Carl Hiaasen (Miami Herald): Easy prey for exploiting politicians

As this is being written, Terri Schiavo is still barely alive, and still easy prey for the politicians who have so despicably exploited her tragedy. They will exploit her in death, too. You can bet on it.

Rebuffed again by the courts, Gov. Jeb Bush hit a new personal low last week. He called a press conference to declare that a "renowned neurologist" had raised doubts about whether Schiavo was really in a "persistent vegetative state."

The doctor, William Cheshire, turns out to be a conservative evangelical who is renowned mainly to close friends and immediate family.

In addition to working at the Jacksonville branch of the Mayo Clinic, Cheshire is "director of biotech ethics" for an outfit called the Center of Bioethics and Human Dignity. He has expounded against stem-cell research and other issues of interest dear to the Christian right.

more...

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/article.php?sid=20457&mode=&order=0

from another thread:

Comment on Dr. William Cheshire's involvement with Department of Children and Families

Dr. William Cheshire was asked by the Florida Department of Children and Families to share his expertise related to potentially vulnerable adults. As part of this commitment, he was asked to render his professional opinion for the state of Florida in the case of Terri Schiavo. He observed the patient at her bedside and conducted a review of her medical history but did not conduct an examination.

Mayo Clinic recognizes that the standard of care for the evaluation of a comatose patient includes a detailed review of the patient’s history and previous evaluations as well as the performance of a comprehensive neurological examination. In some instances, electrophysiological and imaging studies may be used to establish a diagnosis.

The views expressed by Dr. Cheshire in the case of Terri Schiavo do not represent the opinion of Mayo Clinic or its Departments of Neurology. The Mayo Clinic Departments of Neurology do not have opinions regarding the diagnosis of Terri Schiavo because they have not performed an evaluation as described above.

Dr. Cheshire is not available for interviews. Please contact the Florida Department of Children and Families at 850-487-1111.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3364348

I nominate that for Snark of The Year. Somewhere, Cheshire's nose is bleeding. ;-)

"Given a choice between DCF care and a hospice, take the hospice. At least you won't get misplaced there."

I think that Carl H. is getting pretty pissed off at ol' JEB.