Last night I wanted to hear what Dr Carmona had to say since I knew he had been the Surgeon General under President Bush . First took notice of Carmona after viewing his announcement video which right away told me he would be a great addition to the Senate as we need members who understand our military and what they go through when returning from combat. When I saw the video, I had no clue which Party he was from but went WOW! Then when I saw that Cong Flake was going to be his opponent, I knew then Carmona was running as a Democrat. I realized that his party affiliation didn't matter as he was the best candidate for Senate. He needs to be in the Senate because he truly believes in bi-partisanship and helping all not just a few. Here is his announcement video:
While watching his interview last night with Chris Matthews, found him to be someone I could easily vote for no matter the party. If I lived in Arizona, I would have a hard time voting for Cong Flake who I consider too far to the right with some of his statements. When a person is up for election to the Senate which is a six-year term, you had better look long and hard at the candidates before deciding. This statement from the Carmona introduction bio on his site made me really stop and think about what the Republican Party has become today:
Dr. Carmona is one man who would never let our veterans down and will always put Country over Party as we witnessed when he testified to Congress. Now he is in a fight to win the AZ Senate seat and bring some common sense to the US Senate which is badly needed. In 2007, Dr. Carmona testified before Congress that political appointees had put partisan politics ahead of science -- especially when it came to the public’s health -- in hopes that shining a light on how the administration operated could bring change. He testified: “The job of surgeon general is to be the doctor of the nation, not the doctor of a political party.”
Democratic challenger might win Senate seat in deep red Arizona
By Jordan Michael Smith-
Tue Oct 9, 2012 8:31 PM EDT
Richard Carmona believes he will win a Senate seat in Arizona, where no Democrat has been elected in 18 years. "The people know me, they consider me one of their own, and they're very proud of me stepping up to serve my country once again," said Carmona, explaining his appeal on Tuesday's Hardball. Carmona is a medical doctor, professor, former Surgeon General, and Vietnam veteran who served in combat.
Carmona suggested that the extremism of the Republican Party might drive more Arizona voters back to the Democrats. "I really think" the moderate Democratic tradition in the state can make a comeback, he said, "and what's helping us most is this extremist rhetoric that has been happening not only in Arizona but throughout the West." Polls show Carmona to be competitive with Republican incumbent Jeff Flake. Former President Bill Clinton will hold a rally for him on Wednesday. "If you pull this off you'll be a man to watch for years and years," said host Chris Matthews.When you read the background of Dr. Carmona, it shows someone who pulled himself up by the bootstraps thanks to the US military going on to become Surgeon General Under President Bush. This is a candidate who understands life and what it takes to get ahead. He is someone with compassion for others which seems to be missing in a lot of candidates of the Republican Party today as more and more put Party over Country.
Born to a poor Hispanic family in New York City, Dr. Richard Carmona experienced homelessness, hunger and bleak prospects for a future education and economic opportunity. The child of parents who emigrated to the United States and struggled with alcoholism and substance abuse, Rich learned tough early lessons about economic disparities and social injustice – an experience he has never forgotten, and one that has given him an understanding of how culture, health, education and economic status shape our country.
Like his siblings and many of his friends, Rich dropped out of high school. With few skills and little education, he enlisted in the Army and went to Vietnam. Military service gave him discipline and a drive to succeed that he still carries today. In order to apply for Special Forces and become a combat medic, he earned his high school equivalency degree. Rich left the Army a combat-decorated veteran, with two Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts, a combat medical badge and numerous other decorations to mark his service.
When he returned home from Vietnam, Rich became the first member of his family to earn a college degree. Through open enrollment reserved for returning veterans, he attended Bronx Community College and earned an Associate of Arts degree. Later he went to the University of California, San Francisco, and worked as a registered nurse while he earned a bachelors of science degree. Two years later, Rich completed his medical degree – receiving the prestigious gold-headed cane as the school's top graduate.
Trained in general and vascular surgery, Dr. Carmona also completed a National Institutes of Health-sponsored fellowship in trauma, burns, and critical care. A Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Dr. Carmona was recruited jointly by the Tucson Medical Center and the University of Arizona to start and direct Southern Arizona’s first regional trauma care system. He, his wife Diane and their children relocated to Tucson.
Dr. Carmona would later become chairman of the State of Arizona Southern Regional Emergency Medical System, a professor of surgery, public health and family and community medicine at the University of Arizona, and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department surgeon.
While continuing his medical career, Rich's call to service led him to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in which he has served for more than 25 years as a deputy sheriff, detective, department surgeon and SWAT Team Leader. In 1992, he rappelled from a helicopter to rescue a paramedic stranded on a mountainside when their medevac helicopter crashed during a snow storm, inspiring a made-for-TV movie. In the course of his service, Rich received the National Top Cop Award and was named the National SWAT Officer of the Year.
In 2002, Carmona was nominated by the president and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate to become the 17th Surgeon General of the United States. As Surgeon General, Carmona focused on prevention, health disparities and emergency preparedness to protect the nation against epidemics and bio-terrorism. He also issued a groundbreaking report on the dangers of second-hand smoke.
While very successful as Surgeon General, he unfortunately also experienced the divisive politics that continue to plague Washington today -- where the desire to score political points has become more important than solving problems, creating jobs or providing for those in need. That experience guides his current mission to become Arizona's next senator and change how Washington works.
In 2007, Dr. Carmona testified before Congress that political appointees had put partisan politics ahead of science -- especially when it came to the public’s health -- in hopes that shining a light on how the administration operated could bring change. He testified: “The job of surgeon general is to be the doctor of the nation, not the doctor of a political party.”
Knowing he stood up and did the right thing, Rich returned to Tucson and became vice chairman Canyon Ranch, a nationally renowned health and wellness company. He also serves as president of the nonprofit Canyon Ranch Institute. While Rich also resumed his service as a Pima County deputy sheriff, he became the first Distinguished Professor of Public Health at the University of Arizona’s Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.
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