A political appointment that could benefit rural America?

Word on the street, though not official yet from the Obama transition team, is that former U.S. Senator from South Dakota, Tom Daschle, will be the next Secretary of Health and Human Services. One of my first thoughts when I heard this news is that Daschle's a good choice, in part because he understands rural America and the challenge of service delivery to rural places. I hope that his perspective as a South Dakotan--a state where 48% of the population is rural (by the U.S. Census Bureau definition) and 58% is nonmetro (by the Office of Management and Budget definition) (see the full USDA ERS report is here)-- will inform his priorities and decisions in his new role.