President Elect Obama has asked CNN's Sanjay Gupta to become US Surgeon General

(CNN) -- The Obama administration approached Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, about becoming U.S. surgeon general, according to sources inside the transition and at CNN. The transition team is impressed with the combination of Gupta's past government experience, as a White House fellow and a special adviser to then-first lady Hillary Clinton, along with his medical career as a neurosurgeon and his communication skills, the transition source said. Gupta declined comment on the matter. CNN released a statement saying, "Since first learning that Dr. Gupta was under consideration for the surgeon general position, CNN has made sure that his on-air reporting has been on heath and wellness matters and not on health-care policy or any matters involving the new administration."

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YouTube | January 6, 2009

Tags:. .neurosurgeon. .onair. .guptas. .consideration. .heath