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Obama taps Sebelius for health secretary
Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius is President Barack Obama's choice for secretary of health and human services, a White House source has said.
Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius is President Barack Obama's choice for secretary of health and human services, a White House source has said.
The source, who was not authorised to speak on the record, said on Saturday that Obama will formally announce the nomination tomorrow.
Sebelius, 60, was an early Obama supporter. She picked his presidential campaign over that of Hillary Rodham Clinton, now the secretary of state. Sebelius worked tirelessly for Obama's bid and was a top surrogate to women's groups.
Obama's first choice for HHS, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, withdrew after disclosing he had failed to pay USD 140,000 in taxes and interest.
Sebelius drew praise for the consumer watchdog role she played as Kansas insurance commissioner for eight years before she became governor.
Her name had been floated for several Cabinet posts. She said in December that she had removed herself from consideration from a Cabinet job, citing Kansas' budget problems that needed her attention.
Sebelius is in the middle of her second term as governor and is legally barred from seeking a third term next year. Many Democrats had hoped she would finish her term and run for the US Senate seat that Republican Sam Brownback is giving up in 2010.
