Beat Goes On For Florida Doc: McKalip To Step Down As AMA Delegate

By Zachary Roth - July 24, 2009, 6:00PM

The fallout from David McKalip's racist email showing President Obama as a witch doctor continues.

A Florida newspaper reports that the prominent St. Petersburg neurosurgeon has said he'll step down from the influential post of delegate to the American Medical Association, saying "I think people will wonder if they can trust me."

The AMA position gave McKalip a role in shaping the national platform of the doctor's lobby. The AMA yesterday had issued a statement distancing itself from the email.

Earlier today, McKalip, a energetic conservative activist, had announced he's stepping down as incoming president of the Pinellas County Medical Association, and that he'll withdraw from the public debate over health-care reform.

He has also been slammed by the Florida Medical Association, which accused him of committing an "egregious deed."

11 Comments

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This is good news. A lot of us hold our doctors in high esteem. We depend on their judgement and trust in what they tell us. To have a doctor act as he has done lessens our trust in all doctors and that's a shame.

Posted by Andreams
July 24, 2009 6:16 PM | Reply | Permalink

Dr. McKalip is also a faculty member at USF College of Medicine. Please see my post:

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/steevo/2009/07/dr-mckalip-went-to-my-school.php

Posted by some dude named steevo
July 24, 2009 7:03 PM | Reply | Permalink

Why don't these people learn?

Posted by VivaAmerica!
July 25, 2009 7:09 AM | Reply | Permalink

"People will WONDER if they can trust" you, McKalip? No worry. We KNOW we can't trust you – about anything, medical or otherwise. You wholly lack the good judgment necessary to be trustworthy.

Posted by FlownOver
July 25, 2009 10:24 AM | Reply | Permalink

Great post.

I've been offering on-the-ground, running commentary on this situation at saintpetersblog1.blogspot.com

Just compiled the list of McKalip's contributions to Florida politicians:

http://saintpetersblog1.blogspot.com/2009/07/david-mckalips-long-list-of.html

Posted by Saint Petersblog
July 25, 2009 12:09 PM | Reply | Permalink

AMA membership has fallen off considerably. They remind me of the repubs..so yesterday.

Medical schools added nutrition to their curriculum in the last decade.That tells you a lot about the propoganda. Trust US ...we know what is best for you and your body.

Posted by martha in maine
July 25, 2009 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink

Kudos to Zach for the excellent work on this.

And it's encouraging that the AMA and the FMA are responding so strongly to this event. Well, the FMA, at least.

Posted by CT Voter
July 25, 2009 2:39 PM | Reply | Permalink

Unbelievable. From tampabay.com

In an interview with the Times, McKalip later acknowledged he was worried about the impact on his private medical practice. St. Petersburg is his home, he noted, and where he grew up.
McKalip hopes to focus on community service, building on past work in African-American youth development. He said he talked with Rouson's office about more efforts in this area.

"I provide valuable trauma services to the entire West Coast of Florida. There's a lot of people alive today because of the brain and spine surgeries I've done," he said, adding that he has been talking to medical colleagues. "They are supporting me, so I can continue to provide that sort of care to my patients."

Posted by CT Voter
July 25, 2009 2:46 PM | Reply | Permalink

What an asshole.

Posted by cletus in reply to a comment from CT Voter
July 25, 2009 3:17 PM | Reply | Permalink

McKalip almost seems to be saying, "This whole unfortunate incident could have been avoided if only Barack Obama hadn't had the audacity to be black."

Posted by Xantar
July 26, 2009 2:03 AM | Reply | Permalink

I think that head shot above could be easily photoshopped with the same witch doctor outfit, anybody got the latest version of PS? Maybe they could put it on the website for his practice and on the membership directory of the AMA! Then we can all join in the hilarity. After all, McKalip really IS a doctor (as far as we know) - it's double the fun!

Posted by louisev
July 27, 2009 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink