A single line often inverts meaning once you see what it
answers, so neighbouring messages are always shown.
-
March 13, 2006 - Presentations at the White House (East Room) with Laura Bush and Randy Tobias followed by brunch in the State Dining Room. Mrs. Bush thanked me for serving as the Panel Chair. Had good conversations with Kristen Silverberg, Randy Tobias, Michael Gerson, Carol Thompson and other White House folks. After the presentations at the White House we went to Georgetown (Healy Building - Gaston Hall) for the panel discussion. It was a beautiful sunny an unseasonably hot (84F) day for March 13. Other members of the Program were Gene Falk and Robin Smalley.
-
Mar. 21, 2006 - First day of Spring 2006. Had phone conversation with Carol Kuntz today and she was concerned that there have been "policy time" briefings with the POTUS regarding pandemic flu involving Sec. Leavitt where she thought that I should definitely have been included. The POTUS asked some questions that Rajeev Vankaaya and Leavitt could not answer that Carol knew for sure that I would have been able to answer. Carol asked whether I was having a problem with HHS. I told her not at all, but I did mention to her my suspicion that HHS is trying to shed all of the light on Leavitt (probably because of his political aspirations) and having him share the spotlight with me or Julie Gerberding is something that makes HHS nervous. We continually see this when press ask for me and HHS diverts them to Leavitt when we ask them for clearance for me. Welcome to Washington!! nse and SN1
-
April 3, 2006 - Over the past 2 weeks, there has been continued medium-high interest in the ever expanding bird flu situation with a constant low-level stream of new human cases and more countries getting either migratory birds or chicken flocks infected. Current number are 188 infected and 103 dead. Recently, there has been migratory birds (mostly swans) infected with H5N1 detected in Western Europe. France as only country with some domesticated chickens and turkeys infected. They quickly handled it by culling. Other countries such as Italy had migratory bird(s) infected, but no chickens and still chicken sales in supermarkets and restaurants has plummeted by as much as 50 to 60%. My prediction is that infected migratory birds may (not definitely) make it to USA and that there will be very little contamination of chickens because of the agriculture controls. Yet, it will affect (by misperception) the chicken industry. There has been some backlash among people in press about the over-hyping of the threat. I am in good shape here since I have always maintained that the threat, although non-quantifiable, is likely low. This is in contrast to others such as Rob Webster, who says that there is a 50% chance that we will have a bird flu pandemic among humans with H5N1!!! I have no idea how he came up with that number. Also, my friend Michael Osterholm is also singing doom and gloom.
-
April 6, 2006 - Had dinner with Tara O'Toole of the Univ of Pittsburg Biodefense Program. She had just testified at the BioShield Hearing on the Hill and wanted to get my perspective on how things were going with the Biodefense effort and if there was anything that she could do for me. I explained to her that the reason the current BioShield effort was not successful was that the Congress did not approve the Bill that I and VP Cheney and Scooter Libby had originally proposed. The Congress limited the money to $5.6 Billion instead of an unlimited authorization to draw from the Treasury and the Appropriations Committees still controlled how much could be spent each year. Also, we could not do advanced development for products. This put off the big companies (not enough money) and the little companies (advanced development) and so the process has not been entirely successful. We are attracting marginal companies like VaxGen that cannot get to the goal post.
-
2006-04-08 00:00
Anthony S. Fauci
April 8, 2006 - Attended the Annual Gala of the National Hospice Foundation at the Hilton Hotel on Connecticut Avenue, N.W. where I presented the Global Vision Award to Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. At my table were Holbrooke, Margaret Warner from the NewsHour, her husband John Reilly, Ann Morgan Vickery and Bob Kyle of Hogan and Harston. Usual gala-like atmosphere. Has a chance to catch up with Richard Holbrooke, who is currently the President and CEO of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS. We reminisced about our trip to Africa with Tommy Thompson in 2003.
-
May 2, 2006 - Dedicated Building 33 as the C.W. Bill Young Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases. Terrific ceremonies with speakers being: me, EZ, Secretary Leavitt, Ralph Regula, Bill Young. Tour of building, many festivities, beautiful sunny day.
-
May 25, 2006 - I have not been recording this type of thing of late even though I have gone to several of these, but I went tonight to the 18th Annual National Education & Leadership (NELA) Awards Gala at the Omni-Shoreham given by the Sons of Italy. I was the guest of Chuck Conconi (Washingtonian Magazine, formerly columnist for Washington Post) and his wife Janelle. At the Table were Ed Henry (CNN White House Correspondent), Lloyd Hand, Mike Petruzzelo (Managing Director of Qorvis Communications) and Mr. Thompson (?first name) African American billionare and his date Cheryl Lee (CEO of BET). Pres. Clinton and Hillery Clinton were guest speakers. Ran into the usual DC crowd - Sen Chris Dodd, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, Franco Nuschese (Owner of Café Milano - who was also an awardee), etc.
-
June 11 - 17, 2006 - Went to Tuscana with Chris and the girls for a few days and then went on to Genoa for the annual review of the Gaslini Institute. Wonderful time had by all. Stayed in an amazing converted farm house (to a villa) owned by a friend of Jim Huskey's from the Embassy in Florence. The weather was amazing - warm and totally sunny during the day and cold at night requiring a fire in the fire-place and blankets in bed. Sunsets over the Tuscan hills with a glass of chianti was incredible.
-
June 20, 2006 - Did a one hour face to face briefing of VP Cheny in his West Wing office on pandemic flu. Also present was Carl Kuntz, David Addington (new chief of staff replacing Scooter Libby and Scott Diechman (new health person for the VP). As usual, it was a lively briefing. It is clear and Carol told me that the VP has said this that the VP very much looks forward to being briefed by me. The day was a typical hot sunny 90 degree day in DC.