Howard Dean Declines Surgeon General Becomes Paid Hack Lobbyist/Counselor

The news that Sanjay Gupta has decided not to go for the gig of surgeon general has already fired up supporters of Howard Dean, who are now touting him for the post.

But a close Dean ally familiar with his thinking tells me that it’s not really a gig that would work for him. “It’s not a good fit for him,” this ally tells me.

A few months back there was a round of chatter about Dean getting tapped as surgeon general, but at the time Dean aides shot down the speculation. “Even then we didn’t think it was right for him,” the Dean ally says.

Oh REALLY!

The real reason is that Howard Dean was passed over by Obama for the Health and Human Services job TWICE and now is settling for a paid LOBBYIST or counselor gig.

McKenna Long & Aldridge has landed Howard B. Dean III, the former Vermont governor, Democratic presidential candidate and, most recently, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, for its national government affairs practice.

Dean will be based in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office as an independent consultant, and will serve as a strategic adviser to its health care and energy clients, said Eric J. Tanenblatt, who heads McKenna’s national government affairs practice. “He won’t be full time, but he will be spending quite a bit of time in the Washington office,” said Tanenblatt, who has held various leadership positions in the Republican Party, including chief of staff to Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue.

Tanenblatt said Dean will not lobby on behalf of the firm’s clients. Instead he will provide more “big picture” counseling. “Someone who has served as governor understands how government agencies work and their interaction with the federal government,” he said.

Looks like Dean has struck LOBBYIST gold.

Why be Surgeon General – even IF you are asked?