White House staffers pass out white lab coats for photo op

[Pearls]

Oh, for pete's sake. Did my tax dollars pay for this production?

White House's botched 'op'


White House's botched 'op'By CHARLES HURT, Post Correspondent
Last Updated: 8:56 AM, October 6, 2009
Posted: 3:05 AM, October 6, 2009

WASHINGTON -- President Obama yesterday rolled out the red carpet -- and handed out doctors' white coats as well, just so nobody missed his hard-sell health-care message.

In a heavy-handed attempt at reviving support for health-care reform, the White House orchestrated a massive photo op to buttress its claim that front-line physicians support Obama.

A sea of 150 white-coated doctors, all enthusiastically supportive of the president and representing all 50 states, looked as if they were at a costume party as they posed in the Rose Garden before hearing Obama's pitch for the Democratic overhaul bills moving through Congress.

The physicians, all invited guests, were told to bring their white lab coats to make sure that TV cameras captured the image.

But some docs apparently forgot, failing to meet the White House dress code by showing up in business suits or dresses.

So the White House rustled up white coats for them and handed them to the suited physicians who had taken seats in the sun-splashed lawn area.

All this to provide a visual counter to complaints from other doctors that pending legislation is bad news for the medical profession.

"Nobody has more credibility with the American people on this issue than you do," Obama told his guests.

The president was flanked by four white-coated doctors at a podium as he delivered his pep talk.
"When you cut through all the noise and all the distractions that are out there, I think what's most telling is that some of the people who are most supportive of reform are the very medical professionals who know the health-care system best," the president said.

"I want to thank every single doctor who is here," Obama said. "And I especially want to thank you for agreeing to fan out across the country and make the case about why this reform effort is so desperately needed."

Underlying the strictly photo-op nature of the event, The Associated Press noted that Obama broke no new ground in his remarks.

The president told the doctors that if they back him, "I'm confident we are going to get health reform passed this year."

The Republican National Committee shot back with a response from Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), who was an orthopedic surgeon before being elected to Congress.

"Today, the president wants you to believe that the medical community supports his government takeover of health care. Don't be fooled," Price said.

He said he had spoken to "thousands of my colleagues" who oppose the Democrats' legislation.

House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) said large numbers of doctors fear it would cripple their ability to care for patients.

"Members of the medical community -- who deal with red tape day in and day out -- rightly recognize that the Democrats' government takeover would weaken the doctor-patient relationship that is so critical to making the right health-care decisions," he said.

Obama made no mention of the "public option" -- a controversial government-run insurance plan favored by liberal Democrats -- in his Rose Garden spiel.

A key version of the legislation, which doesn't include the public option, is expected to reach the Senate floor for debate later this month.

[Julester]

All of it is a well choreographed dog and pony show IMO.

[LBWP]

Originally Posted by Julester

All of it is a well choreographed dog and pony show IMO.

I have to agree.

L (46)
K&E=7.3

[rae]

LOL! I wonder if the White House knows that most doctors have stopped wearing them to stop the spread of germs?

[intheknow]

"You all look spiffy in your coats,"
-B. H. Obama


What an insult to the American people. He thinks dressing them up in white lab coats makes his socialized medicine plan any more appealing?

[BC-Maura]

Originally Posted by rae

LOL! I wonder if the White House knows that most doctors have stopped wearing them to stop the spread of germs?

How do you know that "most" doctors have stopped wearing them? I know the AMA is considering a recommendation, but do "most" doctors agree with this?

++++++++++++++
Maura

[Lesley]

Seriously, you all jump on some outrageous bandwagon to whine and moan over a few white coats for a photo op? I don't remember ANYONE here complaining over this waste of taxpeyer money?: No Photo Opportunity Left Behind

NOVEMBER 30, 2003 – Two days after President Bush bans reporters on American soil from interviewing troops at Ft. Collins, he brings a few hand-picked reporters with him to Baghdad and has them quote a soldier as saying, "He's got to win in'04. No one else can prosecute the war like he can," making clear nothing is beneath him in his plan to fully exploit the war for campaign purposes.

Five photographers.

President "I won't politicize the war," brought not one, not two, not three, but five photographers on his surprise trip to Baghdad.

And a camera crew. And - yes - a producer.

The troops are not allowed to voice dissent, not allowed to complain - they were scolded for doing so some months ago and ordered never to do it again.

Now let's get this straight. Two days ago, the President banned any reporter from interviewing any of the troops or their families while covering his visit to Ft. Carson. (read story) But now his one hack reporter is allowed to interview troops - without any witnesses as to whether he is giving the accurate or full picture - and pass along a quote that is a flat out partisan campaign commercial?

That is not just un-American, that is illegal - to use troops for PR purposes while they are in a combat zone.

Could any President sink any lower than to have the one reporter he brought along report such a blatantly partisan campaign ad, using the troops of the U.S. Army as his campaign props? Bringing the five photographers - more staff than he brought, practically - was heinous enough. But to bring a single hack reporter who passed back a political campaign quote like the above - while other reporters are not allowed to even interview troops here on American soil, is beyond un-American, it's flat out Soviet.

Written by a self proclaimed moderate independent who goes further to say:

Half the nation - and much of the world - saw President Bush's trip for what it clearly was: a massive photo-op. But if you want to hear anyone say it and adequately nail the President for this, you have to either move to France or England, or read The Moderate Independent.

And, of course, we all know if Clinton had done this there would be a storm of outrage. That is why the Republican Party is by far the better party at the moment - they speak for their people. That is why their party grows, that is why their party wins. Their people can rest assured if the other side pulls a stunt like this their spokespeople will not play nice and speak at best gentle criticism, they will blast away full bore on and on until the mainstream media goes along and drags the public with them.

The Democrats, on the other hand, know they can count on their leadership to do nothing useful - indeed, even worse, to praise the President.

The worst part of it for us Moderate Independents, is that what you and I both know is the obvious truth - that this was a well-chosen, crass, and bold PR campaign move - you will not see talked about anywhere in the American media.

So now we have our choices: complain and remain voiceless, or spread the word about The Moderate Independent and keep this growing until it is an accepted part of the American media conversation. Then, at last, you won't have to leave the country just to see someone exercising freedom of speech.

[waiting41]

Yeah, and Obama needs a white JACKET and a padded room!!!! He is a nut.

[rae]

Originally Posted by BC-Maura

How do you know that "most" doctors have stopped wearing them? I know the AMA is considering a recommendation, but do "most" doctors agree with this?

++++++++++++++
Maura

You can chalk it up to opinion, if you prefer.

I used observation and common sense for this, Maura. I have had the occasion of being in way too many hospitals and way too many doctors' offices in the last year. And I can tell you that "most" of the doctors I have talked with, "most" of the doctors I have seen, were not wearing a white coat. Very few doctors that I have been around wear a white coat.

I'm also going to go out on a limb here with my common sense and tell you that "most" doctors that I know are extremely well-read and well-researched. I am relying on my own common sense to tell me that "most" doctors are informed of the many studies that have come out in the last several years proving just how 'germy' those white coats get. I also am using common sense and respect for the medical community as a whole when they have come up with guidelines to prevent the spread of disease, MRSA for example. Considering that both Scotland and England have banned white coats to prevent the spread of disease, considering that the AMA has openly discussed it, I am using my deductive reasoning when I come to the conclusion that "most" doctors have stopped wearing white coats to prevent the spread of disease.

IMHO, common sense and logic tell me that most doctors have stopped wearing white coats to prevent the spread of disease.

Scotland drops white coat uniform for doctors | Society | guardian.co.uk

No more white coats for doctors in Scotland

New dress code for all medical staff aims to combat the spread of infections in hospitals

Doctors' white coats banned under MRSA shake-up | Top News | Reuters

Doctors' white coats banned under MRSA shake-up

AMA Weighs Whether Docs Should Hang Up Their White Coats - Health Blog - WSJ

AMA Weighs Whether Docs Should Hang Up Their White Coats

[MamaBear]

Not a surprise. EVERYTHING this man does is set up and staged to give off the illusion wanted......when reality is something else.