"Obama wins" - The first to criticize Chimpy's anti-gay Surgeon General nominee

[jefferson_dem]

Jake Tapper writes --

Obama wins
June 07, 2007 3:00 PM

…in the race between Democratic presidential candidates to be first to criticize the Bush administration's appointment of Dr. Jim Holsinger to be surgeon general…

“America’s top doctor should be a doctor for all Americans, and so I have serious reservations about nominating someone who would inject his own anti-gay ideology into critical decisions about the health and well-being of our nation," Obama said this morning. "As with other nominees, I will listen to the testimony of Dr. James Holsinger, but this Administration must know that the United States Surgeon General’s office is no place for bigotry or ideology that would trump sound science and good judgment.”

You may recall both Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton took some heat from the gay community when neither would state whether they thought homosexulity was "immoral" or not. (Remember? LINK)…

Gay and lesbian Democrats being a key constituency in the Democratic primaries, I wondered who would be first out of the box on this…
- jpt

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2007/06/obama_wins.html

[MadMaddie]

1. Well Obama gets a check in the good column from me on this one

[William769]

2. But will he be there to actually vote?

[rufus dog]

5. why would he not be there

It appears to be a set up by the repubs to put Clinton and Obama in a bad position. Make them go on record against the guy or approve him. They also get the boogie man bonus of having Kennedy on the same Senate Committee so they get to tie both of them to Kennedy. So rather than be defensive he goes on the offense. Great move. In the past week he has taken on McCain and Graham. Seems to me we may have someone with some huevos and you want to question if he will vote.

[dflprincess]

6. Holsinger will have to appear before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions

It will be this committe that will decide whether or not to reccommend his confirmation to the full Senate.

The committee is chaired by Edward Kennedy. Other members include:

Democrats by Rank

Christopher Dodd (CT)
Tom Harkin (IA)
Barbara A. Mikulski (MD)
Jeff Bingaman (NM)
Patty Murray (WA)
Jack Reed (RI)
Hillary Rodham Clinton(NY)
Barack Obama (IL)
Bernard Sanders (I) (VT)
Sherrod Brown (OH)

Republicans by Rank

Michael B. Enzi (WY)
Judd Gregg (NH)
Lamar Alexander (TN)
Richard Burr (NC)
Johnny Isakson (GA)
Lisa Murkowski (AK)
Orrin G. Hatch (UT)
Pat Roberts (KS)
Wayne Allard (CO)
Tom Coburn, M.D. (OK)

[Colobo]

8. Why wouldn't he?

[illinoisprogressive]

3. excellent comment.

[dsc]

4. I remember how opposed gays and other liberals were to Koop

when he was nominated but he turned out great. I admittedly don't think this will happen here but I am willing to give the man a chance of a hearing.

[Colobo]

7. OBAMA LEADS AGAIN! Now the two others can comment on this... :)

[Colobo]

9. Kick!