Former Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona told a Congressional panel Tuesday that top Bush administration officials repeatedly tried to weaken or suppress important public health reports because of political considerations.The administration, Dr. Carmona said, would not allow him to speak or issue reports about stem cells, emergency contraception, sex education, or prison, mental and global health issues. Top officials delayed for years and tried to “water down” a landmark report on secondhand smoke, he said. Released last year, the report concluded that even brief exposure to cigarette smoke could cause immediate harm.
Dr. Carmona said he was ordered to mention President Bush three times on every page of his speeches. He also said he was asked to make speeches to support Republican political candidates and to attend political briefings…
Dr. Carmona is one of a growing list of present and former administration officials to charge that politics often trumped science within what had previously been largely nonpartisan government health and scientific agencies.
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This is the problem with being the President of the United States, one of your jobs is that you are the Head of your Political Parties along with being the Commander-in-Chief, Head of State, etc. Maybe this is just me caring about the right thing to do is but. Although, being the President is inertially political, your job is to do what is best for the American people. And not to “water down” reports and facts to ensure your positions seem the best to American people. That is not right, hopefully, in 2008 we can get someone who works truly for the interests of the people that represent.
A Politico 