Qualifications to be SG - Gupta is perfect, whether you like it or not.

[phleshdef]

The Surgeon General of the United States is the operational head of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government.

The Surgeon General also has many informal duties, such as educating the American public about health issues and advocating healthy lifestyle choices. The office also periodically issues health warnings.

Gupta's entire career as a medical journalist has been aimed at creating awareness of matters of public health. He has worked on documentaries involving everything from the threat of the avian flu, the dangers of not getting enough sleep, the cause of curing AIDS among a million other public health issues. Gupta has been published in a variety of scientific journals and has received numerous accolades. His health reports swept all three health and medical awards in 2006. During Hurricane Katrina, Gupta broke the news that official reports that New Orleans' Charity Hospital had been completely evacuated were incorrect, revealing that more than 200 patients remained there for five days after the hurricane made landfall. He is a true humanitarian that really comes across as passionate for all these causes. He has voluntarily travelled to dangerous battlefields and personally performed brain surgery on soldiers.

Gupta has the knowledge, the experience and the heart for this position.

Yes, he had a small dust up with Michael Moore because he was handed inaccurate information. I'm sure it was embarassing to him and I didn't much care for anyone who was trying to discredit Sicko because I felt that it was counterproductive to the cause of promoting universal health care. But thats honestly the worst I can say about him. I'm sure if Michael Moore had a dollar for everyone he has had a dust up with, he would be trailing Warren Buffet on the richest billionaires list. (Don't worry Mike, I still love ya)

I can't believe some peoople are trashing this guy so bad. He has done a LOT of good work for the cause of health and humanity in general. I imagine most of the people criticizing him haven't even done a fraction as much for society as he has, which is why I tried to ignore the petty complaining, but its just going too far (like most complaining around here tends to do).

Sonjay Gupta is a good man, a smart man and a hero. Furthermore, his background makes him the PERFECT pick for someone charged with the responsibilities of the Surgeon General. The person holding that job has to do EXACTLY what Dr. Gupta has been doing in the private sector for years now.

If a person who has contributed that much work to these causes isn't good enough for you then I don't know what to tell you. I almost wish people would go back to bitching about the Warren invocation, at least those complaints contained a fraction of sense.

[lumberjack_jeff]

1. Plus, he's comfortable on Oprah's couch. So he's got that going for him. n/t

[Bolo Boffin]

2. "a small dust up with Michael Moore because he was handed inaccurate information"

Wow, that's a little too much spin for my taste. I know that Gupta will have very little input on how the health care plan is worked out. That makes me less concerned about his appointment, and Gupta will be a very competent PSA spokesperson and whatnot. And that makes this appointment largely a symbolic one. No question there.

But Gupta did make his "little dustup" with Michael Moore a very personal thing, and slapped him around on Larry King for an hour. Didn't he only apologize for the one "mistake"?

The Sister Souljah potential for his and other appointments is really starting to be a trend for Obama. His "little dustup" is obvious a feature for Obama, and not a bug. After all, when the appointment is symbolic, obvious interpretations need to be considered.

[phleshdef]

3. There were 2 mistakes and he apologized for both. If that erases his lifelong record of achievements

in the very area he is being asked to take a position for, then your expectations are too unrealistic to bother debating.

[Bolo Boffin]

4. Actually there were a whole lot more than two "mistakes."

http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/news/article.php?id=10017

Gupta had much more than two "mistakes" to atone with. Apparently he didn't want to deal with the facts.

Thanks very much for reading my post in which I said he was qualified to be Surgeon General. Clearly you aren't looking for light here, but heat. Deal with the facts. Since you're flogging Gupta here, I don't hold out much hope for your ability to deal, either.

[dbmk]

5. I agree that he seems somewhat a boob

..but could he not still be quite right for the job? or to put it another way - he might be the tool that Obama needs. :)

When he goes on tv, people will not think "here goes that liberal nonsense again". But "ooh, that nice man from CNN says I must do this and that."

He can possibly reach a lot of people. And Obama will be out to reach a lot of people. Not people like us that frequent this forum and generally keeps up to speed on this and that. All the people in the middle that gives him the ground that he needs to stand on to take the fights.

That does not mean it will not represent the policies you would like.

It does seem like a very populistic approach, and it does rub me the wrong way somewhat. He does not seem like the kind of person that should be appointed to such a position. But in terms of moving the general public it might be a move that works. But if I were Obama, I would make very sure the guy sticks to the program and make sure that there are smart people around him.

[mmonk]

6. We really don't need an apologist and public propagandist for the current system if we seek

to change it.

[BlooInBloo]

7. Actually, removing him from the *media* seems very helpful to me.

[mmonk]

9. Are we sure he wasn't hired to be in front of the media?

[BlooInBloo]

10. Is anybody really *sure* of *anything* in this crazy world?

Thankfully the question you raise is in no way relevant to what I said.

[mmonk]

11. How so?

[LostinVA]

8. He has no public heath experience, no major administration experience

The SG should have some of both. WE have lots of great people working in public health in this country, some who even aren't beholden in anyway to Big Pharma or insurance companies.