Oregon: John Kitzhaber

On Thursday, the Portland Tribune reported on Capitol rumors that Portland City Commissioner (and BlueOregon contributor) Randy Leonard may be a candidate for Governor in 2010: When Sources Say made a recent trip to the Oregon Capitol, we were surprised – no, make that shocked – to learn that some legislators and lobbyists consider city Commissioner Randy Leonard a viable Democratic candidate for Oregon governor in 2010, when Gov. Ted Kulongoski finishes his second term. Leonard was mentioned right up there with such other high-profile possible contenders as Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio, former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber and left-leaning political...

According to OPB, former governor John Kitzhaber says he's not interested in serving as the Secretary of Health and Human Services: Former Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber says he’s flattered by being mentioned as a possible cabinet secretary in the Obama Administration. But he says he’s not interested in heading the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. And Kitzhaber says he’s not being vetted for the job. Kitzhaber’s name came up after former Senator Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination to HHS. Kitzhaber says he’d rather focus on his current role out of government. John Kitzhaber: "I don’t think that running...

It looks like Oregon continues to be right in the midst of national health care reform. Both Senator Ron Wyden and former Governor John Kitzhaber are being widely mentioned as possible appointees for Secretary of Health and Human Services, as well as the director of the White House Office of Health Reform. In addition to the initial mentions I noted yesterday, here's a bunch of the latest buzz on Ron Wyden. (See the Kitzhaber buzz here.) Bob Laszewski, Health Care Policy and Marketplace Review has perhaps the best review of the case for Ron Wyden: All day reporters have been...

Well, former Senator Tom Daschle has withdrawn his nomination for Secretary of Health & Human Services. He's also declining an appointment to be the health reform czar for the White House. It's unfortunate, but having run TV ads like this one, well, a quarter-million dollars or so in limo-and-driver expenses just smells funny. Anyway, since the political wheel never stops turning, I'd like to suggest that President Obama seriously consider appointing one of the two recent doctors-turned-governors for the post: Howard Dean and John Kitzhaber. In their own ways, both have clearly shown an ability to generate grassroots support. Dean...