Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/former-surgeon-general-reports-political-pressure Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript Former Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona told the Senate Tuesday the Bush administration silenced him on key issues. He speaks with the NewsHour about his testimony and tenure. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. JUDY WOODRUFF: Has the role of the United States surgeon general become overly politicized? That was the focus of an Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing in the House of Representatives today. Dr. Richard Carmona, surgeon general in the Bush administration until last year, testified that he dealt with political interference during his tenure.And Dr. Carmona joins me now. Dr. Carmona, good to see you. DR. RICHARD CARMONA, Former U.S. Surgeon General: Thanks, nice to see you again. JUDY WOODRUFF: The job of the U.S. surgeon general is, broadly speaking, to be the chief public health educator for the United States. What does that really mean? DR. RICHARD CARMONA: Well, it's one of the job descriptions, but really the surgeon general's job is to protect, promote and advance the health, safety and security of the nation. JUDY WOODRUFF: As simple as that? DR. RICHARD CARMONA: Simple as that, but very difficult to execute in a very partisan environment. JUDY WOODRUFF: At this hearing today, it was not only you, but it was your Democratic and your predecessors of both Democratic and Republican administrations who spoke of conflicts with the administration. But you said your experience was worse under this administration. What did you mean? DR. RICHARD CARMONA: Well, let me put it in context. It really wasn't me. It was my predecessors who, after I was in office a few months, went to them for counsel, for mentoring, and mentioned to them the struggle I was having. And they recounted to me all the struggles that they had and said that is the way the surgeon general position has been for some time, but what we see is that you have it worse than any of us. And this is coming from several surgeon generals who preceded me. JUDY WOODRUFF: And what were they basing that on? What was happening to you? DR. RICHARD CARMONA: Their observations that the surgeon general was not allowed to speak out on health issues when needed, based on the best science, to deliver the best science, that often policy or spokespersons in government would be talking about given issues without appropriate scientific due diligence. And they were very concerned about that and had called me a number of times when I was in office.