Breaking: Obama picks Tom Daschle for HHS secretary

Bad news:

"Former Senator Majority leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) will be secretary of Health and Human Services in the Obama administration, with the delicate mission of shepherding a health-care bill through Congress at a time of punishing budget constraints, a senior Democratic official said.

... “Of all the proposals that Obama wants to enact, health care requires the most input and tough negotiations,” the official said. “No one knows the House and Senate like Tom Daschle." (Politico) (NYT) (more)

Tom Daschle grew up Catholic, but is pro-embryonic stem cell research and NARAL claims him as one of their top supporters. In 2003, his bishop at the time (Most Rev. Robert Carlson of Saginaw, MI) told Daschle that he may no longer call himself Catholic (not the same as excommunication, mind you).

As for the "delicate mission of shepherding a health-care bill through Congress", that mission will be made more difficult if Daschle listens to his NARAL friends who are demanding the Freedom of Choice Act be included (we oppose it).

[photo credit: Center for American Progress]