Krugman & Newsbusters Don’t Approve of Gupta Pick
EmailNobel Prize-winning liberal New York Times columnist Paul Krugman doesn’t seem a fan of Dr. Sanjay Gupta — President-elect Barack Obama’s pick to be Surgeon General — because of an interview Gupta did with Michael Moore about Moore’s film about the health care industry in the U.S., "Sicko."
"Gupta specifically claimed that Moore ‘fudged his facts’," Krugman writes, "when the truth was that on every one of the allegedly fudged facts, Moore was actually right and CNN was wrong."
As USA Today covered in 2007, Gupta in a report erroneously accused Moore of saying that Cuba spends $25 per person for health care when in fact Moore had put the price at $251.
Moore had protested that Gupta interviewed Paul Keckley of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions to help "fact check" Sicko, noting that Keckley had given money to GOP politicians and organizations in the past. Deloitte’s chairman is former GOP Gov. Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin, President Bush’s former Secretary of Health and Human Services. Moore said that constituted a conflict of interest.
In a debate against Moore on Larry King, Gupta said that Keckley’s "only affiliation is with Vanderbilt University. We checked it, Michael. We checked his conflict of interest. We do ask those questions."
Actually, Keckley had left Vanderbilt.
Some conservative commentators are also starting to question the Gupta pick, noting that the TV commentator, in reviewing Sen. John McCain’s medical records for CBS, said, "there was hardly any mention of his mental health. There was no mention of depression. You know, this is man who had two admittedly weak suicide attempts when he was a prisoner of war. There was no mention of post-traumatic stress disorder or anything that may have been asked, or substance abuse, none of that was even mentioned."
– jpt
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Now I find myself on the same side as old “Flat Earth” Krugman. That is a surprise.
I do not think that we need a low down snake like Gupta as SG. The McCain comment is as bad as can be.
Posted by: smith | January 7, 2009, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm
Our country is so polarized. Hacks on both sides, no one acting in the best interest of the whole nation. We are doomed.
Posted by: We are screwed | January 7, 2009, 1:10 pm 1:10 pm
Moore is good but a big wise ass, Krugman is a self absorbed hack.
Gupta is an excetlent pick to elevate the surgeon general to someone we will listen to.
Posted by: watching | January 7, 2009, 1:11 pm 1:11 pm
PPaul man, I am a little disappointed in you.
You need to see the bigger picture man. It took almost 2 decades for people to see reason in your economic theories. Chill out man. You were wrong on some counts, just like Sanjay may have been wrong on some counts. You guys are the only pioneers Libs have to be proud of so don’t screw it up with this squabble.
As for Moore he may be a little wacko but he is what we need to keep Repubs in check.
Posted by: Steve_NJ | January 7, 2009, 1:20 pm 1:20 pm
This is AL-Bamas way of raising taxes on the poor.. this pick wants a tax on fat people..lmao this is another AL-Bama poor judgement, God how many more must we endure Richardson, Blago, Panetta, and now its being reported that Norman HSU is going to be tied to Al-Bama and a possible ponzi scheme when he goes on trial for fraud
Posted by: MSN exposed | January 7, 2009, 1:21 pm 1:21 pm
newsbusters is an awesome website, funny Jake mentioned it, although, they have said some good things about the liberal Jake Tapper
Posted by: MSN exposed | January 7, 2009, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
gupta has NO experience managing anyone, yet he’s going to run the 6000 person surgeon generals office?
Stupid pick
and if gupta was going to question addiction, shouldn’t he have questioned obamas’ drug use, and his ongoing nicotine and crackberry addictions?
stupid pick
Posted by: Tra la la | January 7, 2009, 1:26 pm 1:26 pm
“(S)houldn’t (Gupta) have questioned Obama’s drug use, and his ongoing nicotine and crackberry addictions?”
Ah, now we see why Gupta was picked… He believes in global warming, trashing Republicans and taxing the poor and obese, but, more importantly, Gupta does not question “The One”.
Posted by: Roxie | January 7, 2009, 1:46 pm 1:46 pm
Gupta doesn’t have a enough experience. He is a CNN Medical reporter.
Posted by: NC voter | January 7, 2009, 1:54 pm 1:54 pm
“Deloitte’s chairman is former GOP Gov. Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin,”
Ah! King of the “welfare reform” patriarchs who effectively orphaned the children of single mothers so they could be placed in slave-like situations.
Remember that Moore’s “Sicko” dealt only with the plight of un-rich people WITH health insurance.
If the death-dealing crap “care” visited on the poor by a zillion government-funded non-profit clinics were widely understood, most of the population would be in the streets TOMORROW to tear “our” government into tiny pieces with pikes and cudgels.
Meanwhile, “our” Congress — and every public official down to dog-catcher — has lifetime public-paid health care, so the POLITICIANS are in no hurry for National Health …
IF there were National Health, the REST of the melted economy would be much better for the poor, for whom adequate housing and nutrition, safe drinking water, and the like are lacking. Instead, The One blablas about solarizing federal buildings.
Posted by: Belle Starr | January 7, 2009, 2:00 pm 2:00 pm
“Deloitte’s chairman is former GOP Gov. Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin, President Bush’s former Secretary of Health and Human Services. Moore said that constituted a conflict of interest.”
Moore is brain damaged. “Conflict of interest” doesnt mean that you know people from different part of the political spectrum. It means your have an *official duty* (commenting to a tv reporter is not an official duty) for which you are receiving remuneration of some sort than leads you to a be unequal.
Moore is a blatant a disingenuous propagandist and can not take part credibly in any public debate.
But that besides the point. SG is a ceremonial PR job and Gupta appears to be perfectly qualified for it. He shouldnt be allowed to go around and talking high school gyms about transfat because he misquoted the health care cost in Cuba?
I sense Krugman (very former economist) being miffed that Obama is rejecting his advise about an overly large stimulus package and he is lashing out in this way.
Posted by: BertieW | January 7, 2009, 2:01 pm 2:01 pm
How about Doctor HOWARD freaking DEAN, who would have BEEN president for the last 8 years — except for sabotage from the media and John Kerry (who, after his own electoral failure, brought us the mob-friendly ambition-freak Obama)??
Without Dean, Obama’d have managed to blow the election even WITH the “Democrats”‘ nomination.
Posted by: Belle Starr | January 7, 2009, 2:07 pm 2:07 pm
“Moore is a blatant a disingenuous propagandist and can not take part credibly in any public debate.”
However, Moore’s “disingenuous propaganda” in the last days of the campaign, came in handy for the “Obama” organization.
Even after debasing himself endorsing Obama, at this point there are more people who still believe in Moore than still believe in Obama.
Posted by: Belle Starr | January 7, 2009, 2:20 pm 2:20 pm
Give me a break….Sanjay Gupta is an an excellent choice. His comments on McCain was an honest assessment….As for Michael Moore….Moore, as always, has an agenda…Move on folks…there is no doubt Sanjay is qualified and capable on two of the most important aspects of the job.. He knows medicine and he is an excellent communicator…
Posted by: indy_voter | January 7, 2009, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm
Krugman’s point was that Moore getting smeared by CNN when he was right was comparable to those who who were speaking out against the Iraq War before it was socially acceptable. Like Moore, they weren’t being taken seriously and that within journalism and the media, people tend to not be taken seriously until it’s fashionable.
Posted by: kat | January 7, 2009, 4:50 pm 4:50 pm
Gupta does not deserve the office. He lied on multiple counts on the HMO issue, or was a damn bad reporter. Either way, that should qualify for bad bedside manners. No , don’t do it Obama! Get someone with class.
Posted by: Raj | January 7, 2009, 5:13 pm 5:13 pm
How can you spearhead badly needed reform in the health care system when you have an defender of the medical status quo like Gupta as a Surgeon General pick?
Posted by: kat | January 7, 2009, 5:39 pm 5:39 pm
Wow. This is it? In that same interview, Gupta admitted the mistake about the $25/$251 discrepancy and apologized on air. As far as John McCain–a doctor asked the obvious questions that no one else did–i.e. post traumatic stress disorder?
Posted by: TRW | January 7, 2009, 7:28 pm 7:28 pm
Gupta is pharm industry and private insurance medical coverage hack! You may disagree with Moore but he uncovered that for all the world to see. That Obama picked him shows that Obama does not care about getting coverage for all or even most Americans….unless, of course, Obama tries his standard “I didnt know, I didnt hear anything, I wasnt aware of any wrongdoing, I was only 8″ routine…….
Posted by: opedanderson | January 7, 2009, 7:48 pm 7:48 pm
As an Obama 08 supporter, I am disappointed in this pick. So far, this is the only one that I don’t like. Moore’s documentary was correct!
Posted by: Common Sense | January 7, 2009, 8:40 pm 8:40 pm
Like I’ve said before, Gupta is all about treating healthcare as a pay-to-play ‘commodity’. This is blatently wrong! Who’s sticking up for the American people’s well-being?
Posted by: Common Sense | January 7, 2009, 8:58 pm 8:58 pm
Indy and trw, I was surprised at the rage that welled up inside me while reading your comments, My request is that we as a society do not reopen old wounds. Most all vets want to move on and leave VN behind.
fair is fair.
Did the media commentator Gupta comment on potential drug use by the other candidate, or even the obvious lack of Obama medical records?
NOOOOO instead Gupta takes a political position while commenting for biased media, drags up VN and disparages a true and honorable serviceman. Perhaps it is time to stop punishing vets.
I take it neither of you served.
We do not need a political hack as SG
Posted by: smith | January 8, 2009, 12:39 am 12:39 am
Any truth to the rumor that CNN will fire Gupta if he interviews for the SG job?
Posted by: perry | January 8, 2009, 1:01 am 1:01 am
Not surprise there. A media doctor for a media darling!
Slow down your picks Mr. Obama you make me dizzy!
Honestly!
Posted by: jely beans | January 8, 2009, 3:39 am 3:39 am
I watched that interview and was appalled at the condesention Gupta showed to Moore. He was in full ‘protect the beast’ mode. he wasn’t interviewing, he was attacking, attacking in a consistently factually flawed manner. He would be an absolute terrible choice. Gupta and the Rev Warren, Obama hasn’t even started and he’s already disappointing.
Posted by: Leroy Johnson | January 8, 2009, 5:14 am 5:14 am
I have a problem with Dr Sanjay Gupta’s position on the source of HIV in the program that has been running on CNN – “planet in peril.” While reporting from Eastern Cameroon with AC 360, Dr Gupta claimed that HIV resulted from the eating of infected monkeys. That raises a lot of questions about his credibility. The idea that someone can get infected from
Venantiuseating a monkey, gorrilla or chimp is completedly out of synch and coming from someone expected to be surgeon general is a disgrace to America and an insult to Africans. Please keep him out. Thank you.
Venantius
Posted by: Venantius Baninla Ladze | January 8, 2009, 9:26 pm 9:26 pm
Its time for the country to have the debate on the best way to have Universal HealthCare-single payer,Federal Plan that everyone buys into or some other version. But an honest debate must include how its paid for. Its not free- all systems pay for it with some form of tax, copays , premium and limitations. Saying its free is not true. Let’s have an honest discussion.
Posted by: Doug | March 12, 2009, 5:28 pm 5:28 pm