the buzz log

Supreme Court contender Sonia Sotomayor’s hearings got upstaged today by an unlikely source: her nominator and champion Barack Obama. The president's major announcement of Regina Benjamin's nomination for U.S. Surgeon General inspired a tremendous surge of interest in the doctor, whose life story is both inspiring and tragic.

The AP reports that Dr. Benjamin called the position of Surgeon General "a physician's dream." She also said she planned to "be a voice for patients in need," especially those who suffer from preventable diseases. Dr. Benjamin knows the toll that preventable diseases can take -- according to the AP, many members of her immediate family have died due to various illnesses that could have been stopped.

Among the family tragedies suffered by Dr. Benjamin: her father passed away with diabetes and high blood pressure, her only brother died from HIV, and her mother died of lung cancer. Dr. Benjamin saw her medical clinic destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Searches on "regina benjamin," "regina benjamin surgeon general," and "regina benjamin education" all soared upon President Obama's announcement. Those who look into her history will likely be inspired to see that Dr. Benjamin is a dedicated family doctor who specializes in working with poor families in her home state of Alabama, where she attended medical school. Over the years, she has been the recipient of numerous honors including (according to Reuters) a genius grant from the MacArthur Foundation.

There is also tremendous interest in Dr. Benjamin's age and marital status. According to the MacArthur Foundation, the possible future Surgeon General is in her early 50s. As for whether or not she's married, we confess: We're not sure. After several searches across the Web, we couldn't find a definitive answer either way.

Of course, just because the President thinks you'll do a great job doesn't mean you've got the position. Expect nomination hearings in the coming months.

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