Ready to fight Sebelius

By Jennifer J. Foster

Published: February 28, 2009

I told you a week and a half ago that this was coming, and here it is. From FoxNews.com:

National anti-abortion groups promise a vigorous fight if President Barack Obama nominates Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as U.S. health and human services secretary.

Abortion foes said Friday an important issue is a reception Sebelius once had with a late-term abortion provider who’s now facing criminal charges.

That would be Dr. George Tiller, the country’s most famous practitioner of the so-called partial-birth abortion procedure.

I also mentioned here this week that President Obama will tell us a great deal about where he is on the pragmatism/radicalism scale with this pick to lead Health and Human Services.

Cue the story:

Abortion opponents acknowledged Friday that they’ll probably be uncomfortable with nearly anyone Obama nominates, but they’re particularly upset by the prospect of Sebelius.

A major reason is an event in April 2007 at the governor’s residence with Dr. George Tiller and his Wichita clinic’s staff. Abortion foes eventually obtained photos from the reception and posted them last year on the Internet.

“This is a whole different level,“ said Susan Fani, spokeswoman for the Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights. “That someone who’s so radical on this issue could be chosen is mind-boggling to us.“

I might be wrong, but I wouldn’t think that Obama, who hasn’t exactly ingratiated himself to ornrey GOP senators with the stimulus package, would want to tweak their noses any more with a controversial pick like Sebelius.

But, then again, he might go with Sebelius if he feels that he owes the left something—a true believer—to make up for the Solomon deal he made on Iraq.

My money’s on U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). He’s one of the Senate’s own, so filleting him in a confirmation hearing would be tougher. And, unlike Sebelius—whose expertise is in insurance and education issues—he’s already got experience on one of Obama’s Big Three priorities: Health care reform.