CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner, caught in the middle of the firestorm surrounding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) rollout debacle has, legitimately, been spared much of the blame. Tavenner retains much of the bipartisan support she had when the U.S. Senate confirmed her on a 91-7 vote in May, 2013.
By the time she was conformed, the website and its technical components were far down the track, and she was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. Tavenner, who served as Virginia’s Secretary of Health and Human Resources under Governor Tim Kaine, has historically had a strong relationship with health care business interests as well as GOP leaders like House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and others.
It is highly unlikely she will lose support of her GOP benefactors due to the fact she is not a liberal bureaucrat, and highly regarded as a competent manager. Instead of being a scapegoat for the Obamacare rollout, she will end up being a key part of the solution — but if, and only if, the Obama Administration can retain the political support necessary to survive the most significant crisis of his Presidency.
Tavenner is an asset to Obama — and now she has to perform.
Gordon Hensley