Sanjay Gupta For Surgeon General?
The Washington Post, citing two sources, first reported that Mr. Obama had offered Gupta the job.
"Gupta has told administration officials that he wants the job, and the final vetting process is under way," reported the Post. "He has asked for a few days to figure out the financial and logistical details of moving his family from Atlanta to Washington but is expected to accept the offer."
CBS News can confirm through a source close to Dr. Gupta that the doctor was offered the position.
CBS News has also learned from a source close to Dr. Gupta that he was approached weeks ago about the position and that he had sought advice about whether or not he should take the job shortly after he was approached.
Another source close to Dr. Gupta (whom Gupta asked for advice) tells CBS News that Gupta feels drawn to public service and confirms the approach was made a while back.
The CBS News bio of Gupta notes that the doctor performs surgery weekly at Grady Memorial Hospital and is a member of the staff and faculty of the department of neurosurgery at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. Check out some of Gupta's work for CBS News below:
Here's more background from the Post:
The offer followed a two-hour Chicago meeting in November with Obama, who said that Gupta could be the highest-profile surgeon general in history and would have an expanded role in providing health policy advice, the sources said. Gupta later spoke with Tom Daschle, Obama's White House health czar and nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, and other advisers to the president-elect.The Michigan-born son of Indian and Pakistani parents, Gupta has always been drawn to health policy. He was a White House fellow in the late 1990s, writing speeches and crafting policy for Hillary Clinton. His appointment would give the administration a prominent official of Southwest Asian descent and a skilled television spokesman.