Diary Prequel Package — page 167

Dec. 28, 2007 - Lucky for us that Dr. Sedghi (Megan's primary GYN doctor asked for a repeat sonogram. Turns out the "cyst" was a loop of bowel. She has a normal pelvis on repeat sono. Welcome to medical practice in the USA! The radiologist actually called it a dermoid cyst based on "calcification", which now turns out not to be present. Dec. 28, 2007 - Jan. 4, 2008 - The White House is getting excited about the possibility of pushing my TB vaccine research intitative for the G-8 and for the SOTU Address. Met on Jan. 3 with Mike Magan and Patrick Marcham of NSC about pushing forward my TB intiative. Also, Mike wants me to put together a similar initiative for a malaria vaccine. I will present this to Dan Price (with Gary Edson present) on Monday at the White House. Possibility exists for a two-fer, i.e. TB + Malaria vaccine initiatives. A lot of activity (e-mails, phone calls, meetings) going on similar to the time right before we went ahead with PEPFAR in Jan. 2003. There is the usual concern on the part of NIH, HHS, and OMB as to where the new money will come from. I have been very open in keeping Elias Zerhouni and HHS informed of my White House meetings. Jan. 5 - Jan. 18, 2008 - Democrat and Republican primaries getting very hot. No clear leader with the GOP. Fred Thompson dropped out; Rudy Giuliani counting on Florida as he has done poorly so far in Iowa, NH, Nevada, Michigan and SC. Romney dropping and McLain bouncing back with wins in NH and SC. Dems race ugly with Bill and Hillary attacking Obama. This is causing racial tensions and blacks are getting pissed at Bill and Hillary. Bill is acting inappropriately in attacking Barack in an angry fashion. He is also clearly lying about what Barack has said and done. My initiatives are still percolating at the WH. Now they have asked me to put together a malaria vaccine and malaria drug discovery proposal. Will discuss these on Jan. 28 at the WH. Weather has been bitter cold in DC - very sunny, but freezing. Jan. 19, 2008 - Dinner at Capitol Hilton Hotel to celebrate Sam Alito getting the Lido Award. Dinner sponsored by NIAF. John Salamone (Executive Director of NIAF) asked Chris and me to sit at Alito's table along with Gen. Peter Pace and his wife Lynne. Had nice evening speaking with Martha-Ann Alito (Sam's wife). She is starting an "Italian Dinner Club" and invited me to join. I am considering it. Jan 25, 2008 - Gave lecture Global health at USA Families Conference at the Mayflower Hotel. The speaker before me was my friend former Senator Tom Daschle. Tom gave a great talk on health care in the USA based on a book that he has just written. Of note, he is the health advisor for Barack Obama. This is good since Tom likes me a lot and this could be my entry into getting to know Obama a bit better since I know Hillary much better than I do Obama. This evening went with Chris to an elegant "private" dinner (black tie) at the Academy of Achievement Town House at 1222 16th Street, N.W. given by Catherine and Wayne Reynolds. They have been very generous to me in inviting me to these great affairs. In typical Catherine Reynolds style, the details of the evening were amazing. Great food and elegant wines (Montrachet and Margaux) and champagne (Dom Perignon). Guests were terrific. Sens. Daschle, Cochrane, Byron Dornan; Bob Barnett,; Congressman Dingle; Mack McCarty; John Negroponte; Mike Chertoff Steve and Alice Rosenberg,