RubberstampRich.com

Richard Carmona (D-Canyon Ranch Resort)

Curriculum Vitae

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Doesn’t Work Well With Others

“A number of Carmona’s former co-workers and employees… describe a man whose instinct is to escalate hostilities rather than resolve them.” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

“Dr. Carmona is not a team player. Dr. Carmona, within 6 or 8 months, had burned bridges everywhere.” (Committee on Oversight And Government Reform, U.S. House of Representatives, Testimony Of Dr. CristinaBeato, 11/2/07)

“Tensions between Carmona and others at Tucson medical center began soon after he was hired in 1985…” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

Carmona Colleague: “Never in my entire medical career have I seen such gross interference by a hospital administrator without the slightest attempt to reach a cooperative understanding.” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

Not A Quick Study

“…it took him eight years to acquire board certification in his field, general surgery, and… he failed the exam twice before passing it.” (“Surgeon-General-Designate Defends Credentials,” The Washington Post, 7/10/02)

“Typically, physicians pass the examinations within a year or two.” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

Carmona Colleague: “Clearly you need a lot of help and instruction in how to manage your current position for which you have had no training or previous experience.” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

Bad With Budgeting & Finances

“Dr. Richard Carmona had come under fire for a deficit at Kino community hospital…” (The Associated Press, 7/13/99)

“…debt grew to $40 million during his tenure.”  (“Bush May Tap Carmona To Be Surgeon General,” Tucson Citizen, 2/9/02)

“…it continued to lose millions of dollars, and he was forced to resign.” (“The Doctor Is Armed,” Time Magazine, 3/31/02)

Unstable Employment History

Dismissed By Tucson Medical Center: “He was dismissed as director of Tucson Medical Center’s trauma center in 1993.” (“Bush Picks Tucsonan To Be Surgeon General,” The Arizona Daily Star, 3/27/02)

Forced Out Of Pima County Job: “The embattled head of the Pima health care system offered his resignation on the eve of a board of supervisors meeting at which he might have been fired.” (The Associated Press, 7/13/99)

Failed To Get Renominated As Surgeon General: “It isunclear who decided Carmona’s time as Surgeon General is over.”  (“U.S. Surgeon General To Return To Tucson After Four-Year Term,” The Arizona Daily Star, 8/1/06)

REFERENCES

The Arizona Republic: “On issues pertaining to federal deficit spending and over-regulation, Carmona can be elusive… difficult to pin down.” (“A Leader for These Times,” The Arizona Republic, 10/13/12)

Colleagues At Tucson Medical Center:“Court and hospital records show a history ofconflicts between Carmona and other doctors, who complained about his lack of cooperation, ‘high handedness,’ ‘unwillingness to communicate’ and ‘his escalation of disagreements in an effort to prove he was right.’” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

Angie Calvino: “Carmona demanded Angie Calvino’s resignation after she complained to colleagues about his medical judgment…” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

Dr. Cristina Beato: On Working With Carmona: “It was a living nightmare. It was a living nightmare.” (Committee On Oversight And Government Reform, U.S. House Of Representatives, Testimony Of Dr. Cristina Beato, 11/2/07)

FLASHBACK: ‘We Haven’t Heard From Him, Nothing, Not A Peep, Not Anywhere’

“Some Tucsonans feel let down by Carmona’s silence after President Bush named him Surgeon General …” (“Whatever Happened To Dr. Carmona?” Arizona Daily Star, Page A1, 2/15/04)

“…Carmona - seems to have vanished without a trace, and Tucsonans want to know why.”  (“Whatever Happened To Dr. Carmona?” Arizona Daily Star, Page A1, 2/15/04)

“Except for a few victory laps in Tucson, that is about the last we saw of him.” (“Whatever Happened To Dr. Carmona?” Arizona Daily Star, Page A1, 2/15/04)

“…a lot of reasons why he is only a shadow in this government, but that’s all he is.” (“Whatever Happened To Dr. Carmona?” Arizona Daily Star, Page A1, 2/15/04)

ARIZONA PROFESSOR: “…we haven’t heard from him, nothing, not a peep, not anywhere… Here is this highly visible, activist doctor who is now absolutely mute.” (“Whatever Happened To Dr. Carmona?” Arizona Daily Star, Page A1, 2/15/04)

ARIZONA PHOTOJOURNALIST: “…I looked up what he was supposed to be doing - what his actual duties are - because I began wondering what happened to him…” (“Whatever Happened To Dr. Carmona?” Arizona Daily Star, Page A1, 2/15/04)

GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: “I think the issue is, he’s no longer just yours…” (“Whatever Happened To Dr. Carmona?” Arizona Daily Star, Page A1, 2/15/04)

‘Questions About His Integrity’ “It was Wolfe who wrote a much-publicized letter to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., chairman of the Senate committee that heard Carmona’s nomination -pleading with the committee to reject Carmona. Wolfe cited ‘questions about his integrity,’ ticking off several controversies in Carmona’s Tucson past, including his firings from Kino and Tucson Medical Center.”

PUBLIC CITIZEN: “Historically, the main purpose of the surgeon general is to speak out on major public - health issues, and without that the whole purpose of the office is thwarted. This country is wasting the important function of the surgeon general… he’s 98 percent disappeared.”  (“Whatever Happened To Dr. Carmona?” Arizona Daily Star, Page A1, 2/15/04)

‘Traveled To Vacation Home Frequently, Had Driver Pick-Up Dry Cleaning And Run Errands’

“…Carmona was taking advantage of official travel…” (“Testimony: Carmona Took Advantage of Perks of Office When Surgeon General,” The Weekly Standard, 11/1/12)

“…Carmona took full advantage of the perks of his job as a federal employee…” (“Testimony: Carmona Took Advantage of Perks of Office When Surgeon General,” The Weekly Standard, 11/1/12)

“Traveled to vacation home frequently, had driver pick-up dry cleaning and run errands…” (“Testimony: Carmona Took Advantage of Perks of Office When Surgeon General,” The Weekly Standard, 11/1/12)

TESTIMONY: “I was extremely concerned about the number of visits…Dr. Carmona has a summer home in Coronado Del Mar, near San Diego… conveniently, a lot of these travels would be over weekends.” (Dr. Cristina Beato, Testimony, US House Committee On Oversight, 11/2/07)

TESTIMONY: “I got word that the driver was going around picking up his [Carmona’s] dry cleaning, okay? I about fell out of my chair. And on my watch, I wasn’t going to have anything like that happen.” (Dr. Cristina Beato, Testimony, US House Committee On Oversight, 11/2/07)

“‘So these were concerns both of cost and of appearance?’ the questioner in the testimony asks Beato. Carmona’s former boss responds,‘Well, yes, absolutely. First of all, as to the budget, it’s taxpayers’ dollars.’” (“Testimony: Carmona Took Advantage of Perks of Office When Surgeon General,” The Weekly Standard, 11/1/12)

Carmona’s Congressional Motive: ‘Perks… A House And A Car’

“If a past interaction Kyl had with Carmona reveals a motive for the present, it is that the Democrat is seeking the Senate seat for the ‘perks of the office.’” (The Weekly Standard, 10/26/12)

SEN. JON KYL: “He seemed more concerned about the perks of the office…” (The Weekly Standard, 10/26/12)

SEN. JON KYL: “…he specifically asked about a house and a car…” (The Weekly Standard, 10/26/12)

SEN. JON KYL:“…he also seemed to think that it was just a lot of work for just two years… he thought, well, a position in the Senate would be a lot better to hold.” (The Weekly Standard, 10/26/12)

Carmona Spent 6 Years ‘Working’ At Luxurious Resort & Spa

Carmona: “This was a wonderful opportunity for me.”(“Carmona To Teach, Work In Town After Job As U.S. Surgeon General,” The Arizona Daily Star, 10/2/06)

Carmona: ‘Perfect Fit’ “Carmona, who has been a long-time patron of Canyon Ranch and sometimes gave lectures there, described the job as a ‘perfect fit.’” (“Carmona To Teach, Work In Town After Job As U.S. Surgeon General,” The Arizona Daily Star, 10/2/06)

“…an internationalcrowd of well-to-do health seekers…”(Fodor’s, Website Accessed 10/24/12)

“…supreme comfort.” (Canyon Ranch Website)

“…the gold standard for luxurious, healthy vacations.” (Spa Week, Website Accessed 10/24/12)

Carmona ‘Spoke Out Against’ Discipline

Doctor Operated ‘On The Wrong Patient’ “…Dr. Loomis for administering anesthesia to the wrong patient and to Dr. Zerella for operating on the wrong patient.” (Arizona Board of Medical Examiners, Meeting Minutes, 2/25/2001)

Carmona ‘Spoke Out Against’ ‘Discipline’ “Tim Hunter, M.D. strongly recommended discipline for both MDs… Richard Carmona, M.D. spoke out against the motion.” (Arizona Board of Medical Examiners, Meeting Minutes, 2/25/2001)

“Richard Carmona, M.D. recommended an advisory letter be given the doctors…” (Arizona Board of Medical Examiners, Meeting Minutes, 2/25/2001)

Carmona Term Saw ‘Steady Stream of Criticism’

AUDIT: “…doesn’t discipline doctors, even when its own investigators discover cases in whichdoctors violated state statutes, the audit says.” (“Medical Board Still Too Lenient,” The Arizona Republic, 10/1/99)

“…the agency has come under a steady stream of criticism from legislators, good-government groups, patients and even some doctors - all charging that the board of medical examiners, or BOMAX, has not effectively policed errant physicians.” (“BOMEX Reform Still A Bit Wobbly,” The Arizona Republic, 4/18/99)

“Even though it has been through a complete overhaul, the agency that protects Arizonans from bad doctors still is too soft on errant physicians and takes too long to handle cases, the state auditor general says.” (“Medical Board Still Too Lenient,” The Arizona Republic, 10/1/99)

“…inadequate investigations of complaints, dismissed 144 of them against doctors during a special video-conference meeting Thursday in Tucson and Tempe.” (“Medical Investigators Dismiss 144 Cases,” Tucson Citizen, 7/24/99)

Arizona Medical Association Won’t Endorse Carmona

“It goes a long way to explain why the Arizona Medical Association, of which Carmona was a board member, has failed to endorse his Senate run. When those closest to a candidate fail to endorse, it’s a signal for the rest of us.” (“Dem. Senate Candidate Carmona Failed to Keep Bad Doctors Accountable,” Breitbart News, 10/30/12)

“Dr. Carmona skipped no less than 284 votes on disciplining doctors for delivering inferior care. Worse, he completely blew off 24 meetings of the BoMEx.” (“Dem. Senate Candidate Carmona Failed to Keep Bad Doctors Accountable,” Breitbart News, 10/30/12)

“…he generally blew off this responsibility.” (“Dem. Senate Candidate Carmona Failed to Keep Bad Doctors Accountable,” Breitbart News, 10/30/12)

 EDITORIAL: ‘Is His Campaign In Such Trouble That He Needs Fake Support?’

“…we’re guessing Richard Carmona would like a mulligan for his TV ads that make Arizona’s Republican Sens. John McCain and Jon Kylappear to be endorsing… They are not.” (“Democrat might like a do-over,” Editorial, Arizona Republic, 10/30/12)

“Neither McCain nor Kyl is saying nice things about Carmona now. They’ve unveiled pro-Flakeads. Stand back. Things could get hot.” (“Democrat might like a do-over,” Editorial, Arizona Republic, 10/30/12)

“But while the ad was a gambit, the Carmona campaign’s response to McCain and Kyl’s righteousanger has been pure idiocy.”(“Democrat might like a do-over,” Editorial, Arizona Republic, 10/30/12)

“This is making-things-worse punk talk on multiple levels. For one, McCain and Kyl have been substantial figures in Congress for some time.” (“Democrat might like a do-over,” Editorial, Arizona Republic, 10/30/12)

“More to the point, if McCain and Kyl really are mere ‘career pols’ easily brushed aside by campaign spokesmen, why did Rich Carmona go to the trouble of doctoring up their testimonials?”(“Democrat might like a do-over,” Editorial, Arizona Republic, 10/30/12)

“Is his campaign in such trouble that he needs fake support… The fake endorsements were bad. The defense of the ad made it worse. Time for a do-over.” (“Democratmight like a do-over,” Editorial, Arizona Republic, 10/30/12)

“Republicans are pointing to a new editorial from Arizona Republic, the state’s biggest newspaper, as evidence that Carmona’s ad featuring past compliments from John McCain and Jon Kyl is backfiring.” (Morning Score, Politico, 10/30/12)

NOW: ‘Nasty and Personal

“…there is little to indicate relationships will improve in the next Congress — especially if Carmona wins…” (“Arizona: Barbs Turn Personal,” Roll Call, 10/29/12)

“The Arizona Senate race has taken a nasty and personal turn in the final days, highlighted by increasingly sharp barbs between GOP Sens. Jon Kyl and John McCain and former Surgeon General Richard Carmona (D).” (“Arizona: Barbs Turn Personal,” Roll Call, 10/29/12)

FLASHBACK: ‘History of Conflicts’

“A number of Carmona’s former co-workers and employees… describe a man whose instinct is to escalate hostilities rather than resolve them.” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

 “Court and hospital records show a history of conflicts between Carmona and other doctors, who complained about his lack of cooperation, ‘high handedness,’ ‘unwillingness to communicate’ and ‘his escalation of disagreements in an effort to prove he was right.’” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

“Dr. Carmona is not a team player. Dr. Carmona, within 6 or 8 months, had burned bridges everywhere.” (Dr. Cristina Beato, Testimony, US House Committee On Oversight, 11/2/07)

“It was a living nightmare. It was a living nightmare.” (Dr. Cristina Beato, Testimony, US House Committee On Oversight, 11/2/07)

“Tensions between Carmona and others at Tucson medical center began soon after he was hired in 1985…” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

“Never in my entire medical career have I seen such gross interference by a hospital administrator without the slightest attempt to reach a cooperative understanding.” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

THE HILL: Carmona Admits He ‘Did Ask… About Housing And A Car’

“Carmona said that he… did ask Kyl, as the senator told the Weekly Standard, about housing and a car…” (“Carmona: ‘I’m flabbergasted’ at Kyl accusations,” The Hill, 10/27/12)

KYL: “I was so surprised at the conversation because all he was interested in was what were the perks. I specifically remember that he asked me if there was a car that came with the job and I said no. He said, ‘Well, how about a house?’ And I said no.”(“Kyl says Carmona had interest in congressional ‘perks,’” The Arizona Republic, 10/27/12)

KYL: “…he specifically asked about a house and a car…” (The Weekly Standard, 10/26/12)

ARIZONA REPUBLIC: Carmona‘Previously Denied’ Asking About ‘A House And A Car’

“He previously denied the allegation during a meeting earlier this month with The Arizona Republic’s editorial board.” (“Kyl says Carmona had interest in congressional ‘perks,’” The Arizona Republic, 10/27/12)

CARMONA: “That’s absolutely false. There was never a discussion about that, so nice try, Congressman.” (“Kyl says Carmona had interest in congressional ‘perks,’” The Arizona Republic, 10/27/12)

OPPORTUNITY: Carmona Pocketed $3.9 Million By Suing Employer Who Fired Him

“After he was fired as director of Tucson Medical Center’s trauma center in 1993, he complained…” (“Tucson Doctor A Candidate For Surgeon General,” The Associated Press, 2/8/02)

“He sued and prevailed on grounds that his contract guaranteed lifetime employment…” (“Bush Picks Tucsonan To Be Surgeon General,” The Arizona Daily Star, 3/27/02)

“That lawsuit was settled for $3.9 Million.” (“Bush Picks Tucsonan To Be Surgeon General,” The Arizona Daily Star, 3/27/02)

OPPORTUNITY: Carmona Enjoyed Taxpayer-Funded Laundry Delivery As Surgeon General

“I got word that the driver was going around picking up his [Carmona’s] dry cleaning, okay? I about fell out of my chair. And on my watch, I wasn’t going to have anything like that happen.” (Dr. Cristina Beato, Testimony, US House Committee On Oversight, 11/2/07)

“As to the budget, it’s taxpayers’ dollars. As to appearance, there is no way, I mean, there’s just no way I’m going to have some driver go pick up somebody’s laundry.” (Dr. Cristina Beato, Testimony, US House Committee On Oversight, 11/2/07)

OPPORTUNITY: Carmona Engineered Quick Exit To Pursue Political Career

 “Richard Carmona, picked to lead probe at Dover, quits to run for Senate days after selection” (The Washington Post, 11/12/11)

“On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced Carmona would head an independent panel overseeing the investigation into the mishandling of the remains of fallen U.S. troops.” (The Hill, 11/11/11)

“On Thursday, Carmona jumped into the Senate race in Arizona.” (The Hill, 11/11/11)

“And on Friday, he stepped down from the panel, and the Pentagon blasted him forkeeping his campaign plans to himself.” (The Hill, 11/11/11)

OPPORTUNITY: Carmona Spent 6 Years ‘Working’ At Luxurious Resort & Spa

Carmona: “This was a wonderful opportunity for me.”(“Carmona To Teach, Work In Town After Job As U.S. Surgeon General,” The Arizona Daily Star, 10/2/06)

Carmona: ‘Perfect Fit’ “Carmona, who has been a long-time patron of Canyon Ranch and sometimes gave lectures there, described the job as a ‘perfect fit.’”  (“Carmona To Teach, Work In Town After Job As U.S. Surgeon General,” The Arizona Daily Star, 10/2/06)

“…an internationalcrowd of well-to-do health seekers…”(Fodor’s, Website Accessed 10/24/12)

“…supreme comfort.” (Canyon Ranch Website)

“…the gold standard for luxurious, healthy vacations.” (Spa Week, Website Accessed 10/24/12)

NEW YORK TIMES: Ad ‘Seemed Almost Designed To Enrage’

New York Times: “The advertisement seemed almost designed to enrage…” (The New York Times, 10/26/12)

“…a listener not actually watching could easily believe that the Republicans are endorsing Mr. Carmona…” (The New York Times, 10/26/12)

“The starring senators portrayed it as the height of duplicity.” (The New York Times, 10/26/12)

CAREER PATTERN: Working With Carmona ‘A Living Nightmare’

“A number of Carmona’s former co-workers and employees… describe a man whose instinct is to escalate hostilities rather than resolve them.” (Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

“Dr. Carmona is not a team player. Dr. Carmona, within 6 or 8 months, had burned bridges everywhere.” (Dr. Cristina Beato, Testimony, US House Committee On Oversight, 11/2/07)

“It was a living nightmare. It was a living nightmare.” (Dr. Cristina Beato, Testimony, US House Committee On Oversight, 11/2/07)

“Tensions between Carmona and others at Tucson medical center began soon after he washired in 1985…” (Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

Carmona Colleague: “Never in my entire medical career have I seen such gross interference by a hospital administrator without the slightest attempt to reach a cooperative understanding.” (Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

AZ LEADER: ‘With This Ad He Goes From Liberal Candidate To Full-Fledged Phony’

GLENN HAMER, AZ CHAMBER PRESIDENT: “Richard Carmona has lost all credibility in my book. Senators McCain and Kyl strongly support Jeff Flake, and trying to deceive people into thinking otherwise shows Carmona’s dishonesty. Campaign operatives may think this stuff is clever, but it will undoubtedly backfire with voters.” (AZ Chamber of Commerce President Glenn Hamer, Statement, 10/26/12)

GRANT WOODS, FMR AZ ATTORNEY GENERAL: “The ad implies support for US Senate when they are obviously talking about Surgeon General. Nobody wanted C. Everett Koop for their Senator. It’s another reason why Senators McCain and Kyl and people like me support Jeff Flake for US Senate.”(Fmr Attorney General Grant Woods, Statement, 10/26/12)

ANDY TOBIN, AZ SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: “Carmona crossed the line. With this ad he goes from liberal candidate to full-fledged phony. The stories about his track record of bullying and intimidation really seem validated by this ad. It’s flat out dishonest. John McCain and Jon Kyl have served this state honorably. They don’t deserve to be props in a dishonest ad by this guy just because he wants one of the Senate seats.” (AZ Speaker Andy Tobin, Statement, 10/26/12)

STEVE PIERCE, AZ SENATE PRESIDENT: “Most of Carmona’s ads are completely dishonest and disingenuous. But I guess it’s not surprising coming from a guy who’s career has been fraught with dysfunction and hostility. The ads are despicable and Arizona voters won’t allow him to lie his way into office.” (Sen. Steve Pearce, Statement, 10/26/12)

SEN. JOHN McCAIN: “…disgusting…” (Sen. John McCain, Conference Call, 10/26/12)

SEN. JOHN McCAIN: “It’s dishonest on Carmona’s part… he does have some problems with his temper, that’s well known…” (KFYI 550AM, Phoenix, 10/26/12)

SENS MCCAIN & KYL: “It is shameful for Richard Carmona to try to deceive the voters in this way.” (Joint Statement of Sen. John McCain & Sen. Jon Kyl, 10/25/12)

SENS MCCAIN & KYL: “It shows that he has no credibility…” (Joint Statement of Sen. John McCain & Sen. Jon Kyl, 10/25/12)

SENS MCCAIN & KYL: “…it says everything the voters of Arizona need to know about Richard Carmona’s fitness for office.” (Joint Statement of Sen. John McCain& Sen. Jon Kyl, 10/25/12)

“…the audio of the ad would make it appear that McCain and Kyl are offering a blanket endorsement of Carmona… The ad does not state that they back Carmona’s opponent…” (National Journal, 10/26/12)

“The GOP duo pushed back late Thursday with a hard-hitting joint statement in which they called the new Carmona spot “deeply dishonest” and part of a “shameful” effort to try to deceive voters that demonstrates Carmona’s lack of credibility.” (The Arizona Republic, 10/25/12)

“McCain and Kyl condemned the ad… accusing Carmona of misleading voters…” (NationalJournal, 10/26/12)

“McCain, Kyl livid over new TV ad” (KTVK 3TV, Phoenix)

“The ad prompted a sharp response from Kyl and McCain.” (KTVK 3TV, Phoenix)

“Kyl and McCain, who have endorsed Flake, repudiated the ad.” (The Washington Post, 10/26/12)

“McCain and Kyl blasted the ad… calling it blatantly deceptive.” (Politico, 10/25/12)

“…the two Senators denounced the ad, calling it “deeply dishonest.” (The Hill, 10/25/12)

“…the two Arizona Republicans are not at all pleased about it.” (Politico, 10/25/12)

“McCain, Kyl slam Carmona ad as ‘deeply dishonest’” (The Hill, 10/25/12)

“…panned as ‘deeply dishonest…’” (The Daily Caller, 10/25/12)

‘…Controversial…’ (National Journal, 10/26/12)

McCain & Kyl: Carmona ‘Has No Credibility’

SENS MCCAIN & KYL: “It is shameful for Richard Carmona to try to deceive the voters in this way.” (Joint Statement of Sen. John McCain & Sen. Jon Kyl, 10/25/12)

SENS MCCAIN & KYL: “In a deeply dishonest new TV ad, Richard Carmona implies that we support his campaign for Senate. We do not.” (Joint Statement of Sen. John McCain & Sen. Jon Kyl, 10/25/12)

SENS MCCAIN & KYL: “It shows that he has no credibility…” (Joint Statement of Sen. John McCain & Sen. Jon Kyl, 10/25/12)

SENS MCCAIN & KYL: “…it says everything the voters of Arizona need to know about Richard Carmona’s fitness for office.” (Joint Statement of Sen. John McCain & Sen. Jon Kyl, 10/25/12)

Carmona’s Canyon Ranch Constituency: ‘International Crowd Of Well-To-Do Health Seekers’

“Dr. Carmona concedes Canyon Ranch caters to those with money…” (“Ex-Surgeon General Carmona Takes Posts at Canyon Ranch,” The Wall Street Journal, 10/2/06)

“…an international crowd of well-to-dohealth seekers…” (Fodor’s, Website Accessed 10/24/12)

“…supreme comfort.” (Canyon Ranch Website)

“…the gold standard for luxurious, healthy vacations.” (Spa Week, Website Accessed 10/24/12)

Carmona: “This was a wonderful opportunity for me.” (“Carmona To Teach, Work In Town After Job As U.S. Surgeon General,” The Arizona Daily Star, 10/2/06)

Carmona: A ‘Perfect Fit’ “Carmona, who has been a long-time patron of Canyon Ranch and sometimes gave lectures there, described the job as a ‘perfect fit.’”  (“Carmona To Teach, Work In Town After Job As U.S. Surgeon General,” The Arizona Daily Star, 10/2/06)

$20,690 For Single Suite“1-Bedroom Suite… 10 Nights… Single… $20,690” (“Canyon Ranch Rates,” Website Accessed 10/24/12)

Arizona’s Reality: Hard Hit By Tough Economy

$46,709 AZ Median Income “Median household income… $46,709” (2011 American Community Survey, US Census Bureau)

1 in 5 Arizonans Struggled to Afford Food This Year: “Have there been times in the past 12 months when you did not have enough money to buy food that you or your family needed? … Arizona … 19.9%” (Gallup Index on Food Hardship, 9/21/12)

“Poverty Continues to Climb In Arizona… The portion of Arizonans living in poverty hit 19 percent last year, the sixth-highest rate in the nation, according to new data from the Census Bureau. It was the third straight increase in the poverty rate for Arizona… While poverty was rising, incomes were falling.” (“New numbers show poverty continues to climb in Arizona,” Arizona Capitol Times, September 24, 2012)

“Arizona has lost about one-tenth of its jobs since the recession began. More than 125,000 Maricopa County homes have been foreclosed on since January 2007.” (The Arizona Republic, 9/21/12)

PHOENIX – A new ad released today by the Flake campaign continues to show that Democrat Richard Carmona has neither the temperament nor the ability to solve the problems that face Arizona and United States. The ad is airing statewide on broadcast and cable television.

Watch the video or follow this link to view the ad: http://youtu.be/4ajyZbUQxLs.   

Transcript

JEFF FLAKE:  “I’m Jeff Flake, and I approved this message.”

VOICE OVER:  “The man behind the shiny bio?

VO:  “Press says that Richard Carmona doesn’t work well with others. He’s called a bully and more. (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 07/08/02)

VO:  “Carmona repeatedly demeans women. (“Richard Carmona Draws Fire From Former Boss,” Politico, 05/21/12; “Arizona Senate Candidate Calls Candy Crowley Ugly for No Reason,” The Atlantic, 10/19/12)

VO:  “He supports Obamacare, job-killing taxes, massive government. (http://youtu.be/gEAF5DxaHyY)

VO:  “Just like Obama.

VO:  “And, Carmona lost his job for letting exploding costs sink a government institution. (“Dismiss Carmona,” Arizona Daily Star, 7/13/99)

VO:  “Just like, Obama?”

“Carmona’s shiny campaign resume hides his real record of confrontation, bullying and fiscal mismanagement,” said Andrew Wilder, communications director for Jeff Flake for Senate. “In the Senate, he’d be a loyal vote for Harry Reid’s liberal agenda of higher taxes and bigger government, while his volatile temperament would prevent him from working with others to solve the serious problems our nation faces.”

Stay up to date on Richard Carmona’s campaign to be a rubber stamp for Democrats’ liberal agenda in Washington by visiting www.RubberstampRich.com.

For more information on Jeff Flake and why he’s running for the U.S. Senate, please visit his website at www.JeffFlake.com.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Doesn’t Work Well With Others

“A number of Carmona’s former co-workers and employees… describe a man whose instinct is to escalate hostilities rather than resolve them.” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

“Dr. Carmona is not a team player. Dr. Carmona, within 6 or 8 months, had burned bridges everywhere.” (Committee on Oversight And Government Reform, U.S. House of Representatives, Testimony Of Cristina Beato, 11/2/07)

“Tensions between Carmona and others at Tucson medical center began soon after he was hired in 1985…” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

Carmona Colleague: “Never in my entire medical career have I seen such gross interference by a hospital administrator without the slightest attempt to reach a cooperative understanding.” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

Not A Quick Study

“…it took him eight years to acquire board certification in his field, general surgery, and… he failed the exam twice before passing it.” (“Surgeon-General-Designate Defends Credentials,” The Washington Post, 7/10/02)

“Typically, physicians pass the examinations within a year or two.” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

Carmona Colleague: “Clearly you need a lot of help and instruction in how to manage your current position for which you have had no training or previous experience.” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

Bad With Budgeting & Finances

“Dr. Richard Carmona had come under fire for a deficit at Kino community hospital…” (The Associated Press, 7/13/99)

“…debt grew to $40 million during his tenure.”  (“Bush May Tap Carmona To Be Surgeon General,” Tucson Citizen, 2/9/02)

“…it continued to lose millions of dollars, and he was forced to resign.” (“The Doctor Is Armed,” Time Magazine, 3/31/02)

Unstable Employment History

Dismissed By Tucson Medical Center: “He was dismissed as director of Tucson Medical Center’s trauma center in 1993.” (“Bush Picks Tucsonan To Be Surgeon General,” The Arizona Daily Star, 3/27/02)

Forced Out Of Pima County Job: “The embattled head of the Pima health care system offered his resignation on the eve of a board of supervisors meeting at which he might have been fired.” (The Associated Press, 7/13/99)

Failed To Get Renominated As Surgeon General: “It is unclear who decided Carmona’s time as Surgeon General is over.”  (“U.S. Surgeon General To Return To Tucson After Four-Year Term,” The Arizona Daily Star, 8/1/06)

REFERENCES

The Arizona Republic: “On issues pertaining to federal deficit spending and over-regulation, Carmona can be elusive… difficult to pin down.” (“A Leader for These Times,” The Arizona Republic, 10/13/12)

Colleagues At Tucson Medical Center: “Court and hospital records show a history ofconflicts between Carmona and other doctors, who complained about his lack of cooperation, ‘high handedness,’ ‘unwillingness to communicate’ and ‘his escalation of disagreements in an effort to prove he was right.’” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

Angie Calvino: “Carmona demanded Angie Calvino’s resignation after she complained to colleagues about his medical judgment…” (“Squaring Off Over Nominee,” Los Angeles Times, 7/8/02)

Dr. Cristina Beato: On Working With Carmona: “It was a living nightmare. It was a living nightmare.” (Committee On Oversight And Government Reform, U.S. House Of Representatives, Testimony Of Cristina Beato, 11/2/07)

PHOENIX – Democratic Senate candidate Richard Carmona had a rough day yesterday, as the media began covering his insensitive comment about CNN’s Candy Crowley.  It’s safe to say that as more Arizona voters learn of Carmona’s degrading “joke,” he’s going to be in for many more rough days.

The Arizona Daily Star stated the obvious: “Generally speaking, jokes about a woman’s looks are never a good idea — especially if you are a U.S. Senate candidate whose every word is being filmed.”

The ArizonaRepublic’s E.J. Montini used a NASCAR analogy to describe Carmona’s hurtful comment: “Politics has become a NASCAR race in which fans are ONLY interested in the crashes.  On Thursday, U.S. Senate candidate Richard Carmona drove his campaign into a wall, spun across the track, rolled several times and wound up on the infield. All by uttering two words.”  Montini wrote that the controversy over the comment isn’t likely to die soon: “The candidate apologized but a video clip like that won’t go away.”

The Arizona Republic reported that the “Carmona gaffe could complicate his effort to push back against the Beato ad.”

The national media was just as tough on Carmona.  Buzzfeed, which broke the story, said that “Democrat Richard Carmona has been trying to move past allegations he doesn’t work well with women. This may not help.”

Politico, which first reported on Carmona’s late night door-knocking incident, wrote: “When you’re apologizing days out from the election, you’re losing.”  They also gave him a backhanded honor: “Who Lost The Day: Richard Carmona, for insulting Crowley and women everywhere.”

Swampland, the political blog of TIME Magazine, had a post titled “How to Lose a Winnable U.S. Senate Seat.”  They concluded that “with one stupid quip, Carmona may have badly damaged his chances.”  They wrote that given the traction of the Beato ad, “Carmona’s inane comment is sure to feed that narrative, and rightly so.”

Even liberal-leaning blogs, like The Atlantic, were hard on Carmona.  In a post titled “Arizona Senate Candidate Calls Candy Crowley Ugly for No Reason,” they wrote that “a former underling has said Carmona has problems working with women, which he seemed to confirm at a debate on Thursday when he called Candy Crowley ugly for no reason.”  They said that there was no defense for Carmona’s comment: “There’s really no excuse. There was no leading question, and no context for the quote to be taken out of. It’s like he wanted to have a moment of levity, to connect with voters, and the first thing that popped into his head was calling a woman ugly.”

For more information on Jeff Flake and why he’s running for the U.S. Senate, please visit his website at www.JeffFlake.com.

PHOENIX – Jane Dee Hull, who served as Governor of Arizona from 1997 to 2003, today scolded Richard Carmona, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, for an insensitive comment he made on Thursday regarding the appearance of CNN’s Candy Crowley.

“Making a joke about a woman’s appearance says a lot about someone’s character and judgment,” said former Arizona Governor Jane Dee Hull.  “Why would Richard Carmona think that degrading the looks of a respected journalist is funny?  Legitimate questions have been raised about Richard Carmona’s treatment of women, and his so-called ‘joke’ should make it clear that Richard Carmona does not respect women.”

Governor Hull also noted that she was among the Arizonans that recommended Carmona for Surgeon General, but she has concluded that he simply does not have the right temperament for the United States Senate. 

For more information on Jeff Flake and why he’s running for the U.S. Senate, please visit his website at www.JeffFlake.com.

PHOENIX – Mesa City Councilwoman Dina Higgins today reacted to Richard Carmona’s offensive so-called joke regarding the appearance of CNN’s Candy Crowley.

Councilwoman Higgins, who attended the debate and witnessed Carmona’s remark, said: “I can say that there was absolutely no excuse for it.  It was in extremely poor judgment.  Arizona voters, especially female voters, deserve an explanation from Richard Carmona about why he thought an insensitive comment like that was funny.”

To view Richard Carmona’s remark, watch the video below or follow this link: http://youtu.be/O5rszSqqtmQ. 

Buzzfeed.com’s coverage of the remark prompted today’s media firestorm: http://www.buzzfeed.com/johnstanton/arizona-senate-candidate-tells-male-moderator-hes

Stay up to date on Richard Carmona’s campaign to be a rubber stamp for Democrats’ liberal agenda in Washington by visiting www.RubberstampRich.com.

For more information on Jeff Flake and why he’s running for the U.S. Senate, please visit his website at www.JeffFlake.com.

PHOENIX – Nearly a year after he entered the race for U.S. Senate in Arizona, Democrat Richard Carmona is still evasive on where he stands on the issues that are important to Arizonans in this election. That’s intentional, since as President Obama’s handpicked recruit, Carmona knows he can’t afford to be open and honest with voters about the liberal policy agenda that he will pursue.

A new video released today looks at Richard Carmona’s disastrous 90 minutes of dodging and dissembling to the Arizona Republic’s editorial board on October 10.

Watch the video below or follow this link to view the video: http://youtu.be/UezZ8Vla7yA. 

Stay up to date on Richard Carmona’s campaign to be a rubber stamp for Democrats’ liberal agenda in Washington by visiting www.RubberstampRich.com.

For more information on Jeff Flake and why he’s running for the U.S. Senate, please visit his website at www.JeffFlake.com.

When Richard Carmona was asked do something he didn’t think was right, he kept his mouth shut and played the game, only speaking up after he was not chosen for a second term as Surgeon General. On the other hand, when Jeff Flake was asked to go along to get along in Congress, he refused to be part of the problem. Flake’s fight for reform eventually paid off when Congress came around to his way of thinking and banned earmarks.

                                   

Dr. Carmona’s Condition

October 17, 2012

If intelligence and integrity have long been in short supply among politicians, there has been no shortage of spoofs of them. “Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself,” quipped Mark Twain. Humorist Will Rogers addressed the consequences of these deficiencies: “When Congress makes a joke it’s a law, and when they make a law, it’s a joke.”

By those standards, Dr. Richard Carmona, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Arizona, would fit right in. I followed his career when he served as U.S. surgeon general during 2002-2006, and it was nothing to write home about – or on which to run for political office.

The Washington political game has two modes: claiming undeserved credit, and shifting blame for your own shortcomings to others. Carmona practiced the latter during July 2007 testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chaired by Representative Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.). The subject of the hearing was how to strengthen the office of the surgeon general. Dr. C. Everett Koop, surgeon general in the Reagan administration, and Dr. David Satcher, surgeon general during the Clinton administration, also testified. Both of them complained about political pressure and interference during their respective tenures, but as discussed below, their responses were more courageous – and more respectful of the mission of the office — than Carmona’s.

The position of surgeon general is unusual: Although it carries anexalted title, it lacks virtually any budget or staff or programs of its own. Most of what the incumbent achieves is the result of moral suasion – and in the case of some incumbents, courage.

Dr. Satcher testified at the hearing that the Clinton administration tried to interfere with his issuing a report demonstrating that needle-exchange programs were effective in reducing disease. He released the report anyway. Dr. Koop, perhaps the best known surgeon general in modern times, said he had been discouraged by senior officials in the Reagan administration from discussing the accelerating AIDS crisis. He ignored the pressure and became known as achampion of AIDS funding and research.

In contrast to these profiles in courage, Dr. Carmona went along to get along. He testified before the Waxman committee that he had allowed himself to be muzzled and subjected to “partisanship and political manipulation” by Bush Administration “political appointees” in his “chain of command,” whom he refused to name. (He, too, was a political appointee, by the way.) Apparently, it never occurred to Dr. Carmona that his alternatives included ignoring the demands of his political bosses and taking actions that were in the public interest, or simply resigning.

Dr. Carmona was virtually invisible during his entire tenure. Toward the end of his four-year stint as surgeon general, in an informal poll that I conducted, only five of 60 experts in public health and public policy could identify the current surgeon general, even when offered a multiple-choice format. Many thought the post had been abolished. When I mentioned to former Surgeon General Koop that I was conducting an informal poll of how many physicians and public health experts could identify the current surgeon general, he quipped, “Have you found one?”

Dr. Carmona often got the science wrong. In 2003, he testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, “No matter what you may hear today or read in press reports later, I cannot conclude that the use of any tobacco product is a safer alternative to smoking.” That statement is manifestly untrue. It had been known for almost a decade that switching from smoking to smokeless tobacco is a life-saver.

Although tobacco is a public health scourge, all forms of it are not equally risky; smokeless tobacco causes neither lung cancer nor other pulmonary diseases; nor do its users experience an enhanced risk of heart attacks. Oral cancers are the only important adverse health effect of smokeless tobacco, and they are relatively infrequent (about half as great as in smokers).

While he was surgeon general, Dr. Carmona gave a lecture (which I attended) to an audience of scholars at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. Thirty-five of his forty minutes were devoted to self-serving autobiography; the remaining five minutes offered no specifics but merely a promise to “implement the public health policies of the president.” That isn’t what policy wonks came to hear. Dr. Carmona said on PBS’s The News Hour that the office of the U.S. surgeon general is regarded as “a shining example of a great America.” Certainly not on his watch.

Perhaps the most revealing insight into Dr. Carmona’s tell-all congressional testimony is that after enduring the alleged muzzling, political interference, marginalization and manipulation for four years, he asked to continue in the job. He was turned down.

Arizona and the U.S. Senate deserve better than Dr. Carmona.

Henry Miller, a physician and molecular biologist, is the Robert Wesson Fellow in Scientific Philosophy and Public Policy at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. He was an official at the NIH and FDA from 1977 to 1994.

Read the op-ed online at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/henrymiller/2012/10/17/dr-carmonas-condition/