Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Richard Carmona is a decorated Vietnam medic (Bronze Star & Purple Heart, among others), and former U.S. Surgeon General, serving the George W. Bush administration from 2002 until 2006. As Surgeon General he is best remembered for his research on second-hand smoke, and for his eventual fall-out with Bush over the president's science-denying policies that no doubt cost lives.
When long-time ass-hat Jon Kyl announced that he would be stepping down from the Senate extractive industry seat he had held since 1995, the Arizona GOP tried to woo Dr. Carmona to run for the seat, since he had served Republican administrations in the past, and in deep red Arizona a man with his reputation would be a shoe-in to retain the state's Republican control in the U.S. Senate.
The only problem is that Richard Carmona, a Latino and registered Independent, is a man with a sense of decency, fairness, justice and, most of all, integrity. As he watched the Republican party become hijacked by Santorum's blah people, Bachmann's dancing cures for the gay, Newt's new lunar congressional districts, Perry's gold medal for killing prisoners, Ron Paul's "let'm die" healthcare policy, and of course Romney's uncaring assholery for those who don't have their plundered pickings parked in the Cayman Islands or some other job-creating account, Richard Carmona knew if he was going to serve the people of Arizona, there was no way he could do that as a Republican candidate, even if running as the GOP nominee would virtually assure victory.
So Dr. Carmona entered the race as a Democrat, the only party that seemed to give a good goddamn about healthcare, education, social justice, the preservation of our state's majestic lands and cultures, and keeping our nation out of more wars. He'd seen enough of that.
His senatorial opponent, former Congressman Jeff Flake, had never served one day in the military, although he was all too willing to send thousands of American men and women to their deaths in Iraq, not to mention hundreds of thousands of Iraqis—so Bush could land on his red-white-and-blue aircraft carrier, with the snug-fitting straps accentuating his manly package, and blather his beady-eyed heh-heh slander about the most expensive, deceitful, and immoral lie foisted upon our generation.
When Richard Carmona was nominated to serve as U.S. Surgeon General in 2002, here is what Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl said about the man's history and character before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, chaired by Sen. Edward Kennedy:
Here's a transcript of McCain and Kyl's testimony for those who need it:
Sen. McCain: Thank you very much Mr. Chairman. Thank you for holding this hearing. I want to thank you and Sen. Frist for taking the time to consider this very fine American to serve as Surgeon General of the United States. Dr. Carmona's inspiring story is the living embodiment of the American Dream. A high school dropout, Richard Carmona first served our nation with the Special Forces in Vietnam, where he became a decorated Green Beret. Upon his return, he obtained his high school equivalency and became the first member of his family to graduate from college. He went on to become a nurse and later enrolled in medical school, specializing in trauma surgery. When he graduated, Dr. Carmona relocated in Tucson, Arizona, and established southern Arizona's first trauma center. Later he continued his education, obtaining a master's degree in public health from the University of Arizona where he now serves as a member of the faculty. As a professor, Dr. Carmona trains future doctors in clinical surgery, public health, and community medicine. Always in pursuit of more challenges, in 1986 Dr. Carmona joined the Pima County Sheriff's Department, as a surgeon and a SWAT team leader. Today, Dr. Carmona is a celebrated deputy sheriff. In fact, he's received the honor of Top Cop from the National Association of Police Organizations, and is one of the most decorated policemen in Arizona. In addition to his service to the community. Dr. Carmona is a motivating community leader; he has stressed the importance of community preparedness, and warned of the dangers of a biological assault long before September 11th. After the terrorists attacks, Dr. Carmona recognized the phycological impact of the events on Tucson residents, and coordinated a team of mental health experts to assist them with dealing with the associated trauma. Due to his bio-terrorism experience, he's also been put in charge of implementing southern Arizona's bio-terror and emergency preparedness plans. Mr. Chairman, Arizona will surely miss this outstanding man, and I know he will miss Arizona. Our nation will gain an invaluable leader. With his military and law enforcement background, coupled with his demonstrated commitment to public health and community preparedness, Dr. Carmona is extraordinarily, perhaps uniquely, qualified to address the needs of our nation as Surgeon General. I thank you Mr. Chairman for allowing me to appear and I look forward to the opportunity of seeing Dr. Carmona in this very important position.
[Thanks from Chairman Kennedy]
Sen. Kyl: Thank you Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to put an introductory statement in the record, and simply expand on the last point that Sen. McCain made. Dr. Carmona's background is so broad and varied that one might call him a man for all seasons, but I think the last point Sen. McCain made is important for us now. He is a man for this season. His unique background will qualify him to deal with the unique responsibilities that he will have in helping us in the war on terror; and I think while we've had excellent Surgeons Generals in the past, with backgrounds in other areas of the medical field and health community and health profession, in this particular time, his unique background will serve him well and serve us well, as we work our way through this war on terror, with the bio-terrorism issues that you and Sen Frist have been so active on, and many of the other things. And so I think he is exactly the right nominee at this time, in addition to all the other ways that he will help and the other experience that he brings to the office, his experiences that, ah, shed unique light, ah, ah, and inform his leadership with respect to the war on terror make him I think uniquely qualified at this particular point in time. And so I join my colleague in strongly recommending him to the committee and volunteering in any way to assist this committee in any way to move his nomination forward.
Now, if I were Richard Carmona running for office in a state where two of the most powerful and admired politicians had praised my service, I might use their kind words about me in a campaign ad, which is precisely what the Carmona team did:
As you might imagine, however, with their war-mongering, Roe-hating, Book of Mormon-thumping, immigrant-bashing, Norquist-fellating, healthcare whacking puppet running for Kyl's Senate seat, Misters McCain and Kyl have conveniently forgotten Richard Carmona's bravery, community service, American Dream story, and, above all his integrity. In fact, Kyl and McCain say it's Dr. Carmona who lacks integrity for using their own words:
Richard Carmona is an American hero, something Senators Kyl and McCain once knew. Jeff Flake hasn't done a damn thing during the 12 years he's sat in the U.S. House of Representatives—other than to vote "no" on any program that might serve Americans, including FEMA. And that picture above will give me nightmares until Nov. 6