Does Sebelius really have the veep potential?

By Editorial Board

Thursday, August 21, 2008

YES

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ gender alone will help bring around the still-bitter Hillary Clinton supporters and unite the party base.

As someone who’s been cutting red tape and eliminating egregious spending since taking office, Sebelius shares Sen. Barack Obama’s political values of practicality and honesty.

Sebelius is a Democrat, but she has been effective at running a Republican dominated state for two terms. She knows how to mediate problems between the parties, and she has a lot less baggage than Clinton.

Beyond offering a long shot chance to win in Kansas, Sebelius would reinforce Obama’s messages of outsiders bringing change. She has served exclusively in Kansas and her only real connection to national politics in Washington was her response to President Bush’s State of the Union address this year.

As tempting as it is for Democrats to want to draft Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as Barack Obama’s running mate, taking that path would not really help the Democrats in the long run.

Both Sebelius and the Democrats would be better off if she finished her second term as governor, further reviving and solidifying a Democratic base in a state where the red has run deep for decades.

This isn’t the first time the Sebelius-for-VP has occurred. Some thought she would be John Kerry’s running mate in the 2004 election.

Plus, Sen. Sam Brownback said he is not seeking reelection in 2010, so why not attempt a Senate run, where she can really make a difference? If she was elected, she would end a trend that hasn’t been broken since 1938: a Democrat elected as senator for Kansas.

Sebelius persuades students to support Obama

Kathleen Sebelius spoke at the University on Monday about the upcoming Democratic ...

/news/2008/feb/05/sebelius_persuades/

Sebelius VP bid ends

Home state, lack of foreign policy experience keep Kansas governor from winning ...

/news/2008/aug/25/sebelius/

Sen. Barack Obama picks Sen. Joe Biden ...

After months of speculation, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee announces his running ...

/news/2008/aug/23/sen_barack_obama_picks_sen_joe_biden_delaware_vp/

Cohen: Sebelius should stay on for now ...

A Cabinet post would be great, but the governor is needed more ...

/news/2009/feb/18/cohen_sebelius/

Red and blue don't always mix

While U.S. politics are heating up headlines, politically mixed relationships are feeling ...

/news/2008/oct/23/red_and_blue_dont_always_mix/

A Q&A with Gov. Kathleen Sebelius

Kansas' governor discusses the issues.

/news/2008/nov/03/q_gov_kathleen_sebelius/

Moore reiterates Obama support at DNC

The representative for Kansas’ 3rd congressional district also says Sebelius has Cabinet ...

/news/2008/aug/29/moore/

Letter: Obama the best choice for the ...

Sen. Barack Obama demonstrates the leadership and optimism needed in the next ...

/news/2008/feb/05/letter_obama/

Sebelius may oversee Medicare, Medicaid

Mark Parkinson will be Kansas’ governor if Sebelius accepts position as secretary ...

/news/2009/mar/02/sebelius/

Editorial: Sebelius’ experience will help as Secretary ...

The governor will do more good in Washington than she could have ...

/news/2009/mar/09/editorial_sebelius/

Sen. Brownback addresses RNC delegates

He says Gov. Sebelius would lose Senate race for his seat, endorses ...

/news/2008/sep/05/convention/

Sebelius avoids revealing political plans

The Kansas governor said she was happy the national spotlight had been ...

/news/2008/aug/28/sebelius_avoids_revealing_future_political_plans/

Notes from Election 2008

Kansan staff members attend a Barack Obama event in Kansas City on ...

/news/2008/jan/30/notes_election_2008/

Sen. John McCain chooses Gov. Sarah Palin ...

McCain announced his choice of Palin on Friday morning.

/news/2008/aug/29/sen_john_mccain_chooses_gov_sarah_palin_vp/

Kansan bloggers' take on the prolonged primaries

Joshua Anderson, Andy Greenhaw and Kelsey Hayes discuss the ramifications of the ...

/news/2008/jun/13/kansan_bloggers_prolonged_primaries/

Cohen: How Palin’s campaign made me appreciate ...

/news/2008/sep/23/cohen_how_palins_campaign_made_me_appreciate_hilla/

Student delegate details Democratic Convention

Clarissa Unger has spent time across the country campaigning for Barack Obama.

/news/2008/sep/02/student_delegate/

Poole: Republicans' VP pick shattered the mold

By choosing Gov. Sarah Palin, Sen. John McCain proved that he is ...

/news/2008/sep/09/poole_republicans_vp_pick_shattered_mold/

Obama speaks to El Dorado, KC to ...

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius openly supported Obama for the first time yesterday.

/news/2008/jan/30/obama_speaks_el_dorado_kc_campaign_caucus/

Governor’s departure poses problems

Sebelius’ acceptance of HHS secretary leaves Kansas’ future and Obama’s health care ...

/news/2009/mar/03/governors_departure/

Parkinson may fill governorship

Lt. Gov. Parkinson would fill governor’s vacancy if Sebelius is chosen for ...

/news/2009/feb/10/parkinson_may/

Columnists: Goodbyes to the governor

Kansan columnists share their views of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

/news/2009/mar/09/columnists_goodbyes/

Holmes: Svaty is best pick for Democrats’ ...

Holmes on the best man for the left.

/news/2009/sep/09/svaty_best_pick_democrats_next_gubernatorial_candi/

Cohen: Democrats have plenty to laugh at, ...

From Hillary to Barack, the Dems are full of faults

/news/2007/sep/25/cohen_democrats_have_plenty_laugh_too/

Students contemplate Sebelius’ future

Obama aides say Kansas governor might be next Health and Human Services ...

/news/2009/feb/23/sebelius/

Alaskan students weigh in on Palin

Students say she is a good governor but some think the vice ...

/news/2008/oct/02/alaskan_students_weigh_palin/

The High/Low

Kansas defeated Baylor 100-90 Saturday night.

/news/2008/feb/11/highlow/

Cohen: Dems’ indecision may cost them

The DNC needs to sort out the nomination, or it may regret ...

/news/2008/apr/29/cohen_dems_indecision_may_cost_them/

Five questions

You vs. them

/news/2008/feb/21/five_questions/

Cohen: Republicans hastily casting hopes on Louisiana ...

Bobby Jindal has yet to prove himself.

/news/2009/mar/05/cohen_republicans/

Women take the national stage this election ...

The candidacies of Sen. Hillary Clinton and Gov. Sarah Palin represent a ...

/news/2008/oct/03/women_election/

Past, present, future presidents discussed

The four-part series, presented by journalists and speakers from across the country, ...

/news/2008/feb/25/dole/

Dole speaks at RNC event

The former senator and presidential candidate backs McCain, slams Obama

/news/2008/sep/04/dole_speaks_rnc_event/

Some who can’t vote still care

These international students followed the presidential elections though they weren’t able to ...

/news/2008/nov/13/some_who_cant_vote_still_care/

Sarah Palin makes for a fascinating, if ...

Since her elevation to the Republican ticket, the Alaskan governor has been ...

/news/2008/nov/03/sarah_palin/

Armstrong: Will Obama’s policy be any better ...

/news/2008/nov/14/armstrong/

Sebelius reportedly Obama's choice for health secretary

The governor's possible departure could mean a shift of power in Topeka.

/news/2009/feb/19/sebelius_reportedly/

Democratic Caucus unorganized yet successful

More than 4,000 democrats attended the caucus last night. This number was ...

/news/2008/feb/06/democratic_caucus_unorganized_yet_successful/

Cohen: Sarah Palin who?

What was Sen. John McCain thinking when he chose the Alaskan governor?

/news/2008/sep/09/sarah_palin_who/

A new species on the loose at ...

/news/2008/aug/26/Cohen/

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.

Sign in to comment

Or login with:

OpenID