Thursday, January 8, 2009

Obama pages Dr. Gupta for Surgeon General. What's next, Judge Judy for Justice?

By now all of you have probably heard the news that President-Elect Barack Obama has tapped one of People magazine's "Sexiest Men Alive," CNN and CBS correspondent, former White House Fellow, and neurosurgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta to be the next Surgeon General of the United States.

While I have no doubt that Dr. Gupta is qualified for the role, which is more of a communications post than a maker of public/health policy, I fear, should Dr. Gupta accept and be confirmed, that it would set a potentially dangerous precedent.

What's next, Judge Judy for Supreme Court Justice? (Though hey, Obama could do a whole lot worse. And she is a judge.) Lou Dobbs for the Department of Homeland Security or Immigration Czar? Fred Thompson for President? Oh wait...

On the plus side, should Dr. Gupta accept and be confirmed, this could mean more air time for Anderson Cooper on CNN, which, I think many of you would agree, would be a good thing.

UPDATED 12:05 P.M.: Some people (whom I will not name here but who have emailed me comments) forget that this blog is satirical/humorous in nature. For the record, I think Dr. Sanjay Gupta is an excellent -- possibly an inspired -- choice for Surgeon General. But Judge Judy is responsible for one of my all-time favorite sayings: "Beauty fades. Dumb lasts forever."

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lawrence Taylor for Secretary of Defense. I know that's a little old school, but so is Leon Panetta.

J. said...

Now THAT is a change I can believe in!

Go Giants! (I have a feeling LT is going to be an honorary captain Sunday.)

Anonymous said...

Andersen............sigh.

Sugar Daze said...

"What's next, Judge Judy for Supreme Court Justice?"

LOL J! I have to admit I was quite taken aback when I heard this news -- I didn't think he was a real doc to be honest. Maybe a nutritionist or something...Gautier tells me he saw a story of him doing brain surgery. Can you imagine?

Anonymous said...

Gupta? I was hoping for Dr. J as Surgeon General

Dave S. said...

LT could win instant confirmation as SecDef by promising to do to bin Laden what he did to Theismann. (I cringed when I wrote that.)

Anonymous said...

I don't get the "sexiest man alive" People Mag. nod...Apparently he is qualified for the Sur. Gen. post, though. Maybe he can help stop the teen pregnancy boom announced today.

Jill Anderson said...

Have you read Supreme Courtmanship by Christopher Buckley, about a president appointing a TV judge to the Supreme Court? Life imitates art

J. said...

Dr. J.... Funny, Dan. : )

And thanks for the comment about the book, Jill. I was trying to remember it. You must have picked up my vibe.

Anonymous said...

Love these inspirational suggestions for presidential appointments.

In the spirit, I offer Doc Gooden for head of the Food and Drug Administration. I would have suggested Doc Ellis, but the once Pirates pitcher who pitched a no hitter while under the influence of LSD recently passed away.

Anonymous said...

Judy actually was on the Supreme Court until 1996. She stepped down because she could have a greater impact on TV.

Anonymous said...

I want to believe
But dumb does last forever
Residual Bush?

Anonymous said...

I am now starting a PAC to support the SCOTUS nomination of Judge Judy. Just so I can hear Nina Totenberg quoting her in her cool, moderate tones, on All Things Considered.

J. said...

Lots of great/funny comments! Thanks.

So true, sinisterdan, so true.

And I am also a big Nina Totenberg fan, Marindenver. Let me know when your PAC is up and running.

EMM said...

Why not start over w/ the Supreme Court and fill the Bench w/ all the TV judges. Put it all a newly launched Court TV. In between sessions, the TV lawyers could explain consitutional law to the "people".

More AC...mmmmmm!