Republican Congressman Is Unaware There Is No Surgeon General To Head Ebola Response

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19. NRA involvement -

The surgeon general’s office — which deals with policies of medicine and public health — is not usually a focus of gun-rights advocates. But an N.R.A. spokesman, Andrew Arulanandam, said that it was taking no chances that under Dr. Murthy the office would veer into gun policy. “All the rules have changed as far as this White House is concerned,” he said. “Given Dr. Murthy’s blatant activism on behalf of gun control, that’s not a gamble we’re willing to take.”

The N.R.A. has said it will “score” any confirmation vote — meaning that voting yes would negatively affect a senator’s annual rating from the group. This is not an idle concern for senators like Mr. Begich, Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and John Walsh of Montana — all Democrats who represent states where opposition from the N.R.A. could mean the difference in a close race.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/15/us/senate-balks-at-obama-pick-for-surgeon-general.html?_r=0