Sebelius sworn in to Cabinet, Parkinson becomes Kansas governor

The appointment places her at the forefront of the administration’s efforts to combat the sudden, worrisome spread of swine flu, and also the administration’s highly touted campaign to overhaul America’s health-care system.

Obama said he was thrilled to have Sebelius in his administration.

“We wanted to swear her in right away because we’ve got a lot of health challenges,” the president said. “We need all hands on deck. I expect her to hit the ground running. She is the right person at the right time for the job.”

Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson, a Democrat from Olathe, immediately became Kansas’ 45th governor upon Sebelius’ resignation, which coincided with her Senate confirmation vote earlier in the day.