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Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Carmona: Heroic Legacy?
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Not long ago someone asked me to define heroism. A hero is a person who will say or do the right thing to help others even at great personal expense. Are there any heroes in modern-day politics?

Highly critical comments made by former Surgeon General Richard Carmona against the Bush Administration (photo taken when President Bush announced Carmona's 2002 nomination) fail to meet the "sniff test" for heroism. In fact, I smell something totally different.

Dr. Carmona was a political appointee, plain and simple. After spending four years enduring White House and Cabinet restrictions regarding his comments as the nation's top physician, Camona has now decided to cry foul.

Carmona claims the White House gagged him regarding his observations regarding stem cell research, sex education, and plenty of other controversial topics. Did he have some special arrangement giving him autonomy to speak his mind - even if it conflicted with Administration policy?

Two mysteries remain to be solved. First, why on earth did Doctor Carmona continue to serve for four years despite what he described as "offensive treatment?" Wouldn't resignation offer an honorable platform upon which he could continue to educate the public on his own terms? Second, why would he then wait another full year to lambast the White House? Yeah, that's the real "sniff test!"

In summary, let's apply the heroes' test: As America's leading health official Richard Carmona remained silent when he should have been screaming, even if it would have cost him his job. His silence served neither his President or his fellow citizens.

Test results: No hero.

It's no big deal - he apparently didn't like the job anyway. Having left Washington, Carmona is now an executive with Canyon Ranch health resorts and a director for health-centric Taser International.

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Posted by: Dr. Lloyd at 8:00 AM

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