Secretary Mikulski?

9:21 pm EST February 3rd, 2009 | News | 11 Comments

Oh, this would be interesting. Nobody would stand in the way of our Senator Barb.

Barbara Mikulski

Unconfirmed rumors began seeping out of Capitol Hill late today that Maryland Sen. Barbara A. MIkulski is under consideration for the suddenly vacant position of Secretary of Health and Human Services.

A spokeswoman for Mikulski did not immediately return email and cellphone messages, which only added to the mystery. The White House had no comment, but it does not typically respond to reports about prospective appointments unless they are about to be made public.

Former Sen. Tom Daschle withdrew abruptly as President Barack Obama’s nominee for the position, which oversees an enormous swath of the federal establishment, including Medicare, the largest government-run health program.

Mikulski, who is up for re-election in 2010, has already begun raising funds for a re-election bid, though she has not formally announced her intention to run. She was first elected to the Senate in 1986.

She would turn 80 in the final year of her next term, if she were to be re-elected, which she almost certainly would if she ran. Mikulski regularly ranks as the most popular elected official in the state and no serious Republican candidate is likely to take her on.

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11 Responses to “Secretary Mikulski?”

  1. beemer says:
    February 3, 2009 at 9:28 pm

    How cozy is she with health insurance companies?

    Where does she stand on single payer?

  2. Jaim says:
    February 4, 2009 at 12:14 am

    Not a terrible choice. The real question is, does she want the job?

  3. jr says:
    February 4, 2009 at 3:00 am

    Give the job to Ezra Klein

  4. Randy Brown says:
    February 4, 2009 at 6:21 am

    Mikulski is someone you don’t wanna fuck with. The people who wanted to build an expressway through Fells Point and Canton back in the 1970s learned that the hard way.

    Go for it, Babs! Question is, who would Gov. O’Moron name as a replacement?

  5. Quaker in a Basement says:
    February 4, 2009 at 11:28 am

    Has she paid all her @#!% taxes?

  6. Marty says:
    February 4, 2009 at 12:27 pm

    Heh, Quake.

    Or has she or a close relative been a lobbyist in recent years? (17 exceptions and counting)

  7. Duros62 says:
    February 4, 2009 at 12:27 pm

    Has she paid all her @#!% taxes?

    Does anyone in DC anymore?

  8. Quaker in a Basement says:
    February 4, 2009 at 12:31 pm

    (17 exceptions and counting)

    I’ve been seeing that number thrown around a lot lately, Marty. You know where I can find a list?

    I’m curious how far they had to stretch to get the number that high.

  9. Marty says:
    February 4, 2009 at 12:40 pm

    Nah- just throwing around the heresy, er… I mean hearsay. I saw a list of about ten good examples. I’ll try and find it for you.

  10. Marty says:
    February 4, 2009 at 1:10 pm

    I think the number 17 comes from here- http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/20471.asp (Seems like the rest of the world is beginning to notice what is happening here in the States better than we are…)

    Here’s a cut and paste from a site I’m sure you love to hate:

    Eric Holder, attorney general nominee, was registered to lobby until 2004 on behalf of clients including Global Crossing, a bankrupt telecommunications firm [now confirmed].
    Tom Vilsack, secretary of agriculture nominee, was registered to lobby as recently as last year on behalf of the National Education Association.
    William Lynn, deputy defense secretary nominee, was registered to lobby as recently as last year for defense contractor Raytheon, where he was a top executive.
    William Corr, deputy health and human services secretary nominee, was registered to lobby until last year for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a non-profit that pushes to limit tobacco use.
    David Hayes, deputy interior secretary nominee, was registered to lobby until 2006 for clients, including the regional utility San Diego Gas & Electric.
    Mark Patterson, chief of staff to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, was registered to lobby as recently as last year for financial giant Goldman Sachs.
    Ron Klain, chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden, was registered to lobby until 2005 for clients, including the Coalition for Asbestos Resolution, U.S. Airways, Airborne Express and drug-maker ImClone.
    Mona Sutphen, deputy White House chief of staff, was registered to lobby for clients, including Angliss International in 2003.
    Melody Barnes, domestic policy council director, lobbied in 2003 and 2004 for liberal advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the American Constitution Society and the Center for Reproductive Rights.
    Cecilia Munoz, White House director of intergovernmental affairs, was a lobbyist as recently as last year for the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy group.
    Patrick Gaspard, White House political affairs director, was a lobbyist for the Service Employees International Union.
    Michael Strautmanis, chief of staff to the president’s assistant for intergovernmental relations, lobbied for the American Association of Justice from 2001 until 2005.

  11. Quaker in a Basement says:
    February 4, 2009 at 1:42 pm

    Just as I suspected. There are 2, or maybe 3 that I would call questionable in light of the standards Mr. Obama has set. The rest of the names are added just to pump up the number.