Obama says newly named surgeon general would be voice in healthcare debate

Regina M. Benjamin, an Alabama family physician, was nominated as U.S. surgeon general by President Obama. Obama used the announcement to stress his commitment to passing healthcare reform legislation, and he said Benjamin would be a crucial voice in the debate. "For nearly two decades, Dr. Regina Benjamin has seen in a very personal way what is broken about our healthcare system," he said. "She represents what's best about healthcare in America: doctors and nurses who give and care and sacrifice for the sake of their patients."