Diary Prequel Package — page 208

'ed in California and 1 the Affairs Director), Dora Hughes (General Counsel to the Secretary, HHS), Nick ?. I presented the proposal and they asked good questions and were very excited about it. We will proceed with rolling it out after nailing down a few details. While at the EEOB, I ran into Peter Orzag who greeted me as if we were friends. He clearly knew who I was from seeing me down the hall. Good news that this WH at least is up on what is going on in AIDS and health in general. Let us see how things evolve. April 16, 2009 - My Op-Ed on "Policy Cocktail for HIV" appeared in Washington Post. Got many nice comments. I am starting to get on the radar screen of the Obama people. April 17-18, 2009 - First cases of an "untypeable"influenza noticed in California and identified by CDC as a swine influenza of H1N1 type. April 21, 2009 - Had lunch at the Oval Room across from Lafayette Park with Michael Gerson (Washington Post, Council of Foreign relations) to catch up on some of the projects that I am involved in re; Global Health issues. Mike was very influential in helping me during the Bush 43 years with PEPFAR and the President's Malaria Initiative. I told him about my pushing for PrEP, Test and Treat, and Eradication of HIV (my new "Big Three" for control of HIV). Nice time at lunch. He is a very, very sharp guy and we have become good friends over the years - recall he invited me to private dinner with George and Laura Bush at his home last year. I had turkey Club; Mike had asparagus soup. Whether was sunny with threatening rain. April 23-24, 2009 - First days of public awareness of the "swine flu" pandemic with the "quadruple reassortant H1N1 influenza A. Around the clock conference calls and meetings. In "battle mode" at HHS. I am handling everything for NIH, but there is something strange regarding relationship with HHS (see below re: Jenny Backus.) April 25-27, 2009 - Intense weekend with the potential pandemic evolving. Started in Mexico and now person-to-person spread evolving in USA. At first only in TX and CA and now beginning to spread throughout USA in small numbers that are growing. Unclear why disease seems to be more severe in Mexico than in USA. Likely due to larger undetected denominator in Mexico for some time and we are only seeing the severe cases, whereas in USA with better surveillance, we see more mild cases. Also spreading to Europe with several countries reporting cases, almost all related to trips to Mexico or contact with people with Mexico exposure. April 28, 2009 - Testified with Rich Besser (CDC) at Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and related Agencies with Tom Harkin as Chair. Went well. Great praise for me by Senators despite the fact that the Department is only letting Rich Besser and CDC out on TV or any media. April 29, 2009 - Testified with Anne Schuchat (CDC) at the Senate HELP Committee with Sherrod Brown as Chair. Again, great praise for me for being there during crises