CNN’s Sanjay Gupta for surgeon general. What next?

Celebrity idol Barack Obama picks another celebrity to head up the surgeon general’s office.
Howard Kurtz reports that CNN’s Sanjay Gupta has been tapped for the job.
At least it wasn’t Deepak Chopra.
What next? Judge Judy for the next Supreme Court opening?
I vote for celebrity bounty hunter Duane “The Dog” Chapman to head the Border Patrol.
***
Some defenders point to Gupta’s good work as an embed with a Navy unit, during which he performed brain surgery five times.
Commendable, no question. But just for comparison, here’s the biography and record of accomplishment of the current acting surgeon general:
Biography of the Acting Surgeon General
Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H.Since October 2007, Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H., has served as the Acting Surgeon General. As the nation’s top public health physician, the Surgeon General communicates the best science, evidence, and data to the American people for them to make healthy choices that impact their health, safety, and security. Additionally, he serves as the operational Commander of the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service (PHS), a uniformed force of 6,000 health professional officers dedicated to promoting, protecting, and advancing the health and safety of the people of the United States.
Prior to his appointment as Acting Surgeon General, he served as the Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As the director, RADM Galson oversaw CDER’s broad national and international programs in pharmaceutical regulation and provided leadership for 2300 physicians, statisticians, chemists, pharmacologists and other scientists, as well as administrators whose work promoted and protected public health by ensuring that safe and effective drugs are available to the American public.
RADM Galson began his Public Health Service career as an epidemiological investigator at the Centers for Disease Control after completing a residency in internal medicine at the Hospitals of the Medical College of Pennsylvania. He has held senior-level positions at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy where he was the Chief Medical Officer, and the Department of Health and Human Services.
RADM Galson received his Baccalaureate Degree from Stony Brook University in 1978, an M.D. from the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in 1983, and a M.P.H. from the Harvard School of Public Health in 1990. He is Board Certified in General Preventive Medicine and Public Health as well as in Occupational Medicine.
RADM Galson is the recipient of numerous PHS awards, the Robert Brutsche Award from the Commissioned Officers Association of the USPHS and the Founders Award from the Association of Military Surgeons of the US. He is also the recipient of three Secretary of Energy Gold Awards.
Here’s Gupta’s bio, which includes the following:
Before joining CNN, Gupta was a fellow in neurosurgery at the University of Tennessee’s Semmes-Murphy clinic, and before that, the University of Michigan Medical Center. He became partner of the Great Lakes Brain and Spine Institute in 2000, and in 1997, he was chosen as a White House Fellow — one of only 15 fellows appointed. He served as special advisor to first lady Hillary Clinton.
Gupta has been published in a variety of scientific journals and has received numerous accolades. His health reports swept all three health and medical awards in 2006 – the first year the National Headliner Awards honored such journalism in a dedicated category. Also in 2006, his report, “Sabrina’s Law,” earned him his first Clarion award, and “Charity Hospital,” his first Emmy®. He is also a contributor to 60 Minutes and the Evening News with Katie Couric on CBS.
In 2003, he was named one of PEOPLE magazine’s “Sexiest Men Alive” and a “pop culture icon” by USA Today.
Commenter MadMoney: “Remember the primary function of the SG is to basically be the public health scold – dont forget Dr. Koop telling us all to quit smoking. By those standards, Gupta is totally qualified. I think conservatives should ask, why do we even have a Surgeon General, and why is it worth our tax dollars, and how constitutional is it anyway?”
***
Yes, I remember Gupta’s smackdown of Michael Moore over Sicko. Mary Katharine Ham points to a few other moments of Gupta’s clarity. I wouldn’t get your hopes up, though. On the core health care policy issues that matter to Obama, I will bet you he’ll have little if any input.
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Report: Solyndra Sold Assets Cheap to Entity with Close Ties to Investors
February 9, 2012 10:08 AM by Doug Powers
47 CommentsFormer Democrat Rep. Regrets Vote for Obamacare Due to Contraceptive Coverage
February 7, 2012 03:40 PM by Doug Powers
73 CommentsMiddle Class Payroll Tax Cut Extension Comes Courtesy of Mortgage Fees on Home Buyers
February 6, 2012 01:36 PM by Doug Powers
35 CommentsHiring Spree in NYC
February 1, 2012 02:47 PM by Doug Powers
43 CommentsMr. and Mrs. Cranky Pants
January 27, 2012 10:35 AM by Michelle Malkin
138 CommentsStimulus-Backed ‘Green’ Bankruptcy of the Week: Ener1
January 26, 2012 03:06 PM by Doug Powers
67 CommentsObama and Jan Brewer Have Words on Airport Tarmac; Update: Brewer Book Sales Skyrocket
January 25, 2012 09:54 PM by Doug Powers
165 CommentsWarren Buffett’s Secretary to Sit with First Lady at State of the Union Speech
January 24, 2012 12:35 PM by Doug Powers
93 Comments
Categories: Barack Obama

The Hill
» Pelosi: 'Colbert used to be my friend'



AmSpecBlog
» No Waiver for Thee

NewsBusters.org
» WashPost Touts Poll That Even Leftists Support Obama on Terrorism, GOP Should Avoid 'Risky' Critiques









I’ve always thought he should have a drink named after him. Imagine:
“Bartender, give me a Wolf Blitzer.”
Or DeepFat Oprah.
Whatever happened to Vera Baker?
insert a mountain of silence here….
Hmmmmm?
So he IS going to be his Press Secretary then.
Hey 30,
Don’t forget:
MistressJustice (what happened to her?)
)
nyk (ahhh, the good ole days)
Chaps (just kidding
I think Dr. Phil would make a fine SG; I can see PEBO stepping into Dr. Phil’s office daily just to hear him say “How’s that workin’ out for ya”; Oh yeh, it’s going to be that bad; Remember, to say PEBO is in over his head is to say the Titanic is just a tad below the surface of the North Atlantic.
No offense, AZ, but that’s just stupid. You’ve spent the past eight years calling the left a bunch of immature, delusional a-holes for the way the treated Reagan and Bush. Now you’re going to become immature, delusional a-holes because a Democrat is in office. In other words, you’re becoming what you loathe. What’s the point?
So how was it in the cave you lived in for the past 8 years?
I thought the office of the surgeon general died during the Clinton presidency. Oh well, whatever…
here are two more consequences of Obama pickshttp://thecitytroll.blogspot.com/2009/01/another-piece-of-obama-brilliance.html
“Calling Dr. Howard”
“Calling Dr. Fine”
“Calling Dr. Howard”
“Sorry President Obama, their not answering.”
“OK, get me Dr. Gupta then.”
the link from the troll should be this sorry
http://thecitytroll.blogspot.com/2009/01/another-piece-of-obama-brilliance.html
I guess you can say that Dr. Gupta at least has experience with what he’ll be doing. You can’t say the same for Panetta at the CIA. I’m not getting too personally worked up over this one, though I certainly do recognize the lightheadedness of this pick.
Hey, he could of picked these guys.
http://www.art.com/asp/sp-asp/_/PD–10204628/The_Three_Stooges_oversized_postcard).htm?sOrig=SCH&ui=2A26BE7EF275466A99870084FC10BA4C
*I’m ok with Dr. Gupta if the emphasis is to educate, not dictate; But I see many areas of the country heading down the slippery “nanny state” slope in regards to individual health and well being; Mayor Bloomberg comes to mind.
*No matter if it’s Dr. Gupta or not, PEBO will use the position for the spearheading of his socialized medicine agenda; Bank on it!
*Feels good not to make 30′s list!
You’re welcome!
I knew I would forget a few of them but he should have been at the top of the list.
Hey there, emjem!
It was a whole thing but it was learned that mistressjustice also posed as nyk, watershed and a few other posters. He/she was banned. I wish I could recall the thread in which the banning occurred but it escapes me.
OMG!! DOCTOR PHIL……….!!!!
WHAT IS OBAMA THINKING!
AMERICA’S SHRINK IS DISSED!
Whoa.
mistressjustice was nyk?? I knew about watershed but didn’t know nyk was also an alt. Was Rusty an alt as well?
That I cannot recall. Prior to the banning mistressjustice enumerated all of the posters we thought were other people. It was rather creepy.
I remember that night and it was really creepy. Talk about going out with a bang.
Interesting! (And I’ll bet she only tried to vote once for Obama.) It’s kind of pathetic to think some liberals need validation from others so much, that they have to create multiple personalities to obtain it.
Thanks for the info on the “wordy one”, 30.
Someone said to me sarcastically, “Who do you want, Doctor Laura?”
I recommend Cher, Rosie O’, and Sean Penn be appointed ambassadors-at-large to anywhere with an unpronounceable name we can send them for as long as possible.
Because the change we need involves beautiful people doing beautiful things in places without hope. We are the world. We are the children. Kumbaya.
Nothing to see here folks. Gupta seems like a good fit. I’m more concerned about Panetta…
What’s next? With the likelihood of Al Franken being named winner of the election in Minnesota, I wonder if Obama has plans for Franken to be the new head of the FCC or chairman of the committee to implement the UN”Fairness Doctrine”?
Yet Another Government Office that should have been abolished years ago…
Sadly, almost everything is considered “constitutional” since they are apparently doing it simply in order “to promote the general welfare” of we the people.
No wonder so many liberals love the nanny welfare state!
(Yes, I am stereotyping but prove me wrong)
After the Constitution was written, many were concerned that the welfare clause-”to promote the general welfare”-could mean the government would do anything it liked, in the name of welfare; in effect, give the government unlimited power. That’s why the 10th amendment was passed. Of course, it is totally ignored today. It’s too bad that states, so willingly, give up their power to D.C., for the money.
Amen Gray! The powers of the federal government are few and well defined! But what is forgotten are the states and the people unfortunately. Even worse; they give up their power, their rights and their liberty for money that already belongs to them.
(Can I still say “us” even though I have been out of the country for about four years now?)
You’re welcome!
I think Gupta will have a lot to say about policy, and I think he was selected because he already knows how to use the media to sell his message.
He is a master of propaganda.
I didn’t realize she’d been banned, but in the “Sarah Palin Rocking Out” there were comments that both posters were black. I rmember reading that and wondering briefly if they were the same person.
I’m not sure about that, when mj was ranting, I think that whole OH YEAH I AM ALSO SUCH AND SUCH was just tugging our chain.
And I thought I have seen nyk post since then.
I don’t think Rusty was one of watershed’s personalities. The last I saw of Rusty, he and I were having a friendly conversation about Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. Haven’t heard from him since. I never had a friendly conversation with any of the other names mentioned.
Unless he’s given a mandate from on high to dictate to us ignernt folk.
Think about it…this is the same guy whose face is on most every tv in most every doctor’s office waiting room, so the familiarity is already there.
I remember that night…it was like reading Poe or some other sufferer of MPD.
Drinking the Koolaid is one thing, but overdosing on it leads to:
Taking Questions about the Transition and Inaugural today. Beast Contributors- Feeding the Beast:)
http://youhavetobethistalltogoonthisride.blogspot.com/2009/01/tucker-carlson-ana-marie-cox-taking.html
And that’s why Obama chose him – BHO propagates diversity in all aspects of his cabinet, except in opinion.
I still think Rusty was Watershed; their writing styles were so indistinguishable -
Pssst…
I am secretly feebiebabe. It allows me to play out my conservative female fetish.
Don’t tell anyone.
I remember the lunatic rants that got her banned. I’m pretty sure she was just BSing about being those other posters. Most have a distinct personality/style that come through in their posts. She was not that clever to fake all of them, although if she was posing as other posters that is worse than creepy. More like a cyber version of Norman Bates.
Dr. Gupta is a lot closer fit for the Surgeon General’s job than many of the other Obama choices.
***
A real surgeon with Navy service looks pretty good to me. This man also seems to have a good heart for helping people.
***
John Bibb
It would be helpful if I could recall the thread in which this occurred. Either way, if I am wrong about the folks mj said he was then – my bad.
Do you think he will prescribe, The Messiah, some nicotine patches? Mr Obama there is easier ways to score your nicotine fix