Sorry Howie, no room at the inn.

Howard Dean reacts to being told he has no shot at being the new head of HHS

Barack Obama would not be where he is today without Howard Dean. The former Vermont Governor and DNC Chairman created the blueprints that David Axelrod would expand upon to garner the 2008 Democratic Party presidential nomination for the junior Senator from Illinois. In 2004 Dean built a presidential nomination campaign based on grassroots support and small internet donations. He energized the net roots and helped the far left blogosphere find a voice and influence.

Dean did not succeed, but Obama’s team had four years to study what he did right and where he went wrong. They found ways to exploit regulations involving internet donations, control the flow of information on blogs and add some old fashioned Chicago wrangling to the caucus game.

After losing out in 2004, Dean’s consolation prize was to chair the DNC. He took a party stung by the loss of John Kerry and the despair that followed and helped energize it. His 50 state strategy helped pave the way for Obama’s red state organizing and was key to providing President Obama with the congressional majorities he now enjoys. Dean also helped stack the deck in Obama’s favor. The Florida and Michigan mess played out Obama’s way thanks to a heavy DNC hand, the DNC stayed remarkably silent over documented instances of caucus fraud and even this most progressive party chair had nothing to say over the mistreatment of Senator Hillary Clinton and the outright misogyny displayed throughout the campaign.

This of course makes Dean the perfect passenger for a ride under the Obama bus.

Howard Dean probably never expected to stay on as DNC Chairman following the Obama victory. Tradition has the President selecting his “own man” to head the party. Even so, it would be hard for Governor Tim Kaine to deliver for Obama the way Dean did. Dean was apparently not even welcome to the press conference where Obama tapped Kaine to be the next chair. I am sure they made sure the door didn’t hit Howie in the ass on the way out. One could imagine Obama saying “thanks for the help there Ho (an endearing term used by the rappers the President enjoys), but we won’t be needing you around here anymore.”

Today, there just happens to be a help wanted sign on the office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. There is probably no Democrat as qualified for this position as Howard Dean. He is a doctor and former governor with a record of expanding health care opportunities for the residents of Vermont, particularly children. He is a favorite with the progressive base that will called upon to generate support for some form of nationalized health care and has proven he can organize and win political battles.

He also has no shot of landing the job (although his odds are slightly better than Tom Daschle’s.) White House insiders say there are worried that Dean is too divisive and partisan to bring Republicans into the fold. Some GOP support will be needed to get any kind of meaningful health care reform through the Senate. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is also no fan of Dr. Dean. The two apparently had some real knock down, drag out battles over how DNC funds would be used in congressional races back when Emanuel was the head of the Congressional Campaign Committee.

Dean no longer has any real value to the Obama administration, he has given them all he can. If they really wanted him at HHS, they could have him. They could leave the GOP wooing to someone else and let him just work on the policy. However, Dean is used up as far as the Obama team is concerned and just not worth any potential headaches.

The net roots are trying help Dean’s case with petitions and postings and old liners like Tom Harkin are pushing his candidacy, but it is all for naught. The word on the street is that Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius will be the pick (once her tax returns have been vetted by a team of 50 different accountants.) She is a one time state insurance commissioner and has spent the last eight years as a Governor overseeing a state medicaid program. Coming from red state Kansas, she is skilled at working across party lines. It will be a surprise if she is not the pick.

As for Howard Dean, well hopefully Sebelius will craft a plan that covers injuries sustained while being run over by the Obama bus.