White House considering Cosgrove to take over Veterans Affairs: source

Reuters
Toby Cosgrove, CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, participates in the APEC CEO Summit in Honolulu, Hawaii November 12, 2011. REUTERS/Jason Reed

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is considering nominating the head of the prestigious Cleveland Clinic, Toby Cosgrove, as the next secretary of the troubled Department of Veterans Affairs, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Eric Shinseki resigned on Friday as secretary of the department amid a political firestorm over widespread delays in veterans' medical care. President Barack Obama has named Deputy Veterans Affairs Secretary Sloan Gibson to lead the agency while he looks for a permanent replacement. The Wall Street Journal first reported the White House was considering Cosgrove for the post. (Reporting by Sharon Begley; Writing by Sandra Maler; Editing by Bill Trott)