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Keep Sanjay Gupta in the Idiot Box, not at Surgeon General

by: Bob Neer

Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 20:51:18 PM EST

The trial balloon that CNN reporter/Dr. Sanjay Gupta is being considered for Surgeon General should be shot down immediately. Anyone who watched Gupta make a laughable idiot of himself in connection with Michael Moore's Sicko knows he is not qualified for this job (video after the flip).

Krugman, as usual, is on the case:

You don't have to like Moore or his film; but Gupta specifically claimed that Moore "fudged his facts", when the truth was that on every one of the allegedly fudged facts, Moore was actually right and CNN was wrong.

I think we've all had enough of people who ridicule their opponents rather than engaging them in substantive dialogue. That's not the approach Obama ran on, and it's not what we need in a Surgeon General. This country has many wonderful doctors who are models of service, compassion, and thoughtful leadership. Choose one of them as Top Doc. Gupta should stay in, and on, the idiot box.

Bob Neer :: Keep Sanjay Gupta in the Idiot Box, not at Surgeon General

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Keep Sanjay Gupta in the Idiot Box, not at Surgeon General | 19 comments

You know... (6.00 / 3)

...if Obama didn't want one of the best talents in DC to go to waste, he could swallow his pride and appoint Howard Dean already.

~~~~
Believe it or not, I have even more to say...

by: sabutai @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 19:57:33 PM CST

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Thank you. 'nuff said. n/t (6.00 / 2)

by: lightiris @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 20:36:08 PM CST

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Italics (6.00 / 1)

I love thenew little quote at the bottom of your posts.

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by: pablo @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 20:53:16 PM CST

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The Good People Who Make TV, like Sanjay Gupta, Were Essential to Obama's Win. (0.00 / 0)

I mean the win over Hillary Clinton, not McCain. In the cocktails parties of those who earn six and seven figures to bloviate on TV (and in print), the Clintons are considered vile. For instance, that prominent magazine editor who wrote the book on Andrew Jackson recently went on the Daily Show and called the Clintons white trash (basically), getting a chilly response from Jon Stewart's audience.

Obama's people needed to leverage this willingness by elite opinion-makers to revile Hillary to help him beat her. (This is just standard successful politics to use what you can to tear down your opponent--Sam Power calling Hillary a "monster" off the record is just more of this)

Probably Obama's people see a need to keep the beautiful people of TV on Obama's side, and making Sanjay Gupta would flatter not just Gupta but CNN.

Of course, flattering the villagers is smart politics, but what good is smart politics if Obama isn't going to be bold enough in policy to actually help the people in America who need help?

by: joeltpatterson @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 21:19:03 PM CST

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also, a nomination is not a confirmation. (0.00 / 0)

obama will get this political credit even if the guy isn't confirmed, which is always possible.

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by: Laurel @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 21:58:43 PM CST

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is this post even important enough to warrant controversy? (0.00 / 0)

by: JoeTS @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 21:34:38 PM CST

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i was wondering that too. (5.00 / 1)

but i decided that the answer is a certain "yes". the surgeon general has an unusual bully pulpit that can be put to great public health use if the president lets him/her. bush has muzzled his surgeon general to the extent that i don't even know who it is. but surgeons general in the past have done great service by sparking useful debate over the effects of smoking, diet, etc.

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by: Laurel @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 22:02:21 PM CST

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So basically he is powerful or not depending on how the president uses him. (0.00 / 0)

Maybe a TV personality isn't a bad choice then?

I also apologize for calling you a hag.

by: JoeTS @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 23:53:21 PM CST

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if the guy is a good communicator (0.00 / 0)

and understands public health issues, he'll be a good choice.

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by: Laurel @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 13:18:09 PM CST

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Are you kidding me? (4.00 / 1)

Near as I can tell, the Surgeon General's only role is to go on TV and tell people how smoking is bad for you (or that you need a Life-Alert Bracelet). May as well save a step and get someone who's already on TV.

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by: sco @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 22:35:27 PM CST

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One Important Characteristic for SG is Scientific Integrity (6.00 / 1)

Reagan's people wanted C. Everett Koop to testify publicly that terminating a pregnancy caused depression in women, but Koop refused to join their propaganda because he knew the data didn't show any such correlation (much less causation). So, just as we need Attorneys General who tell the President to stay within the law, we need Surgeons General who tell the President (and America) what the science actually is.

by: joeltpatterson @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 18:47:18 PM CST

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I think he's a good pick. (0.00 / 0)

I don't know about this particular controversy, but let's face it - outside the liberal blogosphere Gupta has quite a bit more credibility than Moore. From what I've seen he is very good at explaining health matters in a way people can understand. Besides, this is an apples/oranges comparison anyway; the Surgeon General specializes in medicine, not health care policy.

by: Christopher @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 22:43:20 PM CST

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But isn't that the point? (6.00 / 1)

Gupta used his credibility to shoot Moore down - but Moore had the facts on his side. And the SG is responsible for health care policy, I don't know why you think he "specializes in medicine".

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by: JohnT001 @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 23:43:12 PM CST

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mostly bully pulpit (0.00 / 0)

I stand by my understanding that the SG is not a key player in formulating policy relative to access to health care and insurance issues. That's more HHS Secretary turf. The SG is more R&D and advocacy regarding health awareness.

by: Christopher @ Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:57:42 AM CST

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Ah.. but advocacy for whom? (6.00 / 1)

One of the reasons Koop was so highly regarded is that Reagan wanted him to do a John Yoo and advocate for the administration's position even when there was no science behind it (or worse). A yes-man in this position under Bush would advocate for abstinence only education - a favorite of the administration - despite all the science indicating that it simple isn't good policy. Koop realized that his ultimate advocacy mission was not for Reagan but for us. The fear about Gupta based on the Moore incident is that he may be too willing to advocate for his boss rather than the truth. Similarly, Yoo's position was supposed to be a check against stretching the law by providing an opinion based on the law and not advocacy for an administration position. By being a yes-man, he subverted the whole intent, not only eliminating any check on power the position was meant for, but actively providing cover for administration policies he was supposed to check.

"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that things are difficult." - Seneca (5 BC - 65 AD)

by: Mr Lynne @ Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 13:39:22 PM CST

[ Parent ]

was surprised at first (0.00 / 0)

but it seems kind of perfect. the surgeon general is basically an ambassador to the public on health matters, and that is an extention of who he has been on cnn for years. unlike so many others on tv he is not reviled by the masses as far as I know. And it doesn't hurt to have another person of color in the administration.

by: Austie77 @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 23:14:36 PM CST

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Obama ran on what? Dialogue? He runs and hides whenever the conversation gets hot. (3.00 / 1)

That or he begins to emit unintelligable babble!

by: MCRD @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 12:46:20 PM CST

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The Surgeon General isn't just a spokesperson (5.00 / 1)

The SG heads the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps which consists of ~6000 commissioned health care workers. The SG would be expected to spend more time managing other aspects of the job than the occasional public health campaign.

This pick looks really weak to me.

by: HR's Kevin @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 12:56:01 PM CST

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Weak, yes, and possibly more than that in a negative direction (6.00 / 2)

a few items on this in my inbox included the Krugman piece and some others, see below. None of the background info bodes well for Gupta being a pick that would benefit the American people. I hope his name being floated is indeed a mere "trial balloon" and that it's merely a mass of hot air that will be deflated before any harm is done.

COUNTERPUNCH
CNN's Sanjay Gupta, Laura Bush and the Marketing of Merck's Gardasil
Doctoring the News
By PAM MARTENS
CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, was raising eyebrows five months before he bungled his fact-checking segment on Michael Moore's health care documentary, "Sicko," leaving Moore and many of CNN's viewers questioning Gupta's journalistic integrity. Writing on his CNN blog on February 28, 2007, Dr. Gupta endorsed Merck's controversial and scientifically challenged vaccine for girls and young women, Gardasil, without shedding any light on the incestuous relationship he has with Merck....
http://www.counterpunch.org/ma...
AND
CROOKS AND LIARS
TOPICS * White House
Obama's Pick For Surgeon General: CNN's Sanjay Gupta
By Nicole Belle Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 7:00pm...
http://crooksandliars.com/nico...

by: AnnEM @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 14:20:55 PM CST

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Keep Sanjay Gupta in the Idiot Box, not at Surgeon General | 19 comments