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.
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- The Everlasting Phelps » Blog Archive » Impressive
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- I Kid You Not: Obama Choses PEOPLE magazine’s “Sexiest Men Alive” For Surgeon General | Right Voices
- Picking Dr. Sanjay Gupta was an absolutely brilliant move! | Political Byline
- First Panetta... now CNNs Sanjay Gupta for surgeon general. - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!
- Left Of Center » Blog Archive » Who’s Sanjay Gupta? Don’t Ask Savage.
- “Sexiest Man Alive” to be Obama’s Surgeon General | Fire Andrea Mitchell!
- Peter Principle - The Redux UPDATE 2 « Conservative Pilgrim
- Why don’t we just stop voting and just hire a casting director. It would be a lot cheaper. (Obama) « Goodtimepolitics
- Hard Starboard
- Obama Wants That CNN Guy As Surgeon General « Beltway Snark
- Celebritocracy — Cranach: The Blog of Veith
- Catching Up: Tuesday Round Up « Jane Q. Republican
- It’s About Making Babies! » Blog Archive » What kind of chain does Hillary hold over Obama??
- Health Care BS - SANJAY GUPTA: ANYONE KRUGMAN DISLIKES …
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- Offering It Up » January 13
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New oxymoron: “Obama intelligence team.”
Is there any country on this stinking earth that has a conservative guaranteed political system and population? Sanjay Gupta? WTF? This isn’t funny, anymore. BOHICA forever.
So Obamas main requirement for the job is the ability to talk on tv????
Looking hard at airfare prices out of the country…
William Shatner for Attorney General!
Betty White for White House secretary!
Susan Lucci for Cultural Arts secretary!
Jimmy Carter for HUD secretary!
SHHHH!!
YOu don’t want to give them any ideas!
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
His first choice was to promote Captain Kangaroo, but when he found out he was still dead, he went with this guy….
Ryan Seacrest was Obama’s first choice for Press Secretary but he turned it down to do American Idol in 2009.
Montell Williams for Treasury Secretary. (Sorry, he’s selling the Obama coinage, it seemed fitting)
$100 to the person who can find an authentic letter from the office of the President after Jan 21 telling Panetta he’s got to fire Jack Bauer because his methods are not acceptable in this administration.
$200 if you also include Panetta’s response, “Sir, Jack Bauer is a television character”
hulk hogan; secretary of defense
Professor Irwin Corey for Secretary of Education !
Not sure I see the problem here. A surgeon general is charged with communicating with the public, so Gupta’s TV background will come in handy.
And he served in the white house in the early 90s, so he’s not a political neophyte.
His education and work history seem to make him perfectly qualified for a post like this.
So what’s the problem, exactly? You don’t like him because he’s on CNN?
Seriously, did you notice Gupta’s past policy experience…helping Hillary Clinton.
For 8 years we had Cheney and Bush Sr. puppeteering W and now we will get 4 to 8 years of Billary puppeteering Barry.
This country is halfway down the sewer pipe.
Sean Connery to head the CIA.
Sylvester Stallone to be the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Clint Eastwood to be the head of his Secret Service detail.
Oprah Winfrey to be the Press Secretary.
Also don’t forget when he was embedded with some soldiers in 2003, he performed emergency brain surgery on an injured soldier.
Its not like this guy is Dr. Phil.
This is starting to not be funny anymore.
I heard H. Montana is going to be entertainment secretory. The ‘o’ girls are thrilled.
L
…but I’ll make sure he gets your message.”
Remember when the NEA released a press statment saying that they supported President Bartlet’s position on education? Bartlet?!? Yeah, that’s the character from the show West Wing.
I wouldn’t put this past the B.O. He’s such an empty suit.
Unlike all those guys doing commercials he is a real doctor. Brain surgeon.
How about Mario Battali for White House Chef? Arugula and Ham sandwiches for the kiddies on their way to school in the Quaker Hood.
I think Dog would be a great choice, since we’ve already gone down that T.V. celebrity road.
I seem to recall Tony Snow being a pretty popular Press Secretary here.
I assure you my brother would be far better, but he does not like socialized medicine.
How about Nancy Grace as Attorney General? Then we could finally get to the bottom of all these unsolved crimes.
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?
Chap: Good on him, it still doesn’tr qualify him for the job. Obama is proving how clueless he truely is.
But he’s more than just a doctor, he’s also an expert on the root causes of terrorism, which is why he was interviewed during the Bombay massacre.
/sarc
Actually ,I don’t have a problem with Dr. Gupta. We’re having fun about the media celebrity domination of the culture in which many people get their ‘news’ and information from the ‘Daily Show’ ,Oprah, SNL and other shallow entertainment oriented media.
He wouldn’t have made a good surgeon general either.
Celebrity or not, the guy has serious chops and has served in a policy advisory role before. And brings instant recognition to the post. I don’t know whether that translates into greater credibility, but I don’t think it is far-fetched to think so.
Is this the first appointee of Indian descent?
No disrespect to Dr. Gupta but this is rather transparent.
One big happy family under the rainbow……
(music fades as happy unicorn rides offscreen)
Sanjay Gupta…
Well, he is more qualified than Leon Panetta is to run the CIA.
True….
Just like Hugo Chavez, the USA’s game show President. No qualifications required.
Did you know that Hugo Chavez has a weekly TV show, sometimes it runs all day, where he has cabinet members on who he asks questions like, why have you failed, and then proceeds to hang them out to dry. The people cheer and think Chavez is great, he is doing something. Yes he is doing something, transferring the blame.
Chavez votes present …
But now that the oil has stopped baking free pies, more change is needed. Maybe he will move to public hangings.
Seems like he is more qualified to be SG than BHO is to be POTUS. At least he has something more substantial on his resume than a speech in 2004.
Gupta is a strong advocate of the Gore based global warming mantra…. that alone makes him unqualified. Secondly, his feel good performances on TV show him to be a lightweight in front of cameras… true he may have cred as a brain surgeon….. but still…… CNN?…. sheesh
MNUSMCDavid – exactly. I have no problem with his medical expertise, but he frequently presents himself as an expert in non-medical areas. And I suspect that as SG, he will continue in that mode and make policy based on global warmings detrimental health effects, or poverty must be eradicated because of its negative effect on the general health of the population, etc.
I guess Joycelyn Elders was not available.
Ugh….Ah well look at his cabnet picks, more so in the Intel area. This administration has failure wrote all over it. Not because he’s not picking people that have been in DC for years, but as he is in half, and the other half is friends or people with no merit for those positions. But hey they look “electable” and “Pretty” and care about the “Fad” movements the mob wants done.
Of course I can’t critize openly the Administration of the First Black (HALF!) President, it would make me a racist and over-reactionist. But I can always hang a Bush doll in a noose and thats A-ok, new American way!.
God this country makes me sick.
Dr. Phil was not available?
Well I’m sure Cheech Marin could be arm-twisted into heading the Drug Enforcement Agency. That would put another tick on to the racial scorecard for the hispanics.
As for Gupta, what do we expect from a Twinkie administration? He’s not going to appoint heavyweights to invite comparisons to his own shortcomings.
Oh, good one chapoutier. You are so right since Snow had only been a news anchor, reporter, political commentator, host of a political show, a former White House speech writer, and a radio talk show host, he was no where near qualified for being the press secretary which has nothing to do with politics or the press or being able to write and deliver speeches.
Please don’t forget Jocelyn Elders. By Clinton standards Mr. Gupta is Einstein and Schweitzer times ten. If you have to fill a useless post like this he is a good choice.
Ah yes, the SG who wore her uniform with an AIDS ribbon festively pinned on the lapel. Had any member of the armed forces done anything of the sort (like wearing a campaign pin for ANY candidate on their uniform), they would be subject to an Article 15 for improper wear of the uniform. But, I must recall that liberals can do whatever they wish because the rules don’t apply to them!
Gupta has been a recognized brain surgeon, policy advisor, frequent and award winning commenter and reporter on health issues. I guess none of those things have anything to do with being the face of the Administration’s health policy arm, do they?
C’mon guys, look at it this way: the more goofs and weirdos that are installed in the “Magic Negro Circus” will just make the whole thing more of an absolute joke, and will help guarantee the implosion of America’s first Affirmative Action President before the year is out.
The only way this country is going to learn what a danger Liberals are to freedom and democracy is to get an absolute belly full of the morons.
And yes, it will just about destroy America, but this is what the voting idiots wanted, so let them have it. Just be ready to rub their noses in every delightful morsel and gaffe, and be ready to write “I Told you So” at every turn. Keep them totally pissed off and take joy as they explode.
Cynthia Mckinney for head of the secret service.
Seriously, since when do personal or academic qualifications play any part in government appointments?
Just out of curiosity, when he performed brain surgery for the Navy those five times. Who was paying for his malpractice insurance? Neurosurgery malpractice insurance ain’t cheap.
It USED to be important…. But in the hopy changy world, only “fame” matters.
Unfortunately, with the intel choice it may be thousands of Americans that pay the price for a complete moron being appointed to a high level office where intel experience is needed.
Gupta, well. Obambi had to pay back his cronies and servants at CNN. This appointment legitimizes them, all of them including Nancy Grace.
At least, it’s not Deepak Chopra and his bag of majic cures.
There are dozens more qualified, but they don’t have tv shows and are not “sexy”
Dooooo the hopey changey… (to the tune of the hokey pokey)
If so, why haven’t I ever heard of him?
**whistles & goes back to cleaning gun & reading Bible**
A different take on the Panetta pick.
You can hire a Public Health Nurse for that at $100K a year. Koop, Elders, now CNNs answer to Katie Couric. A good competent Public Health Nurse is looking better all the time. Sanjay Gupta my arse.
And now Sean Penn will lead off the inauguration parade with the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies. Perhaps the Twilight Zone was NOT fiction? I am trapped!
Whatever happened to the good old way of starting at the bottom and working your way to the top? It would seem to me that the best leaders are the ones who know every postion in the company they are leading and what the person in that position is responsible for doing. Let’s look at the CIA for example. Would someone please tell me what Leon knows about the spy business? Has he even seen every “007″ movie? I always respected the boss who knew what my job was and never asked me to do something he (or she) had not done themselves or would do. I guess these days in Washington you get the leadership role because of who you know and not because of what you know.
Yeah, Katie Couric performs brain surgeries on a routine basis.
Idiocracy. I’m tellin’ ya, we’re almost there…..
Gupta may be a good surgeon. So are a lot of other surgeons, many of whom are probably more qualified than Gupta to hold a high public policy position. But Odopey probably doesn’t know any other qualified candidates, so he goes for whom he sees on TV.
Maybe he’ll appoint House if Gupta doesn’t fly…
Not an appointment for Oprah?
Compared to the horrors of having corrupt Luddite Carol Browner at the EPA, putting a fluffy bunny daytime talking head in the relatively harmless post of Surgeon General is one I’ll let Chairman Zero have.
She talks on television, sometimes about her colon, which is what we are told Sanjay Gupta’s strong suit is. The Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) is one more repetitive Federal Agency we do not need. It makes stars, or in this case hires them, to do what other Federal agencies do. That kind of non sense is why many of us refer to it as Fedzilla.
I repeat: Everett Koop, Jocelyn Elders- two over paid, unnecessary talking heads. If Sanjay Gupta is a good guy or a good surgeon I do not know and I do not watch CNN. But star power does not solve problems.
Once each year I DO NOT say something mean, cruel and nasty-just once and you used it up Tazed and Confused.
Who?
Is that all you people are going to do here for the next four years, just whine about everything? If you don’t like that conservatives lost everything this election cycle why don’t you stop crying and go get involved in local politics or the RNC or something where you can put your talents to work instead of just being a bunch of crybabies. For crying out loud.
“What next? Judge Judy for the next Supreme Court opening?”
having watched Judge Judy for years I would say she would make a good tag-team partner for Scalia.
If she were on the court now she might tell Newdow to take a leap
No surprise here…Obama won because he looked “cool”.
Did George Clooney turn down the job?
Has any yet posted why they believe Gupta is unqualified?
Or any other words, what are the qualifications of Surgeon General?
ArizonalNeaderthal,
What is the “problem” that the Surgeon General is responsible to fix?
Judge Judy woulld have been a better choice than “ACLU” Ruth Ginsberg!
Wonder who has the best pecs PEBO or Gupta???
Funny … I missed all of you libs over at the Leon Panetta thread … what, nothing good to say about Obama selecting him for Head of the CIA? Laughable.
Gupta for SG? Fine. He’ll sit in an office and give a few speeches, and disappear into the fold. I can’t see an SG office anyway, except to tell us how terrible we are, in our own health, and promote “pc” theories.
No, we are also going to sit around and think of ways to irritate weenies, whimps and other assorted Liberals. You see Dear imjustsaying we plan to give President Barack Hussein, Allah be Praised, Obama just as much slack as the Left gave Presidents Reagan and Bush II.
Now which and how many of us are involved in the Party, Political Process and other issues YOU have no way of knowing. The Kenya Outreach Program and his flunkies bear watching and challenging and we plan do do both.
Are you lusting after Jocelyn Elders right about now?
Well, he is really cute, you know.
Worst thing about it is that these bizarre nominations will fly because the American people, out of weariness or apathy, no longer give a damn. It’s going down just as Bill O’Reilly quipped; Americans are selling out capitalism and freedoms for socialism to feel secure and cared for.
No wonder NY radio jocks are saying Conservatism’s a dead man walking!
James Greenidge
Queens, New York
There are legitimate concerns and contentions regarding the CIA pick. Complaining about this pick, particularly given the absence of reasons that people have for complaining about it, seems petty.
It would take time and effort that I really don’t feel like giving to point out the reasons why the CIA pick may be a good idea. It really doesn’t take any effort at all to point of the foolishness of this post, and those supporting it.
And this is the best you can do?
Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. “Parade Rest”
How about CNN business reporter Richard Quest for “business czar”? He’s known for working through many knotty personal business situations. All in all, he seems like a fun guy.
Rosie O’Donnell for the new cabinet position; Secretary of Mental Health and Social Diversity.
You enjoy a good
debateargument. In fact, we have tussled in the past. Not totally convinced that’s the reason.Anywhoo, I simply found it telling that you all come out in droves in this thread.
Jared for Secretary of Health and Human Services.
http://www.subway.com/subwayroot/MenuNutrition/Jared/index.aspx
What about Norman? Norman Hsu? I see a pardon in his future … I won’t go as far to say that he’ll end up in BO’s administration but anything can happen.
I need a list of the trolls in here. I can spot a few…but would like a list. Can you help me out?
Read this and then bitch about the man.
I can’t and just because I’m a Conservative I’m not going to.
After seeing Dr. Gupta on the CNN network piped into my a number of Drs. I have visited, he seems articulate and knowledgeable. At least we are dealing with another Clinton retread Jocelyn Elders.
I really wanted Jocelyn Elders back…….bummer
mpChops, it’s really not that hard to be qualified to be Surgeon General. Actually, Gupta is not all that bad of a choice. He’s a doctor and did perform that brain surgery in Iraq. My only worry is that he ends up being a complete moron like Koop or Elders. Hopefully, he will not wade through the same cesspool as those two.
Some political appointments seem wacky when they are made but really do make sense. Reagan chose John Gavin to be ambassador to Mexico. The liberals laughed because Gavin is an actor. But he also spoke fluent spanish; his family name was Golenor and they were from Spain. His mother’s family (Pablos) was from Sonora, Mexico. So all in all, the choice was good. Despite what the liberals said.
Hopefully, Gupta will do fine.
imjustsayin
ilovemycountry
mpchops
red state skeptic
lgm
edelweiss
huggybear
moonshot
This isn’t comprehensive, but it should be good enough to begin with.
Obama seems “articulate and knowledgeable” when he has a teleprompter in front of him. I don’t watch CNN so I have never seen nor heard of this guy. Where is Dr. Kildare when you really need him? (Just saying – if you really wanted to hire a TV personally that all of the “old” people would listen too – my grandmother swore by him and never missed an episode.) The early ’60’s – those were the good years.
True…From what I have read, Gupta is very smart. May be he is like prodigy Bobby Jindal and so is able to rise quickly without need for long resume of various posts.
I hope he doesn’t earn a military pension from this gig. In fact, any civilian appointed directly to this postion should not earn a military pension from this and I don’t care who appointed them.