Surgeons General

Surgeon General Richard Carmona resigned in 2006, accusing the White House administration of preventing him from speaking on public health topics such as embryonic stem cell research and abstinence-only education. Here is a video of Carmona testifying before the House Oversight Committee about political interference with the independence of the Surgeon General's office.


So who does the White House tap as Carmona's replacement? James Holsinger, founder of the Hope Spring Church, which seeks to put an end to "anal eroticism" and homosexuality through its conversion therapy.

Needless to say, the American Public Health Association is not happy.

When asked about Carmona, White House press secretary Tony Snow let this little gem slip out of his mouth:
TONY SNOW: But nobody, as far as I could tell, was, “muzzling” him. But on the other hand, there is certainly nothing scandalous about saying to somebody who was a presidential appointee, you should advocate the President’s policies.
It's a shame that Tony Snow doesn't understand how mind-bending that sentence really is.