A Republican doctor-congressman mocked President Obama yesterday — by waving his white lab coat in the air on the House floor as he lambasted a staged White House photo op with friendly doctors.
Georgia Rep. Phil Gingrey skewered the massive photo op on Monday — highlighted in The Post yesterday — in which White House staffers handed out white coats to physicians to visually show MD support for Obama’s controversial health-care overhaul.
Gingrey said a dozen GOP House doctors requested a meeting with Obama last month to discuss health care — but got no response.
Tongue firmly in cheek, Gingrey said he didn’t know that wearing a white coat was a requirement to meet with the president.
“If these voices are not enough to get his attention” Gingrey said, “my white coat will.”
Gingrey — who stood next to a large photo of White House aides handing out white coats to the doctors — held his medical smock in the air on the House floor.
“The free white coats were for President Obama’s publicity stunt with a handful of medical professionals, where he touted doctor support of his health-care plan,” Gingrey said.
“As a practicing physician for over 30 years, I can assure the president that the majority of physicians in this country are for health-care reform — just not the government-run reform he prefers,” Gingrey said.
A White House spokesman said, “Throughout this process, the president and his team have met with Republicans, and they’ll continue to do so — in fact, [Health] Secretary [Kathleen] Sebelius will be sitting down with the Republican Study Committee tomorrow to gather input and answer questions.”