Gupta opts out of surgeon general consideration

[Bozita]

Source: CNN

updated 1 minute ago


Gupta opts out of surgeon general consideration
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Sanjay Gupta is neurosurgeon, CNN's chief medical correspondent
Gupta mentioned as possible surgeon general in Obama administration
CNN president says Gupta has elected to keep his medical, broadcasting jobs
Next Article in Politics »




(CNN) -- Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, has withdrawn his name from consideration as surgeon general of the United States, CNN U.S. President Jon Klein said Thursday.


Dr. Sanjay Gupta will continue his work as a surgeon and for CNN.

The neurosurgeon made that decision "in order to continue devoting time to his medical career and of course his work at CNN," Klein said.

Read more: http://us.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/05/gupta.surgeon.general/index.html

---

IMHO, Gupta will soon leave CNN. His new status, thanks to Obama, gets him the job of healthcare industry spokesman. Sanjay will be the new Harry and Louise.

[Pastiche423]

1. Good news

[JFKfanforever]

10. So SG will not become SG....TAXES or TIME with family?

No, no, no... don't answer that question.  Let's just be glad
that he withdrew quietly, gracefully, finally.

FAUX reports the story here: 
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/03/05/gupta-withdraws-consideration-surgeon-general/

Now, let's focus on the best replacement... Ideas anyone?

[OhioChick]

2. Pharmaceutical Shill. n/t

[Taverner]

3. Dr Dean for SG!

[Larkspur]

4. Dean can't be Surgeon General

His medical license lapse long ago. He was really qualified for HHS.

[theMark]

11. Just wondering, Does...

...the SG actually have to be licensed physician? It's not like he's actually seeing patients or writing prescriptions.

Curious about what the legal qualifications are.

[cascadiance]

14. hmm... That's not stopping the blogosphere from thinking so...

http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/04/dean-sg/

[rollingrock]

15. The SG position is beneath someone who was a former Governor

its pretty much a worthless ceremonial position with no power to affect any legislation.

[Sultana]

5. Yay!

[peacetalksforall]

6. Good. YES to Dean. A Dem hero.

[Grinchie]

7. So Long Hack!

He will need to do penance for 10 years withour ass kissing the pharmaceutical companies and telling the truth before he will get any respect back.

[Hulk]

8. BRAVO!!

Don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out.

That IS good news!!

[Raine]

9. GREAT news

he was in the pocket of the pharmas, so glad he's out.

[Louis-Emmanuel]

12. One less liar

Thank you Gupta. Don't let the door hit you on your way out.

[Faygo Kid]

13. Nice of him to announce this the day of Obama's Health Care Forum. Obvious.

Like Gregg, this was a setup to embarrass the president.

It's good news that this tool is out, but the timing stinks to high heaven.

Michael Moore was right from the get-go about this guy.

[Liberty Belle]

16. SANJAY GUPTA WON'T BE SURGEON GENERAL

Source: CNN

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, has withdrawn his name from consideration as surgeon general of the United States, he said Thursday.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta will continue his work as a surgeon and for CNN.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta will continue his work as a surgeon and for CNN.

"This is more about my family and my surgical career," Gupta told CNN's "Larry King Live."

The neurosurgeon said he would likely have had to give up practicing had he taken the job as the nation's top doctor.

In addition, the 39-year-old and his wife are expecting their third daughter any time, and the government job would have meant long periods away from his family, he said.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/05/gupta.surgeon.general/index.html

---

How about nominating Howard Dean instead?

[msongs]

17. "The Surgeon General" is not a for-profit TV show after all lol nt

[Alcibiades]

18. He wants to spend more time with his family

i.e. there was a vetting problem.

[Doremus]

32. My thought too -- what did vetting dig up on him? lol

Now I'm curious what they found out. :)

[Alcibiades]

33. Taxes?

Just a guess. With so many other problems in this regard, I bet they decided this was the easy way out.

[Stellabella]

19. Thank. God.

n/t

[llmart]

20. Good!

He's a media whore.

[jmm]

21. He didn't know this until now?

Did he find out yesterday his wife was pregnant? Did he foolishly think he could be Surgeon General and keep up his currently work schedule? He was just stringing everybody along for the attention.

[w4rma]

24. It was shrewd of him to milk the publicity for as long as he could. (nt)

[Iwillnevergiveup]

22. Was just thinking the same thing

HOWARD DEAN!

[Mithreal]

23. Dr. Nick Riviera is available. eom

[Eric Condon]

36. I nominate Dr. Leo Spaceman

He's an excellent doctor, and he's also a pretty good dentist.

[Bette Noir]

40. Dr. Tran!

If you get the reference, you watch too many cartoons.

[scentopine]

25. Good riddence - spend more time with family?

Wonder what they dug up? Ah - who cares, he would only be an impediment to health care and insurance reform. I was very uncomfortable with the Gupta choice.

[Mithreal]

26. Howard Dean may be destined for bigger and better things.

I am starting to think he needs to stand clear of this greedcare mess at least for the time-being. If the President doesn't want him on his staff, then Obama doesn't deserve him.

[Pastiche423]

27. Your last sentence was perfectly said!

[depakid]

43. Precisely

Howard Dean needs to steer well clear of this debacle.

[goclark]

28. Double good ~ Pill Pusher Gupta

I can't take much of him at all.

[elocs]

29. Didn't I read this here hours ago?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3769532

At 4:44 this afternoon.

[onehandle]

30. "This is more about my HUGE BIG PHARMA SPONSORSHIP."

I. Am. Not. Surprised. A. Bit.

On edit: No, it will not be Howard Dean.

[specimenfred1984]

31. After I Piyushed my pants they were all Guptaed up

It took 3 cycles in the wash to clean them up.

[Historic NY]

34. Paging Dr. DEAN.........lets get a real DEMOCRAT in the JOB.

[The Hope Mobile]

38. BINGO!

[NoSheep]

35. So much for public service. I'd be HAPPY to take that pay "CUT".

[Hepburn]

37. Thank gawd. n/t

[Joe Bacon]

39. Calling Dr. Dean!

Just the thought of Dr Dean in the Surgeon General's uniform :)

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

41. Dean would be great, but...

...Rahm won't allow it

[dcindian]

42. Excellent

This guy was the worse of the worse when it came to honesty.