Bredesen: I Have to Defend My Record

With Governor Phil Bredesen’s name circulating as a possible pick for health and human services secretary, he’s having to defend himself against critics attacking his record on TennCare.

Bredesen’s shot at the federal post incenses some advocacy groups, who accuse the governor of gutting the state’s Medicaid program when better options were still available.

On Monday Bredesen told the Wall Street Journal that’s untrue, and while he’s reluctant to speak on the possible post, he feels he has to respond to his critics.

“I still think with a process like this I feel uncomfortable talking about it at all. The only reason I’m doing it is because of all this trash that’s been thrown in the last few days, and I do feel it’s perfectly appropriate for me to defend myself there.”

Bredesen wouldn’t say whether he’d spoken with the administration in the last few days, but says if he was called for the position, he’d be open to it.

WEB EXTRA

After Bredesen’s state of the state address last night, in which he remarked on a need for national healthcare reform, some lawmakers suggested he was making a bid for the HHS post. Today Bredesen argued it’s typical to touch on national issues in the state of the state, and that he’s pushed healthcare since his days as mayor of Nashville.

Of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, who is seen as another possible pick for HHS, Bredesen said she is a “wonderful person.”