It seems that Gail Rousseau is no longer a “contenda” for the post of Surgeon General. Or maybe she never was. According to sundry and assorted news articles,  Sanjay Gupta has been courted for the post since last fall. It doesn’t say whether before or after the election, but I would guess before, as Barack Obama had his list of cabinet possibilities ready way before November 4. And that’s to be expected–its not something that you start scrambling to do after you win the election.

There seems to be a lot of mixed feelings about Dr. Gupta. Some pundits think that the job should go to someone who is already an officier in the public health service, while others think he is ideal. I personally think he’s an ideal choice, provided that he sticks to his guns. I don’t think the Obama administration is going to try to muzzle him and or attempt to force him to lie to the public, as Bush did with Richard Carmona.

Why do I like Dr. Gupta? Well, he is already a familiar figure to millions of Americans. Let’s face it, most people haven’t a clue who the Surgeon General is, nor do they care. Most them have been rather non-descript. The last Surgeon General who was truly well known and recognized was C. Everett Koop, because of the controversy he generated with his push to recognize AIDS and not treat it as some moral failing or “sin” that had befallen certain segments of the population.

Sanjay Gupta already has a large following. He is comfortable speaking before the camera and the public. He is well liked, and people already trust him. As long as he can stay on course, then I think he will do a fine job.