Numerous sources reported today that former Senate majority leader Tom Daschle has accepted Barack Obama’s offer to lead the Health and Human Services agency. It is notable that Daschle will (allegedly) also be the health czar, giving him direct access to Obama’s ear. Additionally, the CNN article reports that Daschle will write the Obama administration’s health care plan. The announcement is receiving glowing praise from groups seeking to increase health care coverage.

Ron Pollack, the Executive Director of Families USA, a “national nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans,” said today, “the appointment of Senator Daschle as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services is the best news possible for those who want to achieve meaningful health care reform.”

Ezra Klein, a high-profile liberal blogger who often focuses on health care, wrote of the Daschle appointment:

This is huge news, and the clearest evidence yet that Obama means to pursue comprehensive health reform. You don’t tap the former Senate Majority Leader to run your health care bureaucracy. That’s not his skill set. You tap him to get your health care plan through Congress.

This is huge news. This should put to rest a lot of the bubblings about Obama setting aside health care because of the troubled economy. Daschle advocates comprehensive reform, not baby steps towards a better system. He even wrote a book laying out serious plans on how to change the system. He is a great choice for the position - I hope he can live up to the hype.

Photo by Flickr user shij13 used under a Creative Commons license.