Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Hello, Doc Daschle   [Kathryn Jean Lopez]

CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) — President-elect Barack Obama has chosen former Sen. Tom Daschle to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the former Senate Majority Leader has indicated he wants the job, three sources close to the transition told CNN Wednesday.

The sources, who are in a position to know, said that Daschle negotiated that he will also serve as the White House health "czar" — or point person — so that he will report directly to the incoming president.

The significance is that this guarantees that by wearing two hats, Daschle — and not White House staffers — will be writing the health care plan that Obama submits to Congress next year.

The sources said the precise timing of the announcement has not been worked out, but Daschle is likely to officially join the Obama transition team as the lead adviser on health issues in the next few weeks. An Obama transition official had no comment.

11/19 01:31 PMShare