A single line often inverts meaning once you see what it
answers, so neighbouring messages are always shown.
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Dec. 24, 2002 - Nice surprise today. At 1:00 PM, I received a call in my office. I answered the phone since everyone else had left for the 1⁄2 day Christmas eve. On the other end someone sang the full verse of "Happy Birthday". It was Secretary Thompson calling from Wisconsin on a cell phone from a shopping center.
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Dec. 26, 2002 --
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Dec. 30, 2002 -- Another meeting at the White House with OMB people. They are still trying to resist the Pemanent and Indefinite Appropriations, particularly for pandemic flu. Attending meeting were me, Stewart Simonson, Seth Carus, Carol Kuntz, Barry Glendennin, Tom Reilly, Bill Raub, Phil Russell. We went back and forth and it was clear that Secretary Thompson and VP Cheney want this, but OMB does not. Again, the VP and DHHS are relying on my reputation to drive this through.
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Jan. 3, 2003 - Another meeting at the White House with Carol Kuntz, Seth Carus, Noreen Hynes, and Stewart Simonson on the pending Project Bioshield Legislation. VP Cheney is still trying to get this into the State of the Union address. I am still counseling Carol regarding her CML. Jan. 4 -- Jan 9, 2003 -- Continual back and forth about the language for my new authorities and for the permanent and indefinite appropriations authority for procurement of countermeasures. Much opposition from OMB. Scenario is Stewart Simonson, Carol Kuntz, Scooter Libby and the VP against OMB. Trying to keep NIH Director Elias Zerhouni in the loop. He is somewhat (not a lot) concerned that I am in the driver's seat here, but in all, he has been quite good about it. VP's people keep asking me to provide materials for them to strengthen our arguments. This has become almost a full-time job. Also, I have had a URI with sinusitis for at least 6 weeks and this has made 19 hour days difficult. We (NIAID) had to move our Winter Program Retreat from Shepherdstown, W.Va. to Bethesda since Stewart and others felt that I like would be needed on the phone or to go to WH during the 2 days of the retreat (Jan. 9-10).
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2003-01-10 00:00
Anthony S. Fauci
Jan. 10, 2003 -- Meeting at the White House with Kristen Silverberg, Carol Kuntz, Noreen Hynes, Seth Carus, Richard Falkenrath, Ken Bernard, Stewart Simonson, WH speechwriters Amy Jensen and Gordon Johndroe. Purpose of meeting was to prepare for the possibility that the President will announce Project Bioshield at the State-of-theUnion Address in a couple of weeks. I had to present to the group the background and. rational for the special authorities for the NLAID director as well as the Permanent and indefinite appropriations authorities to purchase countermeasures. In addition, we explained the special use licensure of countermeasures by the FDA. For the latter part of the meeting, Mark McClellan (FDA Commissioner) joined us by phone. We will have follow-up meeting next week.
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Jan. 11, 2003 -- Had an all day meeting of virtually all the players in biodefense organized by Richard Danzig (former Secretary of the Navy) at Strategic Analysis, Inc. in Arlington, VA. We did case studies of possible catastrophic bioterror events and discussed the need to establish a BAT team or biological anti-terrorist team to be available to the President for advice and service in the event of a catastrophic attack. Present was among many others: Julie Gerberding, David Franz, Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, Josh Lederberg, Richard Danzig, Bill Patrick. Entire attendee list is in my files. Jan. 13 or 14, 2003 - Meeting in the West Wing (Ward Room) of the White House with Kristen Silverberg, Ken Bernard, Carol Kuntz, Amy Jensen, Sally Canfield (DHS), Jim Capretta, Tom Reilly, Richard Falkenrath, Stewart Simonson and others from WH communications to continue to fashion the precise language of the Project Bioshield (authorities, Procurement, FDA regs) in preparation for getting this into the President's State of the Union (SOTU) address . We wrangled a bit about the precise language. We will meet again in 2 days to finalize it.
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Jan. 17, 2003 - Another meeting at the White House in Andy Card's office (he was not there). Met with all of the above (Jan. 13/14) plus Patrick Aylward and minus Amy Jensen, Jim Capretta, and Richard Falkenrath to continue discussion. We went over comments regarding draft legislation and discussed the role-out for the SOTU address. Also, the WH has decided that soon after the address (around Feb. 3) the President will role out Project Bioshield more formally at an event likely at DHHS or at NIH. I will be there and then will be called upon to do a lot of briefings of the Press and Congress.
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Jan. 22, 2003 - Just heard from Ken Bernard at the WH that the President has decided to include Project Bioshield in the SOTU address. Also, he plans to visit the NIH on Feb. 3 to roll out the plan.
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Jan. 23, 2003 - Another important meeting in the White House with the same people as on Jan. 17 plus Amy Jensen, Ginger Loper. Putting the final touches on the 3 Bills (a) Permanent and indefinite authority, b) Special FDA authorization of products in emergency, and c) my special authorities. Also, discussed plans for President's visit to NIH. After the meeting, went to see Josh Bolten to get a feel for what the President would like to do during his visit. Josh invited Kristen Silverberg and I into his office to meet and talk with Mr. Sandy...... (Ambassador to China) and Bo Derek. We discussed AIDS in China and then Josh and I went out of the room and talked about what the Pres. Might want to do. Apparently he likes to observe technical things, but does not like to "sit down and be a prop". Went back to EEOB to a going away party for Seth Carus and Noreen Hynes. It appears that Elias Zerhouni is getting uneasy and insecure about my dealings in Biot, particularly with the WH connection. When I dutifully told him today that the Pres was coming to NIH, he said that he really needed to become more visible in the arena of Biodefense.