Pro-choice groups are howling over Governor-Elect Terry McAuliffe’s appointment of McDonnell’s health secretary, Dr. William A. Hazel, a moderate Republican. According to the Washington Post:
RICHMOND — Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe will keep Gov. Robert F. McDonnell’s health secretary on as his own, a choice that could help the new governor sell Medicaid expansion to wary Republicans but that also infuriates some abortion-rights activists.
McAuliffe (D) will announce Wednesday that he will reappoint Dr. William A. Hazel Jr., an orthopaedic surgeon from Northern Virginia who served as secretary of health and human resources under McDonnell (R), two people familiar with the decision said.
The two spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to announce his selection. McAuliffe’s transition team said only that it will make its choice known at 10 a.m. at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Richmond. Hazel did not respond to messages seeking comment.
As a highly regarded health-policy expert and holdover from a GOP administration, Hazel could be a big asset to McAuliffe in the uphill battle that is his top priority: convincing House Republicans to expand Medicaid under the federal health-care law known informally as Obamacare.
“Of all the people who have held that position, probably no one is more knowledgable,” said Sen. Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax). “He got up before a joint committee and stepped through the whole Affordable Care Act with no notes. This is a super, super bright guy. He’s Terry’s best shot at the Medicaid expansion by far.”
But the move is likely to anger some of the abortion-rights activists who helped propel McAuliffe to victory in November over Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R). Throughout his campaign, McAuliffe pressed the theme that Cuccinelli and other Republicans had waged a “war on women,” in part with legislation that imposed strict building codes on abortion clinics and a bill that, before it was amended, would have required women to get a vaginal ultrasound before an abortion.
The abortion rights crew need to pull in their respective horns and look at the reality of the situation. They are acting very much like right-to-life anti-choicers who go after people who continually look at litmus tests before any and all appointments. Dr. Hazel worked for Bob McDonnell. He was not an active crusader for any of McDonnell’s anti-choice initiatives. In fact, Hazel was so moderate that McDonnell had some difficulty getting his appointment through.
“He was not responsible for that [anti-abortion legislation],” Saslaw said. “In fact, when you had [governors James S.] Gilmore and [George] Allen, their secretaries were over there all the time whooping it up for all these abortion bills. He did not appear [before legislative committees] in support of any of those anti-abortion bills.”
Dr. Hazel is very knowledgeable about Medicaid and if McAuliffe wants to expand Medicaid statewide, Hazel’s knowledge and expertise is essential to fulfilling that goal. To nix Hazel’s reappointment simply because of who he worked for is raising the ideological bar far too high. Extremists come in all social flavors. In this case, McAuliffe would be wise to blow off these concerns and live to fight another day. He needs to clearly communicate to Hazel what he expects both about Medicaid and about reproductive rights. Should Hazel not be able to work with McAuliffe’s directives, then, and only then, should he be disqualified.
The pro-choice community is right to be on the look-out for foxes wanting to guard the hen house. In this particular case, however, they have sounded the alarm, and that alarm is sounding shrill, strident, and very much like the sounds of zealots. Appoint Dr. William Hazel. If he turns out to be a fox in sheep’s clothing, then fire his ass. I don’t think that is going to happen. Hazel is smart, knowledgeable, experienced, and not an ideologue. He can appeal to Republicans about Medicaid. He is an excellent choice for the job of Virginia Secretary of Health. Good selection, McAuliffe, well-done.
Moon,
Not intended to be a confrontational statement…rather an observation. It appears to me that while not as widely covered in the media, there are some real cracks forming in the Democrat coalition, and I suspect they will become full-fledged gaps in the near future. In as much as the GOP is dealing with its own inter-party divisions, the Democrats have them too, and this is a sign of it. McAuliffe is being pragmatic, and will take some heat from those who believe their “go to the mat” is being used as a political poker-chip, in much the same way as those on the GOP side feel the recent budget deal is selling out principle on government spending for some political payoff in 2014. (For the record, I do not fall into this group).
Steve, you could be right and this is a good example. The difference, as I see it, is that the lines in the sand aren’t quite as defined nor as cemented into place. Don’t bet me wrong, pro-choice people haven’t weaken at all on position. I think they need to pull in their horns over Dr. Hazel and think it through clearly.
People tend to do what their bosses tell them to do. Now I am going to commit real heresy…party extremists boxed McDonnell in on that ultra sound situation. He wouldn’t have pushed it. He knew it was political suicide. The extremist forced it. That was a horrible position to put McDonnell in.
I won’t defend him too much. He could have stood up to them also. He truly was in a lose/lose situation.
Hopefully the pro-choice folks will stick to their issues and not go all ideologue on Dr. Hazel. That doesn’t mean compromise on policy at all. Just don’t shoot a competent man over what others have done.
BTW, Steve, did my position on this subject come as a shock to you?
“BTW, Steve, did my position on this subject come as a shock to you?”
No. I know that you know that in order to advance or defend an agenda/issue, pragmatism and principle must coexist. When McAuliff’s policy objective is to expand medicaid, having someone who A) supports this policy, B) is credible, C) served in the previous admin, D) is repesented as being a member of the opposition party…this is a pragmatic move.
You caught me.
Usually, the issue of reproductive choice is one I will go to the mat on. However, in this case, some in the pro-choice camp are putting ideology ahead of objective. That’s just plain old stupid. Forget all the nice words.
“The difference, as I see it, is that the lines in the sand aren’t quite as defined nor as cemented into place.”
I agree: We have “gaps” because we’ve been at it longer. The Dems have “cracks” which are just now coming to light. When you hold the Whitehouse and the Senate, it’s easier to overlook the perceived faults and flaws of those who are also in your party. However, when the “bloom begins to fall from the rose”, when leader’s policies start to drag down those who “went along to get along”, the cracks begin to form. Lose a couple of major elections (along with the power associated), and the cracks split wide open. The GOP started to see this in 2006, after having a good 10 years of a pretty solid coalition. It’s just the Democrats turn. The “Warren Wing” is starting to make some noise. I predict as the problems with ACA become more and more apparent, the coalition will weaken significantly.
Being involved with Aging & Disability and the changes happening in Virginia, I am glad Sec. Hazel is being continued for four more years. There is a lot that has been occuring the last couple of years, and his remaining will allow for the much need continuity in leadership within Health & Human Resources down there in Richmond.
I am thrilled that McCuliffe is going to be pushing the expansion of Medicaid in Virginia for all those hard working Virginians that fall through the health care coverage cracks!