Sanjay Gupta Withdraws Name, Out of Running for Surgeon General

Posted by Rachel Weiner, Huffington Post at 4:18 PM on March 5, 2009.

Sanjay Gupta has removed himself from the running for Surgeon General. CNN reports:

CNN correspondent Sanjay Gupta has withdrawn his name from consideration as the nation's next surgeon general, opting to continue to devote time to his reporting and his medical career.

Gupta will discuss his decision, and the president's health care agenda, tonight on CNN's Larry King Live.

Fox News reported earlier Thursday that Gupta might be out.

Jerry Farrell, who heads the Commissioned Officers Association, told FOXNews.com Thursday that CNN's chief medical correspondent is known to have taken himself out of consideration.

"The general consensus from everybody is Gupta is no longer in contention ... it's more he's withdrawing himself," Farrell said, citing conversations he's had with "well-placed" individuals.

According to Farrell, Gupta had misgivings about both the pay cut he would have to take and the fact that he could be reporting to two high-level bosses: both the health secretary and health reform office director. When Gupta's name surfaced, President Obama had planned to have former Sen. Tom Daschle fill both of those roles. After Daschle withdrew from consideration, the president named two separate nominees for the posts.

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