What do you think? Is Obama's pick for Surgeon General too heavy?



* Yes, the person who will be giving out health advice should themselves be a healthy individual.

* No, if she can give sound health advice that's the only thing we should be concerned with.

* No, she's just fine, these concerns strike me as being sexist.

What do you think?

Maybe she has a tyroid problem
I agree, maybe she is generally healthy....

saw this in the paper and wondered how many would say she was healthy? how many would equate being overweight (and by whose standards) equals being unhealthy? Wondered who would look at her credentials vs physical appearance?

Bad choice!

It might be ok...but I do believe it sends the wrong message.

What do they do any way??? Surgery? No!

White house doctor?.....No

Tell us that smoking is bad for your health? Yes

What else????????

Maybe she eats too much and doesn't exercise, enough. maybe its genetic...the point is ....Is she is a "Symbol" of health. or Just a mouthpiece for healthy living.....

Believe the position serves as a mouthpiece.

Can anyone just look at a picture and be able to say who is healthy and who is not?

Is she smart?

Believe the position serves as a mouthpiece.




If this is the case it doesn't matter....




C Everett Koop looked like he was on death's door for decades...still does, today!

The duties of the Surgeon General are to:

•Protect and advance the health of the Nation through educating the public, advocating for effective disease prevention and health promotion programs and activities, and, providing a highly recognized symbol of national commitment to protecting and improving the public's health,
•Articulate scientifically based health policy analysis and advice to the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the full range of critical public health, medical, and health system issues facing the Nation,
•Provide leadership in promoting special Departmental health initiatives, e.g., tobacco and HIV prevention efforts, with other governmental and non-governmental entities, both domestically and internationally,
•Administer the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps, which is a uniquely expert, diverse, flexible, and committed career force of public health professionals who can respond to both current and long-term health needs of the Nation,
•Provide leadership and management oversight for PHS Commissioned Corps involvement in Departmental emergency preparedness and response activities,
•Elevate the quality of public health practice in the professional disciplines through the advancement of appropriate standards and research priorities, and
•Fulfill statutory and customary Departmental representational functions on a wide variety of Federal boards and governing bodies of non-Federal health organizations, including the Board of Regents of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the National Library of Medicine, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, and the American Medical Association.

Well, is she qualified?

Winx
Is she smart? Qualified? not sure but here are her credentials:

Benjamin received a bachelor's degree in 1979 from Xavier University of Louisiana, attended Morehouse School of Medicine from 1980 to 1982, and received a doctor of medicine degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1984.

She completed her residency in family practice at the Medical Center of Central Georgia in 1987.

Her medical training was paid for by a federal program, the National Health Service Corps, under which medical students promise to work in areas with few doctors in exchange for free tuition, one year of service for every year of paid tuition.

Benjamin founded the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic in 1990 in the fishing village of Bayou La Batre, Alabama, and has served as its CEO since.

*The position of surgeon general, whose effectiveness is largely in its use as a bully pulpit, requires Senate confirmation.


http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/13/surgeon.general/

Do these credentials fulfill the duties of Surgeon General - I don't really know. Any ideas?

She founded a health clinic in a rural area. That sounds encouraging.

Wondering why the newspaper would post a poll regarding her weight? Guess misdirection beats no direction

weight has always been an accepted discrimination

way before discriminating against smokers became accepted practice

the spotlight has to be kept on anything that keeps "the people" divided thus making them more controllable