The Tennessee chapter of the National Nurses Organizing Committee says Bill Frist is not fit to be governor of Tennessee because of his record on health care. They have prepared a report and will hold a press conference outside HCA Headquarters in Nashville tomorrow:

WHAT: Tennessee Nurses and Healthcare Advocates Unveil New Report: "Is Bill Frist Fit to be Governor?"

WHEN: Thursday, June 12, 11:00 a.m.

WHERE: Centennial Park, opposite HCA headquarters, One Park Plaza, Nashville

Frist is scheduled to speak at a June 19th convention of health insurance companies in California. Tennessee RNs and other healthcare activists plan to attend and present their report there.

The report is said to detail Frist's failure to secure funding for TennCare and his cozy ties to the insurance and pharmaceutical industries, among other things.

Kathy McGregor, RN, a leader with NNOC Tennessee, says "As Tennessee nurses, we are concerned with anything that impacts the health of our patients, and this report makes clear that Bill Frist is a danger to Tennessee patients. His time in the Senate made our state and our nation less healthy. As the healthcare crisis deepens, Tennessee cannot afford to elect someone who is unfit to be our Governor."

Healthcare Now advocate Debby Hester says "Tennessee deserves to be governed by someone committed to improving our public health. Healthcare advocates in Tennessee join others in closely scrutinizing the background and voting record of former Tennessee Senator Bill First. We want improvement, not more of the same."