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Gupta for surgeon general?

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor January 6, 2009 05:01 PM

Sanjay Gupta, well known to TV viewers as the medical correspondent for CNN and CBS, is in line to become surgeon general, the Washington Post is reporting this afternoon.

The Post's media writer, Howard Kurtz, says that Gupta met President-elect Barack Obama in Chicago in November, is undergoing final vetting, and wants the post. Gupta would have an expanded role in formulating healthcare policy, Kurtz reports.

UPDATE: The Post said Gupta declined to comment, and CNN said he would not comment on the reports.

CNN did confirm today that Gupta has been approached about the job, and said it has kept Gupta from reporting on healthcare policy and other matters involving the incoming Obama administration since learning he was under consideration for the post.

"Since first learning that Dr. Gupta was under consideration for the surgeon general position, CNN has made sure that his on-air reporting has been on health and wellness matters and not on health care policy or any matters involving the new administration."

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Yes Yes yes, Sanjay is the man for the job....Obama is a very smart president elect.
Bill

Posted by william callahan January 6, 09 03:44 PM
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Great, smart choice with a young energy and forward thinking to make a big difference in health care in this country. I can't imagine anyone opposing him.

Posted by paul from boston January 6, 09 03:49 PM
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Great, So know we're tapping talking heads for Positions in Washington. I think Wolf Blitzer should be secratary of defense. What are Gupta's qualifications

Posted by MEAN1 January 6, 09 03:57 PM
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Maybe they can dust off Judge Wapner for Attorney General, what a joke.

Posted by OTC January 6, 09 04:25 PM
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The man is a highly respected neurosurgeon, not a talking head. Yes, he is a medical correspondent, but first and foremost he is a doctor. He proved that when he was in Iraq and performed brain surgury on an Iraqi who was injured while he was reporting. I think he'd be an excellent choice, as his credentials are top notch AND he has the gift of communication. A huge part of the surgeon general's job is communicating with us poor slobs who don't lead healthy lives. Maybe all the people who smoke and make other poor lifestyle choices will listen to him! (oh, and I am a Republican who did NOT vote for Obama).

Posted by Zoe January 6, 09 05:05 PM
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What the heckll!!! Why doesn’t the president-elect pick somebody who cares about the public and public health? In addition to being a sensationalist and preoccupied with his looks, he represents everything that is wrong with our healthcare system!

Posted by D January 6, 09 05:08 PM
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Qualifications? Dr. Gupta has plenty. He is a highly respected and working neurosurgeon in Atlanta. CNN is his part time job. When he was embedded with the Navy in 2003 at the beginning of the Iraq war as a reporter, he performed 5 emergency brain surgeries including one on a 2 year old child. All of the effective surgeons general have had good communication skills which allowed them to bring important public health concerns to our attention. Dr. Gupta certainly again qualifies. I think this is a great choice.

Posted by Citizen45 January 6, 09 05:08 PM
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MEAN1 and OTC: Sanjay Gupta is actually a practicing neurosurgeon in Atlanta, so he isn't merely a media figure. He is up-to-date with current evidence-based medicine, and has had adequate exposure to the political world via CNN. These factors will enable him to be an effective Surgeon General.

Posted by Christina January 6, 09 05:20 PM
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Good pick! Sanjay fits the job. Go Obama 08/12!

Posted by Fred January 6, 09 06:07 PM
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Gupta has demonstrated a sincere interest in removing current informed consent protections. These already stretch governmental authority by denying access to public facilities on the basis of inoculation. His commentaries are generally on the side of pharmaceutical corporations and slant towards an attitude that medicine is infallible.

I would rather see a Family Practice physician with a public health background in this important and influential post than a hack for pharma.

Voting for Obama was an exercise in voting for someone who would attract (contrast the current maladministration) the right people. Selection of Gupta is another in a string of poor choices by the President-Elect.

Posted by Mark Richards January 6, 09 06:17 PM
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Mean1: Gupta is a neuro surgeon, associate chief of neurosurgery and an assistant professor at a medical school. His undergraduate and MD degrees are from University of Michigan. And oh yes, he also worked for CNN.

Can you share why you think Dr. Gupta is just a talking head and not a qualified, young/energetic doctor who can do some good for this country and its people?

Posted by JoeBoston January 6, 09 06:40 PM
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Gupta went after Michael Moore after he released "Sicko"; this guy is a shill for Big-Health/Big-Pharma (and he is a republican)

BUT, he is a celebrity, like Obama

Posted by dontdrinkthekoolaid January 6, 09 07:45 PM
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Being a neurosurgeon by itself should disqualify him! The last thing we need is a CNN trained neurosurgeon who has no clue about the healthcare delivery and financing crisis this country is facing right now! Wait! Actually it is good, since the Surgeon General has no actual powers at all. Thank you Mr. President Elect for not considering him for HHS! We dodged a bullet! It is very good for those who get their critical health care and other important information from CNN instead of thinking!

Posted by D January 6, 09 07:56 PM
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This is absurd!!!!!

There is no possible way that the Administration is seriously looking to fill the Surgeon General position at this point. They are still filling in Cabinet and White House positions and it will be weeks before they begin to give serious consideration to lesser jobs.

Someone may have spoken to Dr. Gupta and the media machine at CNN has taken it to the extreme.

Posted by Andrew January 6, 09 08:04 PM
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I agree a pretty good choice. Can someone tell me how Leon Panetta and Janet Napolitano are good choices? Panetta has no background in Intelligence and Napolitano has no regard for the Immigration laws of this Country. Based on the times we live in, these may be the most dangerous and ill advised Cabinet selections in the History of our Country.

Posted by Jim January 6, 09 08:36 PM
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Obama is a communications man and Sanjay has an immense talent in this respect.
I have tracked this man since his debut on CNN and I have developed nothing but admiration and respect for him. He fuses journalism and medical like a dream and he delivers the message to the core. He is just a competant young Doctor who is very versetile in every respect.He had a chance to demonstrate his abilities globally and has done so with great honor and skill. He is the right pick for the job. Go Obama Go!

Posted by George Kwaramba January 7, 09 10:32 AM
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