La otra mujer

Así la presentan hoy en Salon. La mujer que más posibilidades tiene de acompañar a Obama en la fórmula demócrata, exceptuando a Hillary Clinton. Kathleen Sebelius es Gobernadora de Kansas desde 2003. Reelegida en 2006 con un 58% de los votos en un estado que sólo cuenta con un 27% de demócratas registrados. Comisionada de Seguros de Kansas (1995-2003). Miembro de la Asamblea Estatal de Kansas (1987-1995). Podría neutralizar el sabor amargo que dejó la derrota de Hillary en parte del electorado femenino, aportar experiencia ejecutiva, y confirmar los prometedores números de Obama en algunos estados del Medio Oeste y el Oeste Montañoso. Sin olvidar que el estado de Kansas tiene un importante valor sentimental para Obama. The other woman

(...) Kathleen Sebelius -- the silver-haired two-term Democratic governor of mostly ultra-Republican Kansas -- is a passionate advocate of political moderation, as oxymoronic as that may seem. Discussing the Republican Party's lurch to the far right in a speech last week to the centrist Democratic Leadership Council, Sebelius said, "It gives an enormous opportunity for Democrats to reintroduce themselves as the sensible, pragmatic, practical approach to coalition government. That is what attracted me to Barack Obama in the first place."

Since endorsing Obama in late January, Sebelius has been a tireless campaigner for the Illinois senator, who has Kansas roots on his mother's side. Obama, who often resists the sloppy excess of rote political praise, pulled out all the stops when asked last week about Sebelius as a possible running mate. "I love Kathleen Sebelius," he gushed. "I think she is as talented a public official as there is right now. Integrity. Competence. She can work with all people of all walks of life. But I promised that I am not going to say anything about my vice president until I actually introduce my vice president."

As the other woman in the vice-presidential derby, Sebelius is often regarded as a road-company version of Hillary Clinton, a pale reflection of the real thing. In an interview in Chicago, right before her speech to the DLC, I asked Sebelius what Obama can do to win over women voters angered by the way that Clinton was treated during the primaries. "At the end of the day," she said, "I have absolutely no doubt that those voters will embrace Barack's candidacy. I think all he needs to do -- and he is doing it and will continue to do it -- is to talk about his vision, to talk about his life story ... His mom and his grandmother raised him. He's married to this accomplished and focused working woman. And he's the father of two daughters. The likelihood that he will ever lose a frame of women's issues is slim to none." (...)