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Washington - Obama Offers America's Surgeon General Job To Famed Journalist Dr. Sanjay Gupta |
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Sanjay Gupta is the Surgeon-General Designate of the American physician of Indian descent and a contributing CNN chief health correspondent based in Atlanta, Georgia
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.
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.
The Michigan-born son of Indian and Pakistani parents, Gupta has always been drawn to health policy. He was a White House fellow in the late 1990s, writing speeches and crafting policy for Hillary Clinton. His appointment would give the administration a prominent official of Southwest Asian descent and a skilled television spokesman.
Gupta, who hosts "House Call" on CNN, has discussed the job offer with his bosses at CBS and CNN to make sure he could be released from his contractual obligations, the sources said.
His role as journalist and physician have sometimes overlapped. During the 2003 Iraq invasion, Gupta was embedded with a Navy unit called Devil Docs and, while covering its mission, performed brain surgery five times, the first of which was on a 2-year-old Iraqi boy.
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.
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Read Comments (13) — Post Yours »
1
Jan 06, 2009 at 04:22 PM Anonymous Says:
I've always liked his articles in Time magazine
2
Jan 06, 2009 at 04:21 PM Anonymous Says:
I am familiar with him. he is a great guy.
3
Jan 06, 2009 at 05:41 PM JoeFlix Says:
Thats right. He also wrote lately in the Times. Smart down-to-earth guy
4
Jan 06, 2009 at 05:52 PM Anonymous Says:
Where does he stand on Natural and Alternative Health Care?
5
Jan 06, 2009 at 04:58 PM Dr.Kildare Says:
“ I am familiar with him. he is a great guy. ”
Should have been Dr. Rosenfeld from TV- I guess too many Jews already, plus he is getting on in age.
6
Jan 06, 2009 at 06:24 PM mr.49er Says:
great choice.
when u go in to any hospital all you see are indian doctors, so who better to be the "ROSH HAKUEL".
7
Jan 06, 2009 at 08:18 PM Anonymous Says:
The big question is what is required in this job and is he qualified.
As to the issue of Indian born MDs, not the case here, , they are very prevalent and are often considered very qualified. Other foreigners are often considered Indian and are less capable, a big problem.
8
Jan 06, 2009 at 08:07 PM Anonymous Says:
I wonder how his stance on global warming will influence the obama administration. He recently hosted a documentry on CNN "Planet in Peril"
9
Jan 06, 2009 at 11:12 PM Anonymous Says:
Kudos #6
10
Jan 07, 2009 at 07:13 AM Anonymous Says:
Only one post so far mentioned qualifications. This is a very important position, and the major qualification of Gupta is being a media celebrity...It's certainly not his medical knowledge or academic renown, as he is not a major physician, has no administrative experience, etc. (Whether his ethnicity played a role in Obama's decision-making is not clear, but I would not doubt it.)
With the unqualified Panetta selected for CIA chief, and now a media star as Surgeon General, what next? Shmuley Boteach as Chief Rabbi?
11
Jan 07, 2009 at 04:09 AM Chaim Says:
I saw his debate with michael moore on CNN, I think he did great
12
Jan 07, 2009 at 01:53 AM INVESTIGATE THIS Says:
Dr. Gupta is being appointed Surgeon General because his Father, the CEO of InfoUSA, is a billionaire and a multimillion dollar contributor to the Democratic Party and to both the Clinton and Obama political machines. This appointment is just another corrupt appointment. The media must investigate this fact.
13
Jan 07, 2009 at 06:25 PM Anonymous Says:
the surgeon general does not have the power to make laws, or make any changes whatsoever, all the Dr will ever do is PR.
and for that he is a great choice, this man is very well spoken, he is trusted by many (which in of itself does not mean much) , and people will listen.