Diary Prequel Package — page 182

have real day jobs". They tend to try and change things that they do not yet even understand. Oct. 17 -- 25, 2008 -- The polls are starting to swing heavily towards Barack Obama. He may indeed be our next President. Oct. 20, 2008 -- Attended funeral of Paul Rogers ("Mr. Health") at the National Cathedral. Sad day. He was a great advocate for biomedical research. I got to know him well over the past 24 years together with his wife Becky. We went to many functions together over the years. Oct. 22, 2008 -- Participated in the dedication of the new NBAAC facility of DHS at Fort Detrick. Since NIAID is a partner in that "Biodefense Campus", it was important that I be there for the ceremony. Met with Gen George Weightman (he of the Walter Reed Arny Hospital scandal -- bad conditions for wounded veterans of Iraq war -- Was not his fault, but he got caught holding the bag) who is the US Army Commander. Cliff Lane gave me tour of our facility in Ft. Detrick -- designed to do sophisticated imaging studies on non-human primates. Oct. 26, 2008 -- Received Maxwell Finland Award from the IDSA and gave the ICAAC Award Lecture at the Annual ICAAC\IDSA meeting at the DC Convention Center on "Global Health and infectious Diseases: A Look to the Future". It was amazing. There were 11,000 people in the audience! Clearly the largest crowd that I have ever spoken to live even counting all of the Keynotes lectures that I have given at many International AIDS Meetings. Lecture very well received. Next day (Oct. 27) went with Chris to the IDSA and ICAAC president's reception at the American Portrait Gallery on 8" Street and F Street, N.W. beautiful crisp (55 F) clear Fall days for both occasions. Oct. 30, 2008 -- Farewell ceremony for Elias Zerhouni as NIH Director. I gave a strong laudatory for him (see my printed speeches). Much speculation that I will be next NIH Director. Interesting -- 6.5 years have gone by since I was faced with this same choice and the best decision that I made was to say no to George Bush. So many good things have happened to me professionally since then. I doubt that I want to do it. Nov. 4, 2008 -- Barack Obama will be our new POTUS!! Everyone excited about this. We spent elective night at a party next door with Rob Stein and Ellen Perry and some friends (Dan and Gigi Green -- former ABC Producer of Nightline and others). Stock Market crashing -- no one seems to know when bottom will come Nov. 8, 2008 -- I presented an award post-humously to Paul Rogers at an Arthritis Foundation black tie gala. Steve Lawton (his longtime