Holy shit, Du'ers DEAN-that Howard Dean!

[Generator]

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE5256RL20090306

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Howard Dean, a practicing physician before entering politics, was under consideration by the Obama administration for the post of U.S. surgeon general, CNN reported Friday.

Dean, who recently wrapped up a four-year term as Democratic Party chairman, has been a supporter of health reform, and has privately made clear that he is interested in the job, according to the cable network.

CNN said two White House officials noted that, while it is too early to compile a list of candidates for surgeon general, they did not rule out Dean getting the job.

"I would not dismiss it," one of the White House officials said of the possibility that Dean will be selected.



Dean under consideration! Bones to the base! Man your barricades! Discuss. Fanfare. Disbelief. Small bones, big bones, not gonna happen bones?

I almost thought it was another DEAN when I read the headline.
(if there were four thousand other threads-sorry just saw it it says it was 2 hours ago)

[vaberella]

1. Are you kidding? Hahaha....I supported the idea of him as SG.

I was unsure if he would be a consideration, but I supported the idea. We think he'll take it and I'd be glad to have him on Obama's team. I guess that shows up all the people who didn't believe he'd be considered at all for SG last night.

K*R
:kick:

[Generator]

4. Just read a couple other sites

Politco-ha! says Dean doesn't want it. So does US NEWS & World Report.

Ah but this nugget from another CNN piece;

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/06/democrats-pushing-dean-for-surgeon-general/

One Democratic strategist close to Dean made clear the former DNC chair would take the position if it is offered. "He'll do whatever the President would like him to do," said the strategist. "He's certainly well-suited and well-qualified for that job. It would certainly shut up a lot of Dean supporters."

But another source close to Dean said nobody at the White House has contacted him about the job and noted that the former governor has previously indicated he’s not interested in this particular position.

And this nugget du jour:


Supporters of Dean believe he should get some kind of reward for presiding over the Democratic party in which they scored major electoral gains in the 2006 and 2008 election cycles. But Dean famously clashed with Emanuel in 2006, who was serving as the chairman of the House Democrats' campaign arm at the time, over where to spend scarce campaign cash in the final days of the campaign in which Democrats ended up taking control of Congress.


People close to Dean and Emanuel, however, insist the two men have since patched up their differences and recently had lunch together. Those sources also noted that in recent months Emanuel reached out and offered Dean a lower-level health-related job in the administration that was turned down.

[polichick]

7. Apparently Obama thinks he needs Rahm more than he needs Dean - too bad.

[dkf]

8. I guess they are feeling the heat from Dean supporters.

Good!

[liberalmuse]

2. I wanted him as SG originally.

But I dare not say it this time around, 'cause, you know...

[rwheeler31]

3. He would be fantastic in that position.

[kestrel91316]

5. He always seemed like the obvious choice to me.......

[polichick]

6. Wonder how that compares to HHS - could Dean do much as SG?

[alcibiades_mystery]

10. Koop did more to reduce smoking than any other person or agency

The Surgeon General is a position perfectly suited to Dean, even if the last couple of them were duds. Koop showed how to turn the position into an activist platform with massive policy and real-world effects. I'm confident Dean could do the same.

[tomp]

9. actually, i prefer dean on the outside, free of "obligation" to obama.

but it's dean's choice (if it's offered).

[fadedrose]

14. The President needs Dean for his views to compensate for the baloney

that he gets from Emanuel, who's influenced by Begala, who's influenced by Carville.

Howard Dean is a Democrat.

[tomp]

16. obama can get dean's views any time, day or night...

...without dean being in the administration.

[tilsammans]

11. Dean! Dean! Dean!

I scream for Dean! :applause:

:kick:

[mzmolly]

12. As the member of the base, in need of a bone, I hope it's offered to him, even if he rejects

the position. ;)

[fadedrose]

13. I emailed the Chief of Staff at the White House official last week

I told Mr. Emanuel that I heard he didn't like Howard Dean, and that if he was the one responsible for Dr. Dean's not being appointed to anything, I told him, "Shame on you."

If anyone read it, he musta got razzed a bit, I hope..

And then, got another pitch for money from the DNC the other day. Filled in $0.00 in the amount donated, and wrote "Howard Dean" on the form and mailed it back.

[uponit7771]

15. GO DEAN!!

[bigwillq]

17. I hope Team Obama offers the spot to Dean.

:bounce: