Okay…cool…he’s a practicing brain surgeon with White House
experience that knows how to deal with the media and talk to politicians.But a bitch finds that this pick comes with extra journalistic amusement-based quizzicals.
CNN has a report up quoting “sources” that say the Obama transition team has approached Gupta and stating the Gupta met with Team Obama in November in Chicago.
So, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent didn't breaking news about the new Surgeon General pick because he is the news about the new Surgeon General pick.
CNN also reports that Gupta declined to comment and they issued a statement saying “Since first learning that Dr. Gupta was under consideration for the surgeon general position, CNN has made sure that his on-air reporting has been on health and wellness matters and not on health-care policy or any matters involving the new administration."
That shit just begs some questions – when did CNN learn that Dr. Gupta was under consideration, did they learn this information from Dr. Gupta or another source and why the fuck didn’t they ask Gupta to step aside while under consideration?
I mean, just because the people reporting the news are the news doesn’t mean the other people reporting the news are off the hook for reporting the news.
Right?
Or is this a sign of the Dan Abramsification of all things media?
Gasp.
12 comments:
You make a good point.
Was Oprah consulted on this? I'm just glad Dr. Phil, Dr. Drew or Dr. Laura are so far not in the mix. Holy Mixed nuts, Batman! Remember Joycelyn (can't recall the last name)Elders? She actually insinuated that kids masturbated. She was at least "in touch." Gupta? Fine.
In sorta-related news...I just heard Joe the Plumber went to Gaza to report on the conflict.
Eek!
No. Abramson is an journalist/attorney and the son of a media attorney. He lives in the "Journiverse". This automatically makes him slightly out of touch with reality. Gupta, on the other hand, has a medical degree and is a practicing neurosurgeon. He's a doctor AND he plays one on TeeVee. Given Gupta's depth of medical knowledge and television experience, he's uniquely qualified for the position as he can better communicate health policy/suggestions. Should he have stepped aside earlier? No. More than one person makes editorial decisions re: health. Plus, it's not like he's up for Treasury Secretary or Energy Secretary.
This is a non-issue.
How coy of them. I guess this is their idea of an appropriate way of dealing with "conflicts of interest" ...
Looks like another snake call for ol' Joe. And you know he's getting triple overtime.
I found it strange too...but I hadn't thought about it in terms of his recent coverage. Hmmmm.
In general, he's accomplished but I'm not a fan because I feel like he's a friend of big pharma and the insurance industry. We'll see.
I'm wondering how this guy has time to be a regular CNN correspondent and commentator, advisor to presidents and their wives, a couple other medically/media/politically related hats and he still has time to be a neurosurgeon.
I don't have time or energy to feed the chickens on some days.
This begs questions indeed. This bitch wants to know. Love your blog, angryblackbitch!
I stopped taking Gupta seriously when he launched his bizarre and inaccurate attacks on Michael Moore.
indeed, Gupta tried to pick apart Sicko as if he was in the pocket of the pharm industry. this showdown is hilarious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR2U_SAWHdQ
Okay, In case you haven't heard... Joe The Plumber is reporting the News on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and now has his hand in media reform? He's on record (video) saying journalists shouldn't be allowed to report in war zones, of course, he's reporting this from a war zone...
Fuck my life...ridiculous!
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