Obama Appoints Black Woman Surgeon General

Ironically, as the first Hispanic woman appointed to the Supreme Court begins her nomination, Barack Obama announces a black woman to be the new Surgeon General. Clearly, Obama finds exceptionally well qualified women to fill these important posts.

Attorney Gordon Johnson


Date: 7/13/2009 10:04 AM

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LAURAN NEERGAARD,AP Medical Writer


WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press has learned that President Barack Obama has chosen a well-known Alabama family physician, Dr. Regina Benjamin, to be the next surgeon general.

An administration official said Obama will announce the nomination later Monday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to upstage the official announcement.

Benjamin was the first black woman to head a state medical society, received the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights and just last fall received a MacArthur Foundation "genius grant." But she made headlines in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, with her determination to rebuild her rural health clinic Bayou La Batre, Ala., which serves 4,400 patients who would be hard-pressed to find care elsewhere.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.