Outrage? Anyone?

"I am grateful … to be able to say unequivocally that the debate is over. The science is clear: secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance, but a serious health hazard that causes premature death and disease in children and nonsmoking adults."

These were the words of Surgeon General Richard Carmona, whose term "expired" over the weekend.

I'd like to believe that.

Carmona was the man who outright stated, bravely and in the face of Big Tobacco lobbyists, "Secondhand smoke kills, PERIOD."

And now he's suddenly gone.

Two things stand out to me from the CNN link above:
1. Carmona's resignation went by without a single mention of it by the Department of Health and Human Services.
2. Health and Human Services deferred to the White House, who "did not wish to comment on personnel matters."

What?

Okay, let's look at this. So...THE CHIEF GUY at Health and Human Services steps down, and there's not one word from the Department? Um, if your director, your head, your "big kahuna" resigns, don't you think you ought to at least let the American public KNOW outside of a quickly disappearing article from CNN.com, and a letter that's "floating around Washington?"

Another thing: the White House doesn't wish to comment on personnel matters? Earth to the White House, YOU'RE THE WHITE HOUSE! The entire NATION has the right to know about YOUR personnel matters!!!! You are not the CIA, the FBI, or even the KGB for that matter. You are headed by a publicly elected official, and unless it's an issue of national security (which Carmona's resignation certainly is not), you should be OBLIGED to comment on personnel matters, and if you're in the White House Press Corps, it's your...gasp!...JOB!

I just think that the whole thing smacks of hiding something, which means shady business as usual for the Bush Administration. One guy speaks out against a major Republican funding lobby, and suddenly, he disappears with almost no comment.

So far, I've only seen one newspaper comment on this, namely, the Toledo Blade. Isn't anyone else suspicious of this? Isn't anyone else the least bit outraged at the possibilities here?

Is anyone home in my country?