A single line often inverts meaning once you see what it
answers, so neighbouring messages are always shown.
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Sept. 27, 2013 - Had great typical dinner with Wayne and Catherine Reynolds at the Jefferson Hotel. Intimate setting with about 20 people at dinner - Rick Atkinson and wife Jane (Rick is strongly encouraging me to get going in writing my book); Gen. James Jones and wife; Gen. Colin Powell and Alma Powell; John Rogers (Goldman Sachs and wife Deborah Lehr); Ben Carson and wife Candy; journalist Dana Priest; Steve Rosenberg and wife Alice, among others. Stimulating conversation regard imminent shutting down of the USG due to stalemate on budget between Republicans (who want to defund Obamacare) and Democrats (who want a clean bill to keep government going on a CR without touching Obamacare). Difficult to predict what will happen on Monday (Sept. 30) at midnight, when the current fiscal year ends. During dinner varied discussion. I spoke passionately about the stupidity of across the board cuts in Biomedical research as part of the sequester and how this will damage our standing as the world leader in biomedical research.
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Sept. 28-30, 2013 - Threat of US government shutdown due to impasse in discussions between Republicans (Speaker Boehner - driven by T Party extremists) and Democrats (POTUS and Sen. Leader Harry Reid). GOP wants to negotiate defunding Obamacare or at least modifying (delaying) individual mandate before they pass a CR to keep government open after Sept. 30. POTUS refused to negotiate "with a gun to my head". He says: "pass CR and then we negotiate; also raise debt limit without conditions". I have prepared a video tape of my Opening Keynote for the Barcelona AIDS Vaccine meeting on Oct. 7 in preparation for possibility that I will not be able to travel to Spain. Rule is that if USG shuts down, then no USG employee travels.
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Oct. 1, 2013 - Government shut down. NIH begins to furlough 70+% of our work force.
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Oct. 7, 2013 - I obviously did not leave for Spain. Was scheduled to leave on Oct. 5 to arrive on Oct. 6. My video was played on this evening. I put an extraordinary amount of time over the previous 5 weeks preparing this talk and it was one of the best that I have done. It was received with overwhelming praise as many people e-mailed me after the video was shown (7:00 PM Barcelona time - 1:00 PM DC time). People were tweeting even during the lecture. Gepi Pantaleo e-mailed me right after the lecture and said that "it was amazing". -and raise debt Jan. Likely a Our government is dysfunctional with neither side giving any indication of negotiating. Likely to be shut down until and beyond the debt ceiling deadline of October 17. This will mean that I will miss several other talks including the upcoming award that I am supposed to receive in San Francisco from the SF AIDS Foundation (SFAF) on Saturday, Oct. 12. Stay tuned.
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2013-10-08 00:00
Anthony S. Fauci
Oct. 8, 2013 - Bill Gates was supposed to deliver the Barnes Lecture and tour the NIH yesterday, but it was cancelled because of USG shutdown. Francis Collins, Harold Varmus and I went to the Gates office in DC at 1300 I Street, N.W. to meet with him at 9:00 AM. Francis, Harold and I met at Starbuck's at 1225 - I Street, N.W. at 8:20 AM to plan strategy. Visit with Bill went very well. I have met previously with Bill several times including at his home in Seattle. The conversation today focused mostly on collaborations that I and NIAID have with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) including the P5 vaccine trials, the HIV antibody - immunogen studies, the Sanaria malaria project, etc. Excellent discussions and we will expand NIH - BMGF collaborations.
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Oct. 12, 2013 - Government still shut down. POTUS refuses to negotiate under threat of shut-down and debt ceiling debate. House GOP (Speaker Boehner) refusing to let vote go to floor to open USG and raise debt ceiling since the combination of moderate republicams and Democrats in the House would pass it. I miss the trip to SF to get award from SFAF.
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Oct. 16, 2013 - Still shut down. Senate agrees on Bill to open USG and raise debt ceiling. Waiting on House and Boehner. Went to dinner at Villa Firenze (home of Italian Ambassador to the USA, Claudio Bisogniero) at 2800 Albermarle Street, N.W. to honor visit of Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta (recently elected, 47 year old). Festive occasion with many of the usual DC glitterati. Had nice conversation with: Wolf Blitzer (CNN), Valerie Jarrett (White House), Susan Rice (National Security Advisor), Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Ed. Markey, Phil Piccagallo (Suns of Italy). Sat next to Maj. Gen. Giovanni Fantuzzi, Military Attache for the Italian Embassy, Linda Douglas (formerly of network TV and White House who was with husband, the newly appointed Ambassador to Italy, Amb. Philip. The opening of the USG was announce as we were at the dinner when Nancy Pelosi and Ed Markey reported that a deal was reached.
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Oct. 17, 2013 - USG opens and debt ceiling raised temporarily until Jan. Likely a similar battle will occur in January.
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Oct. 18, 2013 - Terrific meeting today. Paul Stoffels, Chief Scientific Officer of Janssen research Foundation, part of Johnson & Johnson called me months ago asking to have a meeting since he wanted to support and develop the Ad26 vector - HIV mosaic insert vaccine candidate of Dan Barouch. I have always liked working with Paul since he is the real deal as an honest scientist and smart drug developer/businessman. He came in from Belgium with a team from Crucell company that was recently purchased by Janssen. Team was Hannecke Shuitemacher, Maria Grazia Pau, and Johan Van Hoof We discussed the plan for collaborating via DAIDS, HVTN and VRC with the development of this product for Phase 1 and thenPhase 2a and 2b if the early studies dictate. Could possibly be an historic meeting if this works out.