COVID-19 Records

Diary Prequel Package — page 134

of 465 pages

← p.133 p.135 → · this page in the original PDF · package

) Dulles Airport. Oct. 18, 2005 - Flew Tokyo to Dulles Airport. Oct. 19, 2005 - "Intrigue" at the White House Upon return from SE Asia, we have just heard that the overall responsibility for Pandemic Influenza will be handed over to the Homeland Security Council (HSC) run by Fran Townsend. Also, DHS will be playing a more significant role. We believe that this relates to several factors: 1) the preparedness planning involves multiple agencies and so there is a need for a coordinating entity. 2) The WH is concerned about the fact that it has taken so long to get a plan out and now we realize that we need an Federal Plan (all agencies) as well as a National Plan (State, Local, Federal). 3) Anxiety about the failures of FEMA around Hurricane Katrina and the need to have centralized control over a potential disaster (in this case pandemic flu). 4) WH staff wanting to assert themselves Also, it is becoming more and more obvious how the Public Affairs people at HHS are trying to block Julie Gerberding and me from being out front with the Press. They keep intercepting requests by the Press for me and Julie to put the Secretary out there. This was seen in SE Asia and again is seen here. However, there is so much press going on that I am getting plenty. They are, however, sucking off the good offers that I get (network TV). In this regard, I am still doing a lot of CNN Oct. 19, 2005 - Incredible evening. U2 gave a concert at the MCI Center in D.C. Bono arranged for premier tickets for Chris and me. We met with Bono in the hospitality suite before the concert and exchanged warm hugs and discussions. Amazingly, in the middle of the concert in front of >25,000 people, Bono dedicated a song ("Miracle Drug") to me. He praised me and said that I was doing wonderful things for HIV/AIDS globally and then dedicated the song to me. After the concert, he invited Chris and me to a private reception at his hotel - The Ritz-Carlton in Georgetown - for drinks and discussion. Everyone was bussing that he dedicated a song to me. I thanked him and we discussed the need to keep up the PEPFAR program and make sure that we do not stop drugs in people because the program phases out. There is no sign that the Administration will phase the program out after the 5 years are up. Oct. 20, 2005 - Am wearing thn with exhaustion. No sooner did I return from SE Asia that I had to go to Chicago to receive the 2005 Scientist of the Year Award from R & D Magazine. Took place at a black tie affair at the Navy Pier in Chicago. Oct. 21, 2005 - Much press regarding trip and updating on pandemic flu. The whole world is getting exorcised. Chickens now infected in Russia, KazakstanChina, Romania, Turkey. Clearly, migratory birds are bringing the disease West. Was on CNN, C-SPAN, NPR, Bloomberg News, etc. Oct. 24 - 28, 2005 - Hectic week with bird flu and grand jury indictment of I. Lewis "Scooter Libby" for perjury, obstruction of justice and making false statements in the

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Records on this page

RecordDateTypePages
Oct. 17, 2005 - Visited NAMRU-2. Was apparently a problem in that the Indonesian 2005-10-17 diary entry 133–134
Oct. 18, 2005 - Flew Tokyo to Dulles Airport. 2005-10-18 diary entry 134
Oct. 19, 2005 - "Intrigue" at the White House 2005-10-19 diary entry 134
Oct. 19, 2005 - Incredible evening. U2 gave a concert at the MCI Center in D.C. Bono 2005-10-19 diary entry 134
Oct. 20, 2005 - Am wearing thn with exhaustion. No sooner did I return from SE Asia 2005-10-20 diary entry 134
Oct. 21, 2005 - Much press regarding trip and updating on pandemic flu. The whole 2005-10-21 diary entry 134
Oct. 24 - 28, 2005 - Hectic week with bird flu and grand jury indictment of I. Lewis 2005-10-24 diary entry 134–135