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madrobinsVia Jon Carroll this morning, I learn that one sidelight of former Surgeon General Richard Carmona's testimony before a congressional panel was that, as Surgeon General, Carmona was instructed not to attend the Special Olympics, on the grounds that the Special Olympics have a long association with **gasp** the Kennedy family.
Never mind that Carmona was not permitted to speak about stem cell research, prison health care, emergency contraception, or the health effects of global warming. Never mind that a paper on the effects of second hand smoke was delayed and attempts made to soften it, by administration officials. Forget, even, that Carmona was ordered to mention President Bush at least three times per page in every speech. But...don't go to the Special Olympics? Because it might signal some sort of support for evil liberal politics? Because all the developmentally disabled persons participating in the Special Olympics might be tainted by Kennedy cooties?
“I was specifically told by a senior person, ‘Why would you want to help those people?’ ” Dr. Carmona said. The Kennedys, or the Special Olympians?
Jesus wept.
Never mind that Carmona was not permitted to speak about stem cell research, prison health care, emergency contraception, or the health effects of global warming. Never mind that a paper on the effects of second hand smoke was delayed and attempts made to soften it, by administration officials. Forget, even, that Carmona was ordered to mention President Bush at least three times per page in every speech. But...don't go to the Special Olympics? Because it might signal some sort of support for evil liberal politics? Because all the developmentally disabled persons participating in the Special Olympics might be tainted by Kennedy cooties?
“I was specifically told by a senior person, ‘Why would you want to help those people?’ ” Dr. Carmona said. The Kennedys, or the Special Olympians?
Jesus wept.