CNN Manufactures Threat to Sebelius Confirmation

There's been a lot of ink spilled on Sebelius and abortion over the past few weeks, since she emerged as a major contender for HHS Secretary. Now that it's official, CNN is stirring the pot some more.

(CNN) -- The congressional showdown over Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' nomination to President Obama's Cabinet may focus less on her qualifications than on the issue of abortion, analysts said....

Analysts suspected that Obama would face a battle over abortion if and when he makes a nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, but religious conservatives could use Sebelius as a warm-up for the seemingly inevitable fight.

Calling Sebelius an "enemy of the unborn," Catholic League President Bill Donohue said the Kansas governor's nomination is particularly disturbing because the health and human services secretary is one of the few members of the administration who can directly affect abortion policy.

This despite the fact that CNN is reporting in their own story: rabid abortion foes Senators Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts are on record supporting the home state nominee.

The senators said they expect to have several differences of opinion with the Obama administration -- especially on health care funding and nationalized health care -- but they make no mention of the abortion issue.

David Brody, who covers the White House for the Christian Broadcasting Network, said the omission could pose a problem for anti-abortion advocates hoping to down Sebelius' nomination.

"It's a problem, and Sam Brownback has been in long step with them on the abortion issue. That's a setback for them," he said.

Could pose a problem? Ya think? A reminder for CNN, the confirmation goes through the Senate. If the likeliest foes of the nominee on a single issue are giving her a pass, she'll be confirmed. Having been burned through the nomination process a few times here, and having plenty of advanced warning that the anti-choice forces would oppose this pick, the administration was unlikely to risk another derailed nomination. With Brownback and Roberts on board, they're set.

Nonetheless, CNN is providing its megaphone to Brody, giving him the last word:

The abortion fight, however, may be one that Obama's team wants to avoid, he said Monday.

"Do they want to be sucked in, if you will, to a fight over abortion? Or do they want to leave that for a summer battle over a Supreme Court nominee potentially?" Brody asked. "That's the danger here for the Obama administration, to be a distraction."

The administration, and more importantly the Senate, has decided not to be distracted. This is just posturing by the religious right that CNN is choosing to foward.

It's important to remember in this that Kansas has been ground zero for the most extreme efforts of the anti-choice industry, and that the opposition is coming from some rather extreme, and crazy, sources:

But there's an unwelcome guest at the party: that's former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, anti-choice crusader who subpoenaed the medical records of 90 women who had had abortions (without any indication of wrongdoing on the part of their physician, Dr. George Tiller). The Kansas Supreme Court later slapped that down, making it clear that Kline couldn't go fishing in the hopes of finding something illegal.  As Firedoglakereports, Sebelius recruited a challenger to Kline, Paul Morrison, who ultimately defeated him, and "Morrison received financial support from Tiller's PAC, which according to Novak and the forced birthers is sign of a -- you guessed it, grand conspiracy."

The Sebelius is a fight the administration was right not to back down from at the threat from the religious right. The American people are far more concerned with health care reform being enacted than they are the tired old abortion battle. Hopefully the Senate will schedule her confirmation hearings as quickly as possible. The Finance Committee, which has voting power over the nomination, requires a one-week public notice for confirmation hearings.