Obama Flexes Centrist, Couch Potato Credentials in Surgeon General Pick
Politics Daily —
... Barack Obama hasn't even taken office yet, and he's already gotten so lazy that he's just ordering administrators off the TV. We're talking about CNN's televised doctor, Sanjay Gupta, whom Obama is prepared to tap for surgeon general... ...
Surgeon General Gupta?
The Page by Mark Halperin - TIME.com —
... WashPost: Obama has offered the Surgeon General position to journalist Sanjay Gupta, of CNN and CBS.
Howard Kurtz: "Gupta has told administration officials that he wants the job, and the final vetting process is under way... He is expected to accept the position within days."
Gupta, a neurosurgeon, is also a TIME contributor. ...
Paging Doctor Gupta–For Surgeon General
The Hill's Blog Briefing Room —
... CNN personality and Dr. Sanjay Gupta may become surgeon general in President-elect Obama's administration, according to a report Tuesday. Gupta, the cable news channel's long-standing medical correspondent, would become the administration's leading public voice on health care issues. According to the Washington Post , Gupta met with Obama's transition team in November and has tentatively accepted the job, pending final vetting by the transition. The Post said Gupta, a graduate of the University of Michigan's undergraduate and medical schools, is set to accept the position ...
Paging Dr. Gupta
Political Punch —
... Paging Dr. Gupta January 06, 2009 3:00 PM President-elect Obama has asked CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta to be Surgeon General, the Washington Post's Howard Kurtz reports . Gupta -- who was a White House Fellow during the Clinton years -- wants the gig, Kurtz says. "Gupta's only hesitation in taking the post is said to involve the financial impact on his pregnant wife and two children if he gives up his lucrative medical and journalistic careers. But he is expected to accept the position within days." No word on any job offers to Drs. Oz or Phil. -- jpt January 6, 2009 | ...
Surgeon General Gupta
Ben Smith's Blog —
Howard Kurtz has the day's most entertaining scoop: CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta is on the road to being named Surgeon General.
Great politics, and a smart pick for a role that's largely about communications.
And perhaps another snub for the other physician who'd been mentioned for the job, Dr. Howard Dean.
And Nancy Grace for Solicitor General?
The Corner —
... ] Howard Kurtz reports : Obama has offered the job of surgeon general to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the neurosurgeon and correspondent for CNN and CBS, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation. Gupta has told administration officials that he wants the job, and the final vetting process is under way. He has asked for a few days to figure out the financial and logistical details of moving his family from Atlanta to Washington but is expected to accept the offer. When reached for comment today, Gupta did not deny the account but declined to comment. Actually, I think ...
Obama Wants Journalist Gupta for Surgeon General
Democratic Underground Latest Breaking News —
... for comment today, Gupta did not deny the account but declined to comment. The offer followed a two-hour Chicago meeting in November with Obama, who said that Gupta could be the highest-profile surgeon general in history and would have an expanded role in providing health policy advice, the sources said. Gupta later spoke with Tom Daschle, Obama's White House health czar and nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, and other advisers to the president-elect. Read more: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2009/01/06/o...
Paging Doctor... Surgeon General?
Swampland - TIME.com —
... Apparently, Obama wants to name CNN's talking-head neurosurgeon, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, as Surgeon General. Gupta is an accomplished surgeon, Emory University medical professor and award-winning journalist, who has covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the tsunami in Sri Lanka. He's also not totally unpolitical, having served as a White House fellow in 1997 and as an advisor to Hillary Clinton.
But picking a television personality -- and here I mean no disrespect, the guy is clearly a multi-tasking genius -- leaves the door open for a just a tiny bit of ...
Sanjay Gupta For Surgeon General?
ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES —
That's what Washington Post says: President-elect Barack Obama has offered the job of surgeon general to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the neurosurgeon and correspondent for CNN and CBS, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation I have no real opinion on what this might mean, but I remembered posting something earlier on Dr. Gupta. It looks like I might have to keep an eye on him.
Gupta Offered Job of Surgeon General
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire —
President-elect Obama has offered the job of surgeon general to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the neurosurgeon and correspondent for CNN and CBS, according to Howard Kurtz. ...
Gupta: From CNN to Surgeon General?
Michael Calderone's Blog —
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, seen regularly on CNN and CBS, has been offered the position of surgeon general job, according to the Washington Post. Gupta has already spoken to both networks about possibly breaking his contract.
From The Post:
The offer followed a two-hour Chicago meeting in November with Obama, who said that Gupta could be the highest-profile surgeon general in history and would have an expanded role in providing health policy advice, the sources said. Gupta later spoke with Tom Daschle, Obama's White House health czar and nominee for Health and ...
Sanjay Gupta, Surgeon General?
The Huffington Post | Full News Feed —
... also is a correspondent for CBS.
The surgeon general typically isn't heavily involved in shaping an administration's policy, but it can be a very effective bully pulpit. Past surgeons general have proved instrumental in battling tobacco and AIDS.
Having a person comfortable on television could perhaps elevate the now relatively obscure position, and be helpful for Obama, who is personally very health conscious.
* * * * *
More details from the Washington Post's Howard Kurtz:
The offer followed a two-hour Chicago ...
Sanjay Gupta, Surgeon General?
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com —
... also is a correspondent for CBS.
The surgeon general typically isn't heavily involved in shaping an administration's policy, but it can be a very effective bully pulpit. Past surgeons general have proved instrumental in battling tobacco and AIDS.
Having a person comfortable on television could perhaps elevate the now relatively obscure position, and be helpful for Obama, who is personally very health conscious.
* * * * *
More details from the Washington Post's Howard Kurtz:
The offer followed a two-hour Chicago ...
Showbiz
Suburban Guerrilla —
... 3 p.m. ET: Well, if the Obama team was looking to put the bumpiness of the Panetta and Richardson stories behind them, this is a good way: Sanjay Gupta is tentatively set to become the next U.S. Surgeon General. He narrowly beat out Dr. Phil for the post. (The joke was just sitting there, waiting for someone to make it.) ...
For Sugeon General, Versailles' finest
Corrente —
Obama Wants Journalist Gupta for Surgeon General
By Howard Kurtz
President-elect Barack Obama has offered the job of surgeon general to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the neurosurgeon and correspondent for CNN and CBS, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation.
Gupta has told administration officials that he wants the job, and the final vetting process is under way. He has asked for a few days to figure out the financial and logistical details of moving his family from Atlanta to Washington but is expected to accept the ...
The trouble with Sanjay Gupta
Paul Krugman —
So apparently Obama plans to appoint CNN’s Sanjay Gupta as Surgeon General. I don’t have a problem with Gupta’s qualifications. But I do remember his ...
Surgeon General Gupta?
Political Animal —
SURGEON GENERAL GUPTA?.... I should concede at the outset that I don't watch CNN often, but I've caught Dr. Sanjay Gupta on occasion, and he strikes me as quite capable in discussing medical issues. With that in mind, Barack Obama could do a lot worse in a surgeon general . President-elect Barack Obama has offered the job of surgeon general to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the neurosurgeon and correspondent for CNN and CBS, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation. Gupta has told administration officials that he wants the job, and the final vetting process is under way. ...
CNN's Gupta: A Surgeon General Who Backs an Obesity Tax?
NewsBusters.org - Exposing Liberal Media Bias —
... According to Kurtz's column, Gupta, a neurosurgeon who has worked as a CNN and CBS medical correspondent, "told administration officials that he wants the job." ...
Obama picks Sanjay Gupta as top doc
The Swamp —
... President-elect Barack Obama has reportedly decided on Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the neurosurgeon who serves as CNN's chief medical correspondent, for his surgeon general, according to a report on Washingtonpost.com. ...
Obama taps Sanjay Gupta for Surgeon General?
Hot Air » Top Picks —
... to run CIA, The One’s at least given us an honest-to-goodness doctor for this job. Gupta has told administration officials that he wants the job, and the final vetting process is under way. He has asked for a few days to figure out the financial and logistical details of moving his family from Atlanta to Washington but is expected to accept the offer… The offer followed a two-hour Chicago meeting in November with Obama, who said that Gupta could be the highest-profile surgeon general in history and would have an expanded role in providing health policy advice, the sources ...
Sanjay Gupta for Surgeon General
Shakesville —
I want to say "Sounds Good!" just to keep the S.G. theme going, but, unfortunately, this selection doesn't sound that good, at least for some of us, because Dr. Gupta is an "obesity epidemic" guy who occasionally likes to ...
A Celebrity SG:
The Volokh Conspiracy —
President-elect Obama wants Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN and CBS News to be the next Surgeon General. [What? You thought this post was about the other SG?] According to Obama, Gupta "could be the highest-profile surgeon general in history and would have an expanded role in providing health policy advice," according to the Washington Post 's sources. I'm sure Gupta is suitably qualified for the post. As Yuval Levin notes , it has been some time since the Surgeon General has been more than a glorified, uniformed spokesperson for government medical authorities, our own Nanny-in-Chief.
Sanjay Gupta for surgeon general?
The Reaction —
By Michael J.W. Stickings The WaPo's Howard Kurtz is reporting that Obama has asked celebrity tele-Dr. Sanjay Gupta, he of CNN and CBS fame, to be the new surgeon general. Now, I'm in no position to question Gupta's abilities as a neurosurgeon or otherwise his medical qualifications. He may very well be an excellent doctor, as he seems to be (he performed brain surgery during the Iraq invasion in 2003). Furthermore, there is no doubt that he is telegenic and that he would make an excellent spokesman for public health issues. And, indeed, what's needed in that position is not so ...
Good Grief
RIGHTWINGSPARKLE —
The apparent selection of a CNN health reporter, Dr. Sanjay Gupta for the post of Surgeon General should be no surprise. I mean we have a two year Senator about to be President. We seem to have elected AL FRANKEN, for God's sake, as a Senator. A freakin Saturday Night Live comedian. The Terminator is Governor of California, and we all know that it's just a matter of time before Oprah is appointed to something. After all, she was the force that lifted Obama to celebrity status. ...
Krugman: Sicko & the Trouble With Sanjay Gupta
Tennessee Guerilla Women —
... So apparently Obama plans to appoint CNN’s Sanjay Gupta as Surgeon General. I don’t have a problem with Gupta’s qualifications. But I do remember his ...
Dr. Sanjay Gupta… for Surgeon General?
The Moderate Voice —
The WaPo’s Howard Kurtz is reporting that Obama has asked celebrity tele-Dr. Sanjay Gupta, he of CNN and CBS fame, to be the new surgeon general.
Now, I’m in no position to question Gupta’s abilities as a neurosurgeon or otherwise his medical qualifications. He may very well be an excellent doctor, as he seems to be (he performed brain surgery during the Iraq invasion in 2003). Furthermore, there is no doubt that he is telegenic and that he would make an excellent spokesman for public health issues. And, indeed, what’s needed in that position is not so much expertise in medicine as the ability to communicate effectively with the broader public, that is, ...
CNN's Sanjay Gupta Gets Blitzed by Michael Moore (Video)
Tennessee Guerilla Women —
For those of us who care greatly about the miserable state of U.S. health care, Obama's pick of Sanjay Gupta for Surgeon General is disturbing. In the chilling flashback (video) below, Michael Moore sets CNN's Sanjay Gupta straight! When it comes to health care, Sanjay Gupta has all the right-wing talking points (lies) down pat. Paul Krugman: Sicko & the Trouble With Sanjay Gupta Michael Moore has more. . CNN Politics ...
1/7: Standing Up For Panetta
Blogometer —
... Budget Panetta, that Leon Panetta? This old Clinton partisan has absolutely no experience whatsoever with intelligence gathering or the administration of the same. None. Zip. Nadda. Now, if George W. Bush had picked such an inexperienced man for any government position much less one at cabinet level, the media would have crucified him -- in fact, it did if you recount the Harriet Meyers for SCOTUS debacle." GUPTA: America's New Favorite Doctor? Liberal bloggers are praising Obama's apparent decision to tap CNN correspondent/neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta as surgeon general: ...
Doctor, Doctor
The Republic of T. —
So, word is that Obama is eyeing CNN’s Sanjay Gupta for Surgeon General. Well, on the one hand, I can understand “eyeing” Gupta for … well … just about anything. After all, I did include the good doctor on my list of “Hot Talking Heads” a few years back.
And, ya gotta admit, the man is easy on the ...
Krugman: 'The Trouble With Gupta'
The BRAD BLOG —
... So apparently Obama plans to appoint CNN’s Sanjay Gupta as Surgeon General. I don’t have a problem with Gupta’s qualifications. But I do remember his ...



