A single line often inverts meaning once you see what it
answers, so neighbouring messages are always shown.
-
May 11, 2020 - Global - 3,930,000/275,000; USA - 1,320,000/79,500 Some press bugging Courtney as to the precise nature of my "modified quarantine". This is related to the fact that there is major inconsistency in the White House. Marc Short (whom I resally like) practically sits on Katie's lap and he is vey close to the VP. Yet he is not even wearing a mask. He actually should be self-quarantining. He was at a much greater risk than I. Got phone call from Alex Azar as I wa leaving my house with Security to go to NIH at ~7:45 AM. Alex was concerned that the WH wanted him tosit in the Situation Room without a mask with the POTUS on the csall with the governors. Also, they went him to sit next to the POTUS in the Rose Garden later in the day. Alex is a higher risk than I sitting right in front of Katie. Alex is very uncomfortable about this and does not know what to do. It is tough to say no to Mark Meadows who is insisting. (this is why Mark was torn and wanted me to appear in person before the HELP Committee Hearing tomorrow - we discussed this by phone over the weekend and finally I convinced him to have all 4 of us - Giroir, Redfield, Hahn and me do the Hearing virtually) Call with Sen. Lamar Alexander regarding tomorrow's HELP Hearing. It was a courtesy call and his wanting to know what would be the best questions to ask. He is set on testing all college students before re-starting school in August. Hilarious video of Billy Crystal playing me in a Trump dungeon prison: . https://www.thedailybeast.com/billy-crystals-dr-anthony-fauci-held-hostage-by-trump-during-feedingamerica-comedy-festival. lfilms.com> T " <afauci@niaid.nih.gov> ]" <conradpa@niaid.nih.gov> eisand Continued interest by the press on the "quarantine" of me, Redfield and Hahn since they want to focus on why the VP and POTUS who have as much exposure to Katie and we have are not quarantining. Note from Barbra Streisand:
-
May 11, 2020 https://www.gocomics.com/lio/2020/05/11
-
May 12, 2020 - Global - 4,000,000/280,000; USA - 1,350,000/81,000 ,400,000/82,000 Mark Meadows called this AM (7:15 AM) before the HELP Hearing checking on how I was and thanking me for "taking flak from both sides". He is a good guy, but I think that the call was prompted somewhat by a NY Times story this AM (Sheryl Gay Stolberg) that reported my saying to Sheryl when she asked what I hope to accomplish at the Hearing, I said to let people know that they must be careful in opening the country and not go too fast or prematurely since we risk the problem of rebound. Hearing went well by virtual. I was in my home office. Had a little scuffle with Rand Paul who said that I am not the end all and be all to close down the country. I went back at him and tweets said I came out way on top. Received 2 packages of cookies from Joe and Jill Biden with note: "You are our hero. Stay strong and healthy. We need you". VOX did a mini-history of me: https://bit.ly/2WrCa4w
-
May 12, 2020 https://www.gocomics.com/lio/2020/05/12
-
2020-05-13 00:00
Anthony S. Fauci
May 13, 2020 - Global - 4,100,000/285,000; USA - 1,400,000/82,000 Press today and yesterday afternoon reporting heavily on the Senate Hearing from yesterday. Playing up that I am the voice of reason. However, I am obviously causing conern among GOP who want to open quickly. FOX News blasting me - Hannity, Carlson, Ingraham. See Politico piece about GOP getting "Fauci Fatigue: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/12/anthony-fauci-republicans-coronavirus251919 Had a wonderful Instagram discussion organized by the ONE Campaign with Julia Roberts. She was absolutely fabulous. She embarrassed me somewhat when I sat down in the chair and appeared on the screen through Zoom, she put her hands in front of her mouth and said "Oh my God. It's Dr. Fauci, he is here." Then she went on to say that I was he personal hero and how happy she was to have this conversation with me. We discussed COVID-19 and its potential impact on the developing world. I told her that we have a moral responsibility to help and also we have enlightened self-interest in that if the outbreak continues in the developing world, it will always be a threat to the rest of the world. Also, we discussed the importance of including the developing world in the vaccine trials and accessibility of vaccine. She was totally down to earth. Great experience!! ,380,000/84,000 Dick Cheney called me to thank me for what I was doing and to say that he fully supported me. I acknowledged and thanked him and his daughter Liz for sticking up for me after the Senate Hearing yesterday. He was muted in his criticism of Trump, but he did agree that Trump was living in an alternative universe (I said this and he agreed) After the TF meeting (which I attended virtually since Natalie Hurst said there was a crowded field and I should stay at NIH and call in), the VP wanted to chat with me. He kept me on the phone for 25 minutes talking about the meeting that he and Deb had (by zoom) with College and University Presidents including Stanford and UVA among others. The presidents had sound plans for opening up in late August. I agreed with them that they need to test everyone before they come on campus and weed out (temporarily) those that are infected (both symptomatic and symptomatic) to start off with a zero baseline infections. Afdter that, they do surveiilance and indentification/isolation/contact tracing on all new cases. All students with co-morbidities should do classes by virtual. Sounds like a good plan. During the call, the VP said that I was the most visible and trusted asset in the country. Tonight, CNN really played up the "feud" between the POTUS and me. They fed him that I said we should not open schools, when in fact, I said that we would not have a vaccine in time to vaccinate the students (mostly college) for the August/Fall semester. This was in response to a question from Lamar Alexander. In an interview, the press kept asking POTUS about my cautoon in opening the country and my concern about opening the economy. He obviously got annoyed and explicitly criticized me (first time he has done this). That is when CNN went wild and on Erin Burnett, Anderson Cooper, and Don Lemon they had people saying how I was correct and the POTIS was wrong and that they should believe me. I called up Chris Cuomo before his show and told him the truth. He gave a more measured account on his show. Now I know why the VP spent so much time with me on the phone talking about his conversation with the college presidents about opening the colleges. VP is a "good guy". I think he was trying to protect and shield me. I texted Mark Meadows at 8:51 PM to call me to explain, and he never did. Let us see what tomorrow brings. PRESS: See above media blitz about my feud with the POTUS
-
May 13, 2020 https://www.gocomics.com/lio/2020/05/13
-
May 14, 2020 - Global - 4,170,000/288,000; USA - 1,380,000/84,000 ing that I disagreed with his decision to ith the POTUS and the y reaching out to him. ,410,000/86,000 POTUS on FOX this AM blasting me saying that I disagreed with his decision to stop travel from China. Big buzz in media about the POTUS feud with Fauci I spoke with Mark Short by phone and he is very much OK with me. He suggested that I speak with the POTUS and explain exactly what I said. I have been trying to connect with Mark Meadows by phone and text, but no response thus far. Moncef Slaoui joins the team as the "Czar" for Vaccines/Therapeutics/Diagnostics. Mark Meadows called me back and confirmed that the POTUS is upset with me. I explained to him that there is confusion. I never said do not open the schools. I said that we would not have a vaccine ready. Mark said that he would speak with the POTUS and perhaps have the POTUS call me. Chris Cuomo, and Jake Tapper are trying to clarify this in my defense on their shows. Mark Meadows calls me back and says that he spoke with the POTUS and the POTUS understands and all is good. He appreciates my reaching out to him. I went to West Wing for meeting with Deb Birx in her office (lower lobby). I went upp to say hi to VP staff and Hope Hick saw me and asked how I was doing. I had printed out the entire transcript from the HELP Hearing and tabbed the parts that indicated that I did not say do not open the schools. Hope had those pages copied and she will show them to the POTUS. Hopefully, this ends the "feud" Getting many, many e-mail of support from all over the world. This has made big news! In a column today in the Washington Post, Mike Gerson said: "At one level, this is an unfair fight. Trump is a proven and perpetual liar, and his Fox News allies are artless, shameless ideologues. Fauci is one of the greatest humanitarian physicians of our time, whose entire career has been committed to scientific integrity and truth-telling. In a battle of credibility, the duplicitous, conspiratorial demagogues are at a serious disadvantage."
-
May 15, 2020 - Global - 4,200,000/3295,000; USA - 1,410,000/86,000 ,300,000/298,000 USA846 IMPORTANT DAY AT WHITE HOUSE: Wen to White House as usual, but today was a Rose garden ceremony announcing the "Operation Warp Speed", which is the interagency plan to develop a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the year and have 100 million doses by November and 300 million by Jan. 2021. This is the plan that we have been working on for some time at NIAID. In addition, the occasion was to introduce Moncef Slaoui as the "Czar" for the project and General Gus Perna as the COO or logistic person for the supply of vaccine doses. Important event was my meeting with the POTUS in the context of our ongoing "feud". We (those who would be on the stage with him in the Rose Garden - Sec. Azar and Sec, Mark Esper (DoD), General Mark Milley (Chair, Joint Chiefs); Gen. Gus Perna, Francis Collins, Deb Birx) were all in the Oval waiting for the POTUS. We all had masks on. The POTUS walked in from the Inner Office and immediately caught my eye and opend up his arms. He gently pulled my into the outer office where the TV was on giving the economic forecast and said. "Tony, you are losing me trillions of fucking dollars." Then he said something interesting. Her said: "Tony, you and I are OK. There is no problem between us We are similar is some respects. You are playing me and I am playing you. I know you better than you think and I respect you and like you. You need to do your thing and I need to do mine; as long as you understand tht I need to keep this country alive." Then as we were ready to go out, he looked at all of us and said: "Do we really need to have those masks on. It sends the wrong signal". I told him that we should keep them on since it would be an unforced error to take them off. The press would kill us. His response was "Who gives a shit about the press; they will try to kill us no matter what we do." Francis and Deb looked to me and I said: "Mr. President, I will not remove the mask. I must wear it." He had a look of exasperation on his face and said: "OK, if you insist" (Francis and Deb sighed a sigh of relief as it was clear that Deb was willing to romove the mask; Francis was with me). However, he turned to the generals and Azar and Esper and said: "You guys, take you masks off, you hear me?". They dutifully did and we all walked out to theRose Garden. After the ceremony when we came back to the Oval and were about to disperse, he came over to me and said: "Tony, we are good, right?" I said: "We are good Mr. President". May 16,2020 (Saturday) - Global - 4,300,000/298,000 USA - 1,430,000/87,000 Front page of Washington Post headlines: "Trump's vaccine timeline doubted". Quotes by good people like Paul Offit and Peter Hotez doubting the feasibility of the announcement yesterday. This is an example of the problem with the new COMMS people in the WH (Kayleigh et al) absolutely shutting me down regarding approvals for the press. I could have easily explained the plan and put it into context. I ewxplained this to Marc Short on the phone this AM. He said that he and the VP are just as frustrated with the situation. He thinks things will get a little better as the new COMMS team gets better organized. I am not so sure of that. Peter Reiss of the Netherlands sent me a clip showing that I was the "Man of the Week" of the leading Dutch newspapers: Tony, As I was reading through one of our Saturday national newspapers, I suddenly found myself looking at this cartoon of yours, and thought I'ld share: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2020/05/16/man-van-de-week-anthony-fauci-a3999906 The artist Sigried Woldhek, since the 70's, every week draws a picture of a man or woman who is in the news. USA -- 1,460,000/89,000 The accompanying text reads: Who Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Why Fauci, worldfamous expert in the field of infectious diseases and advisor to all US presidents since Ronal Reagan, steadfast continues to provide scientific explanation and advice about the coronavirus and the possible consequences of measures taken and still to be the taken. But president Trump is less and less pleased with that. He called some of Fauci's remarks during the Senate hearing unacceptable, and the pitbulls from Fox News subsequently attacked Fauci full force. How Watercolour painting. We're living through unprecedented times as a medical and public health community, but I can only imagine how you and your family must be experiencing these times. You are doing an incredible job, we all stand with you, and I personally send you warm regards, Peter Article in New York Times today by Aexalander Burns, Maggie haberman, Jonathan Martin and Nick Corasaniti - "A President Riles a Nation Amid a Crisis" mentions that Trump is hurting himself by attacking attacking everyone in sight, trashing Obama and "distancing himself from a highy poplar Dr. Anthony Fauci" .............................................................................................. May 17. 2020 (Sunday) Global - 4,400,000/302,000; USA - 1,460,000/89,000 Continued blocking me from appearing on any press . Also, doing this somewhat for Birx. Deb getting slammed by many in press as caving in to POTUS and not sticking up for her principles. ,500,000/90,000 Sunday shows were all about opening up the economy with Tom Frieden, Tom Ingelsby, Scott Gottlieb giving their version and mostly agreeing with me. Navarro still spewing his stuff. What is evolving is that states that are opening thus far are not seeing an increase in cases. In fact, some are seeing decreases. We need another couple of weeks to se what is happening. Interesting that they might be paying attention more to mask use and social distancing as they open. This is true EXECPT for the young people who are going to the bars (Milwaukee) and beaches (South Carolina, Georgia, Florida). There are 2 patterns: Acute outbreaks in nursing homes (1/3 of all dealth are in nursing homes), prisons, and meat packing plants, and industries where workers are in dormitory-like quarters. This is easily recognizable and quickly contained. Then there is the more subtle community spread that gradually accelerates and requires contact tracing. It is conceivable that we will progress in the next weeks with little to modest community spread and many acute outbreaks as described accounting for the spikes that we are seeing and will see. ~6:00 PM received a call from Jared Kushner. He wanted to feel me out about a few things. Primarily he wanted to get my take on Operation Warp Speed. He wanted my perspective on the structure, what it meant, my take on Moncef Slaoui. He did not fully realize and it was good that I explained to him that the development of the COVID-19 vaccine(s), i.e. the science and implementation of trials is WHAT I DO. I asked him to make sure that when new people come in and new structures are formed that we do not "reboot" and re-invent the wheel. We are well into the process and I just do not want any person or organization or structure get in my way. My team is the best that there is. I believe he got it. He wanted to know how the military fits into this. It was clear during the conversation that he is the link to the POTUS and his skepticism about HHS and Azar came through. Nowhere was there mention of the VP, which aligns with what I am witnessing, i.e. the dichotomy between Jared and the POTUS versus OVP. He spoke of the role of the military in logistics and supply. I emphasized that I do not do that; I develop vaccines and do clinical trials. I punt to others to produce and distribute. Also, it is clear that he wants to phase out the Task Force and move on the more of the various agencies of government doing their thing. He will keep Deb Birx, who clearly is in his favor. It seems to me that there is a lot of "palace intrigue" going on or about to go on. We shall see.
-
May 18, 2020 - Global - 4,500,000/308,000; USA - 1,500,000/90,000 ,500,000/9 1,000 The Moderna/VRC data on the high levels of neutralizing Abs in the two doses (25 microgram and 100 microgram) given in phase 1 trial are being released today by Moderna. I have been asked by Jim Sciutto of CNN to discuss this on his show and have requests from NY Times (Denise Grady), WSJ, and STAT to comment. We are getting the same stonewall from WH COMMS. They do not answer our requests for clearance. This in the background of not allowing me out in the press for the past 2 weeks under any circumstances. Jim Sciutto called the WH Comms and they told him no and Jim wrote back to me by text message: "Between us, someone in WH told us they're aware you're frustrated but "don't care". I called up Marc Short and explained to him. Good guy that he is, he is going to look into it. Katie Miller, whom I have been following every day for her COVID19 is feeling better and I mentioned it to her also. She will be back soon. Got call to rush down to White House by Olivia Troye. They now want me at the Governors teleconference run by POTUS in Sit Room with First Lady Melania. POTUS very friendly and usual warm to me in the room. Most states are starting to open us and POTUS cheering them on He calls upon me to explain to Governors theModerna announcement. Govenors are all gushing over the POTUS and telling him what a fabulous job he is doing. He made the call go for almost 2 hours since he lover the adoration. Marc Short writes me a text saying that since the POTUS was so friendly with me, maybe now the Comms thing will get straightened out. I doubt it. I am thinking of confronting Kayleigh and/or bringing it up with Marc Meadows.