NYT - Krugman - The trouble with Sanjay Gupta
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 mugging of Michael Moore over Sicko. You don't have to like Moore or his film; but Gupta specifically claimed that Moore "fudged his facts", when the truth was that on every one of the allegedly fudged facts, Moore was actually right and CNN was wrong. What bothered me about the incident was that it was what Digby would call Village behavior: Moore is an outsider, he's uncouth, so he gets smeared as unreliable even though he actually got it right. It's sort of a minor-league version of the way people who pointed out in real time that Bush was misleading us into war are to this day considered less "serious" than people who waited until it was fashionable to reach that conclusion. And appointing Gupta now, although it's a small thing, is just another example of the lack of accountability that always seems to be the rule when you get things wrong in a socially acceptable way.
What bothered me about the incident was that it was what Digby would call Village behavior: Moore is an outsider, he's uncouth, so he gets smeared as unreliable even though he actually got it right. It's sort of a minor-league version of the way people who pointed out in real time that Bush was misleading us into war are to this day considered less "serious" than people who waited until it was fashionable to reach that conclusion. And appointing Gupta now, although it's a small thing, is just another example of the lack of accountability that always seems to be the rule when you get things wrong in a socially acceptable way.
Fortunately, the SG is basically a nothing position that we could really do without. To put it in some perspective, he reports to Daschle's assistant.
It comes with some perks. SG's are known for being allowed to say crazy shit. And you get to write the warning labels on cigarettes and alcohol, and lecture the whole country about why we all need to exercise more. Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin
Gupta is the friendly face that will be telling you to get off your fat ass, eat better and how to get your new health care.
I suppose you could get my email from J or Chris or afew or migs, as i'm hesitant to put it up here. the more notice the better, but surprise drop-ins are welcome if they can accept then current reality.
Plan more time than you have, as Bremen ist echt Schön, really fine.
If YOU want to pick my brain, such as it is, this project must be really cool. "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
Anyone who can utter that many conservative lies and talking points about single-payer/"socialized" medicine is, to put it generously, the wrong choice - and looks an awful lot like a signal from Obama that he doesn't give a damn about one of the most vital issues facing us.
