Yesterday Tom Daschle withdrew his name from nomination to become President Obama’s next Secretary of Health and Human Services.  The former senate majority leader bowed out after it was reported that he failed to pay taxes on a car and driver gifted to him by a friend.  Daschle said in his withdrawal that he did not want to be a distraction to the President’s overall mission of accomplishing the Administration”s agenda.  So…..now we have an opening that appears to be a perfect fit for a certain physician, former governor of Vermont, and DNC chairman.  Dr. Howard Dean seems to be the next logical choice for the position.  So why is the administration hesitant about putting Dean’s name out there as a potential candidate?  Rumor has it that there is some bad blood/personality conflict between Rahm Emmanuel and Dean.  Not to mention the fact that Dean is not known for playing nice with senators, senators he will need to help pass a comprehensive health care reform bill.  During the campaign Dean may have stepped on a few senate toes, the owners of which may still hold grudges.  However, Dean can tout a few very significant accomplishments in the health care arena. He chaired the National Governor’s Association Health Care Task Force in the 90s. He was also the architect of the health care system in Vermont which has been hailed as the best top to bottom health care system of any of the fifty states (Vermont ranked 16th in overall health in 1990 and today is ranked 1st).  Heathcare was the primary focus of his 2004 presidential campaign.  If he can work on the alleged my-way-or-the-highway aspect of his personality he could probably do a good job.  Getting a comprehensive health care reform bill passed requires a certain amount of schmoozing and negotiating with special interest, corporate america, insurance companies, and the Senate (both sides of the isle).  Thus, a rigid partisan stance/approach steeped in an abyss of ideology makes for a counterproductive endeavor.