Obama picks Daschle to head HHS, sources say

By Ed Henry
CNN Correspondent

CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) - President-elect Barack Obama has chosen former Sen. Tom Daschle to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the former Senate Majority Leader has indicated he wants the job, three sources close to the transition told CNN Wednesday.

The sources, who are in a position to know, said that Daschle negotiated that he will also serve as the White House health "czar" - or point person - so that he will report directly to the incoming president.

The significance is that this guarantees that by wearing two hats, Daschle - and not White House staffers - will be writing the health care plan that Obama submits to Congress next year.