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To some vets, VA scandal isn't news

Eric Shinseki
Eric Shinseki resigned as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Friday, in what President Obama said was a decision spurred by a desire not to distract from efforts to fix the agency's problems. Earlier Friday, Shinseki spoke at a conference in Washington.
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The resignation last Friday of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki was the latest development in a story that has been building for weeks. Whistleblower reports have shed light on cover-ups and data manipulation affecting veterans' care in various parts of the country.

Shinseki reportedly told President Obama that he didn't want to be a distraction as the administration scrambles to reform the VA medical system.

Obama said investigators had found "that misconduct has not been limited to a few facilities." He added that he felt "considerable regret" over Shinseki's departure.

Politicians have seized on the revelations about the VA for their usefulness in an election year. But veterans have long known that the agency's two main functions — delivering medical care and compensating veterans for their disabilities — are fraught with errors and delay.

The Daily Circuit checks in with Patrick Kelly, who directs the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, for his perspective on the scandal at other VA centers around the country. He'll tell Tom Weber how Minneapolis compares to the rest of the country and what the local center can contribute to nationwide reform efforts.

Then Kerri Miller interviews Aaron Glantz, who covers veterans for the Center for Investigative Reporting, and Washington journalist Tom Shoop. Glantz and Shoop address how the current scandal fits into the VA's long-term troubles.