Dr. Regina Benjamin looks on as President Barack
Obama announces her nomination as Surgeon General.
AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari
Does being fat make you unqualified for doing your job?
According to certain critics of Surgeon General nominee Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, the answer is "yes."
Benjamin, 52, a respected and dedicated family doctor from Alabama, was nominated for the post by President Obama on July 13. And before the praises had even died down, objections about her plus-sized physique began to crowd the airwaves.
On Fox News, muckraker Neil Cavuto had a segment on Tuesday (July 21) declaring Benjamin "too fat for the job." (For more on this, see Talking Points Memo's clever take.) And even ABC News posted a news story questioning her suitability as the nations's top physician, citing numerous sources.
Benjamin will not divulge how much she weighs or what her exercise regimen is, so bloggers have been burning up the cyberwaves speculating that she's at least a size 18, and about 40 pounds overweight. And, in a nation that suffers from an obesity epidemic (with an astounding 40 percent of Americans either overweight or obese), this is a legitimate concern. After all, how much of a role model could she be?
A great role model, counter legions of Benjamin supporters. Many observe that she might be even more credible in the job because she's obviously human, and struggles with many of these same issues herself.
Regardless, what does Benjamin's outward appearance have to do with her inward qualities? The ABC story even capped its story with this point, using a quote from Dr. Clyde Yancy, president of the American Heart Association: "What we need are health care leaders who are qualified, passionate, results-oriented and part of a team for the great good. She is all that."
Bottom line: Give the lady a chance!
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