Just two weeks before inauguration, the actions of the impending Obama administration have left many disappointed. First, former democratic nominee Bill Richardson renounced his position as commerce secretary-designate. Soon after, whispers that CNN journalist/neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta is getting the nod for surgeon general started circulating.

Two men, both offered coveted positions in the Obama administration - one with a chin the size of New Mexico, and the other with nary a skin-fold to speak of. One brash and refreshingly honest, the other slick and well spoken. Both with prestigious careers - Richardson is vastly qualified for the job he is no longer taking and Gupta, well, he looks handsome on TV.

To be fair, Gupta has some qualifications. He is the associate chief of neurosurgery at Atlanta’s Grady Memorial Hospital, and teaches neurosurgery at the famed Emory University. But he’s far more famous as the host CNN’s "House Call,” as well as countless interviews and features most anytime the word “health” is used.

Obama's selection of Gupta also revisits complaints made against CNN during the presidential race. Other media outlets claimed the news source was biased towards Obama giving him more favorable coverage than his opponent John McCain received. And though it's troubling to think this of our distinguished president-elect, Gupta's appointment could be misconstrued as a big thank you.

The real problem with the Gupta appointment has less to do with his qualifications and more to do with accountability. Nobel laureate Paul Krugman calls the Gupta selection an “example of the lack of accountability that always seems to be the rule when you get things wrong in a socially acceptable way.”

Allegations that contractual strings were pulled for one of Richardson's corporate donors has been deemed unacceptable, leading him to refuse the position as commerce secretary in order to divert negative press from President-elect Obama. But Gupta is still considered a worthy candidate for surgeon general, despite committing a professional flub on live TV, complete with the support of CNN.

The Gupta flub refers to his very public claim that filmmaker Michael Moore "fudged facts" in “Sicko,” a film that details the inaccessibility and bigotry of the US health care system. The two men appeared together on Larry King Live to hash out the details of the accusation.

Like him or not, Moore is no fool and backs up all of his work with fact. Many argue that he presents those facts in a biased way, but the man does his research and is a credible source. Seriously, check his Web site for ‘facts on Mike’s films.’

Gupta and CNN never publicly apologized to Moore after he proved the legitimacy and accuracy of all the numbers in his film. Openly calling a documentarian a liar is far more serious than CNN or Gupta acknowledged at the time and neither was held accountable for the statements made against Moore.

Gupta’s actions toward the filmmaker were spineless– the incident speaks measures about Gupta's character.

If made surgeon general, Grupta will oversee a 6,000 member commissioned corps of the US Public Health Service and travel the country promoting healthy living. Obama has a point in choosing a popular face to get the nation moving - the only other doctors with more airtime than Gupta are the guy on Oprah and Jack Kevorkian. But to truly impact the health of our immensely unhealthy country, the candidate must also have humility, a trait Gupta may lack.

One of the more effective surgeon generals in US history had staunch opinions about public health, opinions supported by fact. C. Everett Koop, who worked under Reagan, warned that AIDS was a medical issue rather than a moral one. Koop staved off negative press throughout his term to improve the treatment of AIDS victims in the US. He also launched the anti-smoking campaign in the 80s, battling powerful tobacco companies.

Obama's decision to appoint Gupta as surgeon general is not yet official. And while many of his cabinet selections have been methodical and encouraging, he should give this one more thought.