Michael Moore on Larry King - Live Thread - UPDATED

Michael Moore is on Larry King NOW - all about Sicko and Wolf Blitzer, Sanjay Gupta blowup yesterday!!

Tell us what you think!

I'm ready for an ass-whuppin by Michael Moore!

UPDATE - After the show, Michael Moore was live-blogging over at The Huffington Post.

•  Tip jar

  They are replaying the CNN report now.

  by Sharon Jumper on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 05:57:20 PM PDT

•  ...

  

  by Trix on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 05:57:56 PM PDT

  •  re

    Faster Rabbit. Kill! Kill!

    by cookiesandmilk on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 05:58:56 PM PDT

  •  Run Away! Run Away!!!

    http://www.sacred-texts.com/...

    ARTHUR:  How do you do, good lady.  I am Arthur, King of the Britons.
         Who's castle is that?
     WOMAN:  King of the who?
     ARTHUR:  The Britons.
     WOMAN:  Who are the Britons?
     ARTHUR:  Well, we all are. we're all Britons and I am your king.
     WOMAN:  I didn't know we had a king.  I thought we were an autonomous
         collective.
     DENNIS:  You're fooling yourself.  We're living in a dictatorship.
         A self-perpetuating autocracy in which the working classes--
     WOMAN:  Oh there you go, bringing class into it again.
     DENNIS:  That's what it's all about if only people would--
     ARTHUR:  Please, please good people.  I am in haste.  Who lives
         in that castle?
     WOMAN:  No one live there.
     ARTHUR:  Then who is your lord?
     WOMAN:  We don't have a lord.
     ARTHUR:  What?
     DENNIS:  I told you.  We're an anarcho-syndicalist commune.  We take
         it in turns to act as a sort of executive officer for the week.
     ARTHUR:  Yes.
     DENNIS:  But all the decision of that officer have to be ratified
         at a special biweekly meeting.
     ARTHUR:  Yes, I see.
     DENNIS:  By a simple majority in the case of purely internal affairs,--
     ARTHUR:  Be quiet!
     DENNIS:  --but by a two-thirds majority in the case of more--
     ARTHUR:  Be quiet!  I order you to be quiet!
     WOMAN:  Order, eh -- who does he think he is?
     ARTHUR:  I am your king!
     WOMAN:  Well, I didn't vote for you.
     ARTHUR:  You don't vote for kings.
     WOMAN:  Well, 'ow did you become king then?
     ARTHUR:  The Lady of the Lake,
         [angels sing]
         her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite, held aloft Excalibur
         from the bosom of the water signifying by Divine Providence that
         I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur.
         [singing stops]
         That is why I am your king!
     DENNIS:  Listen -- strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.  Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.
     ARTHUR:  Be quiet!
     DENNIS:  Well you can't expect to wield supreme executive power
         just 'cause some watery tart threw a sword at you!
     ARTHUR:  Shut up!
     DENNIS:  I mean, if I went around sayin' I was an empereror just
         because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me they'd
         put me away!
     ARTHUR:  Shut up!  Will you shut up!
     DENNIS:  Ah, now we see the violence inherent in the system.
     ARTHUR:  Shut up!
     DENNIS:  Oh!  Come and see the violence inherent in the system!
         HELP! HELP! I'm being repressed!
     ARTHUR:  Bloody peasant!
     DENNIS:  Oh, what a give away.  Did you here that, did you here that,
         eh?  That's what I'm on about -- did you see him repressing me,
         you saw it didn't you?

    by Mogolori on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:23:46 PM PDT

  •  Killer Rabbit

    by Trix on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:25:46 PM PDT

  •  In Memorium

    BunBun, the famous yawning bunny of the internet passed away June 30 at the truly impressive age of 15.

    by GW Chimpzilla on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:26:57 PM PDT

  •  ...

    

    by Trix on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:30:23 PM PDT

  •  silly rabbit trix are for kids n/t

    by Unbozo on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:31:01 PM PDT

•  You're asking me to watch

  Larry King Live when the season opener of Eureka is on??!!!

  by Granny Doc on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 05:59:20 PM PDT

  •  Tivo

    It's a wunnerful thing.

    by Sharon Jumper on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:00:00 PM PDT

    •  god, I heart my TiVo....

      by Buffalo Girl on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:05:34 PM PDT

  •  re

    Thank you!

    For some reason the TiVO wasn't going to record it.

    (ok I prob. deleted the season pass for some reason last year.)

    by cookiesandmilk on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:01:54 PM PDT

  •  when the All Star game is on?

    Go American League!

    I'll even root for (gasp, hack, cough) Yankees today.

    Well, for a couple of hours...

    by TrueBlueMajority on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:25:30 PM PDT

•  Still replaying Gupta report

  Inset of MM's reaction as they are replaying it. He looks ready to pounce.

  by Sharon Jumper on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 05:59:33 PM PDT

  •  Who The F**k is Paul H. Keckley?

    I went over the Gupta piece that played yesterday on Blitzer's show.  So my question is: who the fuck is Paul H. Keckley?

    As near as I can tell, he's a business professor (the PhD is in economics) who has spent most of his career involved with mergers and acquisitions of companies in the hospital and medical industries.

    Is it clear to people that this guys is not a doctor?  Even if he's apparently playing one on TV.

    by mbayrob on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:22:53 PM PDT

    •  I am wondering what "evidence-based medicine" is

      supposed to be?  

      by OkieLawyer on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:10:18 PM PDT

      •  Probably statistic-based quality control

        similar to what's used in manufacturing.

        This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it doesn't really touch on what he was interviewed about.

        As far as I can tell, Keckley is a close associate of Tommy Thompson, who is working, when he isn't trying to run for president as an industry shill.  Take a look at the industry lobby's web site, Health Care American, and search for references to Thompson.

        He's one of their "experts", along with Michelle Malkin.

        by mbayrob on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:38:00 PM PDT

      •  It's making clinical decisions based on actual

        evidence- the gold standard being randomized double- blind controlled trials of different kinds of care. For example, studies have found that post- heart attack patients should get beta blocker medicines and aspirin, and now that is the standard of care. Studies found that mastectomies were no more effective than lumpectomies combined w/ other treatments, and now mastectomies for breast cancer are very rare (thank God).
        The problem is, randomized controlled trials tend to enroll very select populations in order to show a statistically significant difference, and so a lot of people don't fit neatly into the trial populations. Still, it's the best method we have of figuring out what works and is a vast improvement over the old "do what your teachers did" method.

        by JillR on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 10:08:53 PM PDT

•  i wonder if Michael knows

  they have a camera on him looking for a reaction to them replaying the hit piece?

  by Jambon on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:00:39 PM PDT

  •  Yep

    He's countering now. Very calm and rational.

    Gupta grimacing on split screen while MM rebuts.

    by Sharon Jumper on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:02:06 PM PDT

    •  re

      I wonder if Gupta was ordered OR is he just a giant size prostitute?

      (or both!?)

      by cookiesandmilk on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:02:58 PM PDT

      •  re

        Ordered on the show...

        by cookiesandmilk on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:03:35 PM PDT

    •  Gupta's Grimace

      Gupta grimaced and smirked through most of Moore's comments.

      I sent CNN an e-mail complaining about how Gupta couldn't give one instance of "fudging the facts" on LKL but he did feel compelled to make a snide comment about Moore probably needing cardiac surgery someday. I also pointed out how childishly he behaved.

      by donnas on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:21:29 PM PDT

•  King's Suspenders May Be Wrapped

  Around Gupta's neck in 10 minutes. Will he be flown to Cuba for teatment?     :p

  by Ky DEM on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:00:51 PM PDT

  •  Thanks for a much-needed chortle. n/t

    by Arturo52 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:01:52 PM PDT

•  OOPS!!!

  CNN admitting that the tape they just "replayed" was actually edited to correct CNN's mistake from yesterday on medical spending in Cuba v US.

  by Sharon Jumper on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:01:28 PM PDT

  •  Delicious.

    by pseudopod on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:09:01 PM PDT

  •  Million-dollar cable idea: The Correction Channel

    Subjects of cable news pieces get equal time to rebut news media mischaracterizations, libels, and factual errors.

    I'd watch.  And patronize the advertisers.

    by Mogolori on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:28:46 PM PDT

  •  Jesus! Jesus Christ!!

    by JLFinch on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:29:40 PM PDT

•  SMACK!!!

  MM showing proof of April 28 interview and research that he gave to Gupta for the hit piece.  

  Larry going apoplectic, cutting MM off to let Gupta interrupt and "give balance."

  Faux, faux, faux!

  by Sharon Jumper on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:04:17 PM PDT

  •  Oh yeah!

    MM says has posted the correspondence to Gupta from two months ago on his website.

    Larry cuts him off to let Gupta in again. grrrr

    by Sharon Jumper on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:05:58 PM PDT

•  Larry King really, really really SUCKS

  how anybody can watch this guy

  by tcandew on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:05:28 PM PDT

  •  re

    cause Michael Moore really, really, rules!

    by cookiesandmilk on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:06:13 PM PDT

  •  LK

    Doesn't he have one of them "Fred Thompson Trophy Wives"? I would have to be heavily sedated to see him naked.

    by MikeBaseball on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:08:28 PM PDT

    •  Yeah

      I think it's like his seventh wife or something.  

      by Sharon Jumper on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:09:44 PM PDT

      •  re

        Did you hear the audio tape of the reporter he was hitting on during her interviewing him?

        Yep. The tape was running.

        Umm. Ewww...

        by cookiesandmilk on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:11:26 PM PDT

    •  Does a large amount of cash, mink coats

      and a generous will = heavy sedation?

      by Arturo52 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:11:57 PM PDT

  •  King

    I want to jump through the tv screen and strangle the asshole.  

    10 minutes into the show, and look whose side ole Lar is taking.  Won't even let Moore finish his points.

    Puke.

    by tuder on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:09:49 PM PDT

•  Can Gupta get any more patronizing?? n/t

  by churchylafemme on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:07:16 PM PDT

  •  re

    He'll try.

    by cookiesandmilk on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:07:40 PM PDT

  •  He's a doctor

    See "God complex."

    by Sharon Jumper on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:08:18 PM PDT

    •  Neurosugeon

      Greater than "God complex".

      by TheMomCat on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:53:11 PM PDT

      •  They always say that

        surgeons speak only to each other and to God.  Neurosurgeons speak ONLY to God.  

        by 3goldens on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:06:30 PM PDT

  •  Having Worked All Over the Economic Scale

    I can tell you doctor-lore from everyone from the groundskeeper & home repair sectors up to snarks from fellow yachtsmen.

    Gupta I see is being Concerned®.

    by Gooserock on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:10:57 PM PDT

    •  Oh, believe me, I have 20 years worth of my own

      doctor-lore (I've spent a huge chunk of my life in doctor's offices)...I'm not really surprised or anything to see a doctor being patronizing, and I know they can get even worse... just so furious listening to him.

      by churchylafemme on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:17:26 PM PDT

    •  lol at Concerned® n/t

      by churchylafemme on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:28:53 PM PDT

•  Hey KEITH!!

  I think they should move this smackdown over to Keith Olbermann's show tomorrow night.

  by Sharon Jumper on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:07:21 PM PDT

  •  What a great idea.

    by pseudopod on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:10:56 PM PDT

•  So old Larry interrupts the

  "statistics" segment to ask Gupta if he liked the movie.  Talk about breaking the momentum of that conversation...  Then, MM gets to talk and Larry cuts him off for the commercial break.

  (Boo, boo, hiss, hiss...)

  by Ellicatt on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:07:47 PM PDT

  •  "other than that...

    ...did you enjoy the play, Mrs. Lincoln?"

    by Arturo52 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:09:22 PM PDT

•  I Asked You Before We Went On Air If You Can Put

  up the slides

  [--  at this point, the slides are not shown]

  -- and your viewers can see we showed Cuba as #39 right there on the screen, but if they TIVO the CNN report you'll see the CNN logo covers Cuba in the listing.

  [ King goes to break, slide still not up. ]

  by Gooserock on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:08:50 PM PDT

•  Gupta mentions that Moore

  backs up the $251 per capita statistic on Cuba from a BBC report, but does not use the $5700 per capita for US on the same BBC report...saying Moore cherrypicked the data.

  by michael1104 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:09:29 PM PDT

  •  I would think that the U.S. Government's official

    statistics are better and more up-to-date.

    by OkieLawyer on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:15:31 PM PDT

•  anyone interested...I believe MM is blogging live

  on HuffingtonReport right after the show. Gupta is pathetic. What a fucking tool for Big Pharma.

  by Chamonix on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:10:47 PM PDT

  •  Thanks for info

    I will update the diary with a link to Huffington once it starts.

    I will also update to a CNN link if they actually post one.

    by Sharon Jumper on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:14:59 PM PDT

  •  I'd Say He's VERY Good and This Was Set Up Long

    in advance, I'm sure auditioned too.

    One thing Gupta did was change the subject away from his fraudulent report and switch to attacking Moore on the Concerning® tax burden needed for universal health. And how Moore is wrong that such health care is free."

    Moore's doing OK but he's up against a formidable opponent for such a setting. Fraudulent too, but who's counting?

    by Gooserock on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:28:10 PM PDT

    •  Tax Costs

      Saw SiCKO yesterday. Moore frequently points out that citizens of those countries with universal health coverage pay higher taxes. The folks he interviews even say it too, but they think it's better than paying much more out of pocket.

      by donnas on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:26:07 PM PDT

      •  They also say how

        it's only right that those who can pay into the system help out those who use the system.

        Obviously Commie scum, the lot of them. How dare they suggest I contribute to cover someone else's medical bills! That would never happen in America!

        by Sharoney on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:57:31 PM PDT

•  WTF? France has 15 Billion debt?

  Let's see. What's the US national debt?

  U.S. NATIONAL DEBT CLOCK

  The Outstanding Public Debt as of 11 Jul 2007 at 01:18:25 AM GMT is:
  $ 8 , 8 7 5 , 7 7 3 , 4 2 4 , 0 9 7 . 0 1

  The estimated population of the United States is 302,393,962
  so each citizen's share of this debt is $29,351.69.

  The National Debt has continued to increase an average of
  $1.30 billion per day since September 29, 2006!

  http://www.brillig.com/...

  by Sharon Jumper on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:12:40 PM PDT

  •  for comparison

    My figure shows France's population @ 63,713,926 in 2007.

    or, $235 a person.

    by redstatewoes on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:16:31 PM PDT

    •  Vishnu H. Krishna--If America Had = Debt We'd Be

      $60 billion in the red.

      $ 60 BILLION.

      What a frigging BLESSING for ours to be that tiny.

      by Gooserock on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:30:33 PM PDT

      •  Canada has free healthcare...

        and a budget surplus! ha!

        by teddymac on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:35:42 PM PDT

    •  So, I guess that means once again that-

      We're #1!
      We're #1!
      We're #1!

      by Naniboujou on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:42:53 PM PDT

  •  20 trillion bullshit number

    Gupta claims we will be 15 trillion in debt because of medicare. I call bullshit! We may be that far in debt but it's because of the money we have borrowed on the war in Iraq and missile defense systems to nowhere as much as anything.

    Cut the frelling defense budget in half for the next 20 years. That should cover about 10 trillion.

    by Unbozo on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:45:42 PM PDT

    •  Medicare

      is causing a massive debt, many times larger than the debt fron Social Security Bush was so worried about. However the largest portion of that debt is the Medicare prescription drug (company) benefit that Bush forced through.

      by aprichard on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:15:29 PM PDT

      •  That, and the neoconservative "Starve the Beast."

        See Starve the Beast

        by OkieLawyer on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:25:34 PM PDT

•  Finally...MM gets to the point that...

  we pay more via the profit system.

  Phew. I was worried for a moment.

  by leolabeth on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:13:14 PM PDT

•  if Sanjay Gupta purses his lips

  one more time I am going to throw something at the TV. What a CREEP. He makes more faces then anyone I have ever seen on TV.

  by Chamonix on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:14:35 PM PDT

  •  Ooo ooo, now he's biting his lip. n/t

    by leolabeth on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:15:51 PM PDT

  •  Check the lighting

    He's got a blue light down the middle of his face!

    by Sharon Jumper on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:16:16 PM PDT

•  Suddenly the Argument Is All About Taxes

  in the national-health countries. Which I don't recall being the central focus of Gupta's report.

  Now it's all about the onerous taxes we'd have to pay, and the fact that Moore is misleading people into thinking that health care would be "free."

  by Gooserock on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:15:38 PM PDT

  •  Yep, Gupta Clearly Grad'd From Medved-Stossel U.

    Summa Cum Rand not doubt.

    by Gooserock on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:17:27 PM PDT

  •  The one thing Americans are frightened of,

    more than terrorists, global warming, etc. all rolled into one: taxes.

    I'm not sure why, we end up paying far more for college, health care, etc. than we'd pay if we had higher taxes and FREE college and health care.

    by Arturo52 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:17:57 PM PDT

    •  France

      That's one of the things the French citizens point out in the film. Not only do they get universal health care for their higher taxes but they also get free college, free day care, and free nanny assistance. Their doctors make house calls and they reimburse people who have to pay for public transportation to get to a hospital. There are unlimited sick days.

      They get three months of paid leave when having a baby and the option for another three months unpaid (or was that six each?). They get paid when they're out sick for extended periods -- 65% by the government and 35% by their employer to equal their full salary.

      And, not tax related, but they also get a minimum of five weeks of vacation, an extra week off when they get married, and a 35 hour work week.

      They can afford to pay substantially higher taxes because they have far fewer other expenses to cover out of pocket.

      by donnas on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:33:47 PM PDT

      •  And they don't have to beg some bureaucrat

        for any of it, or put up with dirty looks and sotto voce murmurs of "Welfare Queen" when they collect those benefits.

        by Sharoney on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:59:51 PM PDT

•  Rec'd on Title Alone

  He is kicking some neocon ass...

  by Omen on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:16:07 PM PDT

  •  and one more thing

    Larry King looks like the friggin' Joker in that getup.

    by Omen on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:17:22 PM PDT

    •  I Knew I'd seen that outfit before!

      by steep rain on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:00:13 PM PDT

•  Gupta believes the "stupid strawman" doesn't...

  think taxes ever have to be paid! LOL

  A very stupid arguement

  by teddymac on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:16:10 PM PDT

  •  The ignorant masses...

    Down with the proletariat!

    by Sharon Jumper on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:16:47 PM PDT

•  Ah. It all come back to the tax scare for all

  right wingers.  That is all that matters.  40 million without any healthcare, but they will have to pay more taxes.  Selfish fucking bastards.  

  Gupta looks like he is choking in his shirt and tie.  He wears the corporate uniform well.

  by hopscotch1997 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:16:35 PM PDT

  •  And it woudl be cheaper than the health care...

    ...they have now...

    Morons!

    Thanks,

    Mike

    by LordMike on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:38:45 PM PDT

•  Guptas' weak arguements

  are being blown to bits by MM.

  by steelman on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:17:16 PM PDT

•  I think Moore is off his game...

  He posted all the stats on his site backing up his movie, he could have just repeated them, and he's not addressing things correctly....I wouldn't call this a great performance.

  by michael1104 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:17:25 PM PDT

  •  In Fairness I Think Gupta Dumped a Whole

    spiel on one topic on him and then as he was trying to break into the conversation switched and dumped a 2nd line of attack on him.

    I can attest from puny local radio appearances, even if only one person's in the audience, trying to explain or worse debate with the time constraints of broadcast is not for amateurs.

    At this specific type of performance, Moore's an amateur, he's there because he did something very different, Gupta was hired and probably auditioned for this.

    by Gooserock on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:21:54 PM PDT

•  "Maybe we'll do a lot more of this....

  as it deserves our attention," says Larry.

  Ya think?

  by leolabeth on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:17:43 PM PDT

  •  Yeah, and he'll be sure to have more right winger

    on.  Or, people from big Pharma, etc.

    by Phil S 33 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:30:49 PM PDT

•  "That's another topic".....

  Put the straight jacket out for me now!!!!!!!!

  by tuder on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:17:53 PM PDT

•  What a coordinated effort by CNN the last couple

  of days to save healthcare as it is.  They are so transparent in it.  They are supposed to be the media experts, yet it is overwhelmingly obvious that it is a coordinated attack.

  by hopscotch1997 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:19:21 PM PDT

•  MM to Gupta: as a doctor

  do you like that you have to call the insurance company first to get permission.  Gupta says no, he doesn't like it and that its a shameful system.

  He says that he doesn't like it, but it sure sounds like he uses the typical repub argument of having to raise taxes for health care reform/coverage for Americans who don't have coverage.  And, why does the phrase "corporate whore" keep running through my head??? ;~)

  by Ellicatt on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:21:01 PM PDT

  •  It's Taxes and Big Government All the Way Down

    And such Concern®.

    Interestingly I don't recall taxes being the focus of Gupta's piece yesterday, it was on the "errors" and fact-fudging in Moore's movie.

    Masterful subject-change by Gupta. CNN hired good.

    by Gooserock on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:24:13 PM PDT

    •  I hate that line

      "more taxes". If you don't have to pay premiums, co-pays, and whatever what you will pay in taxes will be lower than what you pay in private insurance today.

      These morons let people think that this tax burden for health care will fall on them in addition to what they are paying now. They will end up paying LESS with taxes than what they pay today.

      How do they get away with this bullshit?

      by michael1104 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:28:36 PM PDT

      •  Why let facts get in the way...??

        by Phil S 33 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:31:58 PM PDT

      •  Hmmm....I'm guessing our family

        coverage is running between $12,000 and $15,000/yr...I seriously doubt our taxes would raise that much.

        by tjb22 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:37:13 PM PDT

    •  And bankruptcies...

      Main cause of bankruptcies in this country.  "Free" or "paid for through taxes", either way they don't come and take your house if you are unfortunate to have a heart attack without adequate coverage.

      by tjb22 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:40:05 PM PDT

•  It's a conflict of interest to have a doctor who

  has benefited richly by the present system to be on and pretend to be objective.  He is a rich mother fucker, and can't bear the thought of the govt. taking a little bit of it away for the sake of citizens of this country who are less well off.

  by hopscotch1997 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:24:04 PM PDT

  •  I'm curious to know when was the

    last time he performed neurosurgery.  Seems like he's been with CNN and has been on the air quite frequently for a number of years now.

    by Ellicatt on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:27:36 PM PDT

    •  yesterday...

      Blitzer said Gupta was in surgery and would respond tomorrow (today).

      by michael1104 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:29:32 PM PDT

      •  Yeah, I want someone in my brain

        who's pre-occupied with tomorrows broadcast...

        by tjb22 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:35:36 PM PDT

        •  Surgeons don't have the best rep

          If you talk to doctors or med students about the reputations of different specialties, surgeons have the rep for high ego and low intelligence.

          Brain surgeons, it turns out, aren't really, um, brain surgeons.

          by mbayrob on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:42:09 PM PDT

          •  and coupled with neurologists

            who also tend to be thought of as "difficult"....

            by tjb22 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:43:18 PM PDT

          •  Not in my experience

            They are often among the smartest med students, but they are invariably - INVARIABLY - egotistical assholes.  At least the good ones are.

            by nightsweat on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:17:08 PM PDT

            •  I met one from Burma..

              Used to go out drinking with the guys...

              Nurse's aides and the like.

              Very intelligent, and you could tell he wouldn't be in this back water very long.

              Perhaps he was the exception to the rule...grin..

              by wrights on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 09:37:46 PM PDT

    •  There was a segment on a couple of months

      ago when he went out in his convertible with a psychologist, I think, and the purpose was to discuss his stress quotient.  Why they couldn't do it at CNN, I don't know.  But it was discussed by them that he works full time as a physician, and works his job at CNN.  That is why I think he is one rich fucker riding high on the present system.

      by hopscotch1997 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:31:15 PM PDT

      •  And...in my doctor's office,

        he's on the closed circuit TV non stop...he does promos (along with CNN) for whoever it is that sponsors these things....and ofcourse, guess who the "whoevers" probably are?

        by tjb22 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:34:11 PM PDT

        •  DIng! Ding! Ding! Exactly! n/t

          by Unbozo on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 06:54:35 PM PDT

        •  Promos

          That's interesting -- he specifically told LK when asked about the advertisers that he didn't make any money from them and they didn't influence his commentary.

          I'd love to know more about his closed circuit TV appearances. I can't imagine he's doing them for free.

          by donnas on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:37:46 PM PDT

          •  I think he probably does them through

            CNN...they are the same kind of little spots that he does in their broadcast...in fact, I suppose many of them ARE the same spots used in the broadcasts...but, I can't imagine that he freely lets CNN use his work...

            by tjb22 on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 07:39:52 PM PDT

    •  He is on staff at a hospital in