If you read this blog regularly (and if you do, who are you?), you know a couple of things about it and about me. First, I usually like to write about the political story that maybe hasn't gotten quite the attention other stories have. For example, I've generally stayed out of the Blagojevich mess (mostly). You get the idea. And you don't need me blathering on about it.
The other thing is, I don't like to talk about myself a lot.
Ha! Just kidding. Of course, you practically only need to glance at this blog to know that I love nothing more than to write about myself. Lord, how many times can I link to the "About" page? Or my LinkedIn profile? Or my Facebook page? Ah, narcissism.
Anyway, you've likely heard about President-elect Obama's latest upcoming appointment: Dr. Sanjay Gupta for Surgeon General.
Before we get to whether important opinion-makers and law-makers think this is a good idea or not, let me tell you about my Sanjay Gupta connection.
In 1998, I'd gone sort of as far as I could go in the Drug Czar's office. I was, at that time, an administrative aide working for the Director and his Chief of Staff. I'd been there nearly five years, and it was probably time for me to move on. I was doing work for the White House Fellow -- a Navy fighter pilot -- in our office, and he was interested in helping me move up in the world. He told me about a friend of his, a fellow White House Fellow, I guess you could say, and I went and interviewed with him.
It was Sanjay Gupta.
Sanjay was a White House Fellow in the First Lady's Office in those days, working in the White House Millennium Council. He and the Director of the office interviewed me for the job of Information Systems Coordinator. I got the job and lasted for about a year.
For whatever it's worth, it was not Sanjay's fault it didn't work out, it wasn't the First Lady's fault. It was as much my fault as anyone's -- but it just was not the place for me. By the time I left a year later to go to the Justice Department, Sanjay's term as a Fellow had ended and he'd moved on. I still remember the first time I saw him on CNN.
And now he's going to be the next Surgeon General. Maybe.
(Needless to say, this means I am on deck to be the next Ambassador to France. I await your call, Mr. President-elect.)
I'll say this with respect to a guy who hired me for a job where I learned a lot and made several good friends. I think the conversation his consideration has begun around the idea that there is a sort of media and Washington elite -- and why they seem to get a pass and certain privileges the rest of us don't get -- is a good conversation to have. I think he blew it with Michael Moore. Yes, he apologized. I think he'll bring a younger -- dare I say healthier? -- voice to an important post.
I think he'll be a fine Surgeon General. Best of luck, Sanjay.
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