New Kansas Governor Is Party Switcher

Vote means Obama is likely to have a full Cabinet soon

(NEWSER) - It looks like President Obama will finally get his full Cabinet. A Senate panel today approved his pick of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to be director of Health and Human Services, the Hill reports. The vote, largely along party lines, all but assures that Sebelius will be approved by the full Senate despite lingering GOP opposition. More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama has decided to pick Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to be his health secretary, the New York Times reports. The Democratic governor is now being vetted, and Obama hopes to make the announcement next week when he turns his attention from the economy to health care. One of Sebelius' strengths is her ability to work across party lines, the Times notes. She also served eight years as the insurance chief in Kansas. More»

She's pressed to answer more questions on abortion

(NEWSER) - President Obama will have to wait until at least next week to have a complete Cabinet after Senate Republicans blocked the immediate confirmation of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius yesterday, AP reports. A vote on the Health and Human Services Secretary nominee—whose appointment is fiercely opposed by anti-abortion groups—will now take place after debate next Tuesday, when the Democrats expect to prevail. More»

Kansas gov says she's had no meetings on joining the Obama Cabinet

(AP) - Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, mentioned as a top candidate for health secretary, said today she has not talked with President Barack Obama about joining his Cabinet. "There really isn't anything to tell. I haven't had any meetings about the position," Sebelius, 60, said in an interview with the AP during the winter meeting of the National Governors Association. More»

But the popular Kansas governor lacks foreign policy clout

(NEWSER) - Kathleen Sebelius, the dark horse among Barack Obama's potential running mates, is the best suited to carry his postpartisan torch, writes the New York Times. A popular Democratic governor in strongly Republican Kansas, her lieutenant governor is a Republican and she even married a GOP member. But Sebelius is a longshot because she has the same gaps in foreign policy and military experience as Obama, and many wonder whether choosing a woman would further alienate Hillary Clinton supporters. More»