Waiting and Talking.

Talked to Marie today and got more feedback; she thinks that I am doing fine so far, but I have a few traits that may get in the way. My e-mails are too long and too many, which Hill folk will perceive as being "more work" than I am worth. Apparently, on the Hill, one is expected to swim without a lot of support. She made me promise brevity and to be low maintenance; with that in mind, she sent an e-mail to Liz Fowler recommending me to the Senate Finance Committee. We will see if that goes through. She also told me that CMS is really interested in having me come over to work with them, and they are bothering me a lot.

In the meantime, I had a chat today with Dora Hughes, the other Counselor in the Immediate Office of the Secretary, who has been holding the Department together while the Secretary gathers her forces and gets her leadership team in place. Dora is an internist, probably one of the highest ranked doctors in the government, who worked the Obama campaign after working six years in the Senate (Kennedy's office and then Obama's office), after working for the Commonwealth Fund out of residency. She talks really fast, but has experience with Fellows in the Senate and would love to have on in her office. She says that her "level" doesn't get involved in something until it represents a problem; she is the one sent in to solve it, particularly when it involves interagency conflict (CDC vs NIH vs AHRQ) for example. Rima has Medicare/Medicaid/CHIPRA; Dora has most everything else health related (there is a third counselor who has the Human Services portfolio. They have space, they have interest and they are in the Humphrey Building.

I am having a little trouble reaching Rockefeller's office- one e-mail address keeps bouncing. I will work on it. Interview with Stabenow tomorrow. Should be resolved soon.