THE DAILY BLADE: The Shoe Is On The Other Foot
The Associated Press reports that ‘Meet The Press” host Tim Russert was in the hot seat during two days of cross-examination in the perjury and obstruction trial of former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby Jr. The final prosecution witness, Russert was grilled on his ethics and credibility as Libby’s legal team “flashed excerpts of his previous statements on a video monitor and asked him to explain inconsistencies” – a technique the NBC journalist uses to great effect to make the rich and powerful squirm:
A law school graduate, Mr. Russert was asked to explain why he willingly told an FBI agent about a July 2003 conversation with Mr. Libby, then gave a sworn statement that he would not testify about that conversation because it was confidential. …
Mr. Russert's credibility is under fire because he and Mr. Libby tell very different stories about a July 2003 phone call that is at the heart of the case. The question of whom to believe could be a critical jury room issue.
Both men agree that Mr. Libby called Mr. Russert to complain about a colleague's news coverage. Mr. Libby says that at the end of the call, Mr. Russert told him "all the reporters know" that Mrs. Plame, the wife of a prominent
"That would be impossible," Mr. Russert testified Wednesday. "I didn't know who that person was until several days later." …
Mr. Libby's attorneys say Mr. Russert knew about Mrs. Plame from colleagues David Gregory and Andrea Mitchell.
At What Point Does A Healthcare Provider’s Conscience Become Unconscionable?
Some doctors believe their moral or religious beliefs give them the right to withhold information about treatment they find objectionable - and to refuse to refer patients to other practitioners to receive such treatment - according to a University of Chicago survey of doctors nationwide published in the
Of the 1,144 respondents, 17 percent objected to "terminal sedation," 42 percent objected to giving teens birth control without parents' consent and 52 percent objected to performing abortions after failed contraception.
In the survey, 8 percent of doctors said they were under no obligation to discuss treatment options to which they objected; 37 percent would not necessarily inform patients about their objections; and 18 percent would not send patients to other doctors to receive care they would not provide. Extrapolating from their findings, the researchers estimate that 40 Americans may not be told about all legally available treatments, and 100 million may not be given referrals to other healthcare providers.
The study is the first to attempt to quantify the number of healthcare providers who assert a "right of conscience" or "right of refusal" to prescribe or to fill prescriptions for birth control and "morning-after" pills, to participate in abortions, or withhold care from patients who are near death.
The Stiletto is not a bioethicist, but she is a patient. She does not expect her healthcare providers to provide care they find morally objectionable – nor would she follow medical advice that she found morally objectionable, such as intentionally hastening death.
But in keeping with their obligations under the Hippocratic Oath – which, by the way, forbids abortion and facilitating the death of a terminally ill patient, but compels referrals – The Stiletto hopes that her doctors would tell her there are treatment options other than the ones they discussed; that that they have religious or moral qualms about providing those treatments; and that they would offer to refer her to another practitioner who did provide those treatments.
As this survey suggests that no patient can be absolutely sure his doctor is not withholding information important to his health, it pays to explicitly ask whether all treatment options have been put on the table.
Not For All The Money In The World
The MediaBistro job board posted an opening on Friday: Executive Assistant to Ariana Huffington. The requirements for the full-time job, which comes with health benefits and pays “under $100K,” are described as follows:
LA based internet editor and author, Arianna Huffington seeks an experienced full-time executive assistant. Flexibility and adaptability a must! Looking for someone who does not need handholding and prides themselves on being able to easily navigate new and unfamiliar terrain. We are looking for someone with Microsoft Outlook scheduling experience as you must juggle a VERY BUSY and ever-changing schedule and support a very busy office. This is an expanding company that requires candidates to be enthusiastic about ever-changing responsibilities. Follow-through, thinking on your feet, and being extremely detailed oriented are essential. Must thrive in a fast-paced environment and be very computer, technology, and internet savvy. This is an amazing opportunity to learn about digital media and publishing firsthand, to connect with brilliant and creative minds, and with great potential for career growth and advancement.
We are based in
Considering Arianna Huffington’s 180-degree counterclockwise political turn, one can see the need for “flexibility and adaptability.” The Stiletto was flexible and adaptable enough to look at the hash that Dems had made of things during the Carter Administration, and made the reverse rotation - but she doubts her mental agility and acuity will land her an interview, even though she could certainly assist Ms. Huffington in navigating new and unfamiliar terrain on a host of political issues that have come up since she became a Leftie. But all this is moot, since The Stiletto doesn’t normally roll out of bed for “under 100K,” health benefits notwithstanding.
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April 4, 2007
The Stiletto wrote:
Noting that political reporters are monitoring polling data and quarterly fundraising reports to discern which candidates might go the distance, OpinionJournal’s Political Diary (e-mail subscription required) cites Howard Dean – who had raised a record $15 million in a single quarter of fundraising only to see his viability as a candidate dissipate faster than the acoustical waves of his infamous scream – as a reminder of "just how often the candidate who hauls in the most cash doesn't make it in an age of the Internet and instant television meltdowns." On the Dem side, Hillary Clinton’s record-setting first-quarter ...
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