BREAKING: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN House doc to be Surgeon General!

[link to www.ajc.com]

Associated Press

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

WASHINGTON — CNN says President-elect Barack Obama has approached its medical correspondent, Sanjay Gupta, to be the country’s next surgeon general.

The cable news network said Tuesday that it has kept Gupta from reporting on health care policy and other matters involving the incoming Obama administration since learning he was under consideration for the post.


He is a member of the staff and faculty of the Emory University School of Medicine and is associate chief of neurosurgery at Grady Memorial Hospital. Gupta performs surgery at Emory University Hospital and Grady Memorial Hospital.

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.