has settled on Gov.
of Kansas, a key ally with a record of working across party lines, as his top choice for secretary of health and human services, advisers said Wednesday.
Should she be nominated, Ms. Sebelius would bring eight years of experience as her state’s insurance commissioner as well as six years as a governor running a state
program. But with Mr. Obama about to begin a drive to expand health coverage — an issue on which Read the rest of this entry »

White House officials and Senate Democrats today were fighting to keep alive former Senator Tom Daschle’s cabinet nomination, the morning after
’s nominee for health and human services secretary faced a tough grilling from his former Senate colleagues over revelations he had initially failed to pay more than $140,000 (£97,700) in taxes and interest.
President Barack Obama yesterday said that he was “absolutely” behind Daschle, former Senate Democratic Read the rest of this entry »

Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination for health and human services secretary Tuesday, after fielding mounting criticism
over his failure to pay more than $130,000 in taxes.
The move marked a stunning turnaround from the day before,
when Daschle mounted a campaign to retain allies on Capitol Hill and President Obama told reporters he “absolutely”stands
by the former South Dakota senator.
But the president accepted Daschle’s withdrawal Read the rest of this entry »

RENO, Nev.—A spokesman for the Nevada secretary of state says Ross Miller is in a Reno hospital, resting and recovering after undergoing a follow-up procedure to stop bleeding from nasal surgery.
Spokesman Bob Walsh says Miller had the cauterization procedure Monday after having surgery to repair a deviated septum last week.
Walsh says Miller expects to be released from the hospital by Tuesday and could be discharged as early as Monday night.
Read the rest of this entry »

AUGUSTA, Maine — The head of the Department of Veterans Affairs says he wants to make it easier for veterans in rural states such as Maine to access health care, counseling and other services offered by his department.
Secretary James Peake toured the Togus VA Medical Center on Friday to meet with veterans and discuss operations and issues.
Peake said the VA is deploying new mobile vans throughout the country, including two in Maine. The first Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Howard Dean III is the best candidate for FDA Commissioner. Further, I strongly support legislation elevating the FDA job to a Cabinet position, since, after all, it oversees in a regulatory capacity 25% of the US Economy, and as such, deserves to be at a Cabinet level.
Drug makers and Big Pharma are promoting Dr. Janet Woodcock, presently head of the Food & Drug Administration's drug division, but consumer advocates favor FDA critics like Read the rest of this entry »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle pledged on Thursday to aggressively pursue healthcare reform and restore confidence in federal health agencies as he made his case to become President-elect Barack Obama’s health secretary.
Obama has charged Daschle with a new, expanded role: to transform the U.S. health care system, which spends more per capita than any other developed nation but leaves many people without a Read the rest of this entry »

Another notable name is joining BarackObama’s Cabinet — former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle will be Health
and Human Services secretary pending Senate confirmation, FOXNews learned Wednesday.
Daschle accepted the
offer, according to two Democratic sources close to Daschle and with intimate knowledge of the decision. Daschle had been
a longtime adviser on Obama’s campaign and served as a frequent surrogate on the campaign Read the rest of this entry »

The secretary general of the governing Liberal Democratic Party said Sunday Prime Minister Taro Aso will probably not dissolve parliament for a general election by the end of this year.
Hiroyuki Hosoda, appearing on a program of Fuji Television Network, said of a possible dissolution of the Diet by the year’s end, “There will probably be none. I believe it has been put off until slightly later.”
Hosoda apologized for the differing views that Read the rest of this entry »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius has emerged as President Barack Obama’s top choice for health secretary, a key post in helping to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing Obama advisers.
Obama’s first pick for the job of secretary of health and human services, former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle, withdrew because of personal tax issues in a setback for the administration.
Read the rest of this entry »