Diary Prequel Package — page 44

hould appoint announced Elias Pittsburgh who are working on a novel early warning system for BT. I met the group at Andrews Air Force Base and flew up at 11:00 AM. Did not see the President on the flight up; however, spent considerable time with him in Pittsburgh. The motorcade trip to and from the Pittsburgh airport was exciting. I was in a van about 4 cars behind the President and the motorcade was heavy with Secret Service and Police. The President was extremely complimentary to me during the visit as he spoke to other people about me in front of me. He specifically thanked me for my great work in his speech that was covered by CNN. During the flight back to DC he called me to his state room and spent the entire flight back speaking with me!!! In the room were Gov. Ridge, Secretary Thompson, and D.A. Henderson. Thompson mentioned to me in Pittsburgh that they spent much of the trip going up to Pittsburgh talking about me and the work that I have been doing. Tommy is pushing hard with the President to appoint me. Feb. 8, 2002 - Sheryl Stolberg suggests in the New York Times that Bush should appoint me. She mentions that the sticking point is my requirement to do both jobs. Feb. 15, 2002 - Laura Meckler wrote a piece for AP on the right wing Family Research Council opposing my nomination for NIH Director based on my philosophy on fetal tissue and stem cells. They refer to my comments in 1988 about the utility of the SCIDhu mouse model. Feb. 23, 2002 - Article in New York Times by Sheryl Gay Stolberg telling the story as it happened saying that I am no longer a candidate for NIH Director's job. She states that the White House says that the reason is the objection to the 2 jobs, while the social conservatives say that my views on abortion and stem cells make me unacceptable to them. Also, mentions the Sen. Brownback story. Key article since it is factually correct. Mar. 5, 2002 - Secretary Thompson called me today and said that he was very upset, but I will not be asked to be NIH Director. He said that he was being forced by the White House to submit Dr. Elias Zerhouni's name and that he was not happy at all about this. He stated that as far as he was concerned, I was his number one person at the NIH and he was looking forward to working with me in the future. Mar. 9, 2002 - Attended Gridiron Club dinner in Washington, D.C. Spent time speaking with President Bush, Karl Rove, Clay Johnson, Donna Shalala, Tim Russert, Sam Donaldson, John Neroponte, Cokie Roberts, etc. The topic was often concern and dismay on the part of people (non-White House) that Bush was not going to offer me the NIH job. Most felt that it really was the litmus test issue and not the 2 jobs issue. Clay Johnson, who I believe is behind all of this, actually volunteered to me that "Dr. Zerhouni is no Tony Fauci, but then again, there really is only 1 Tony Fauci". It is tough for me to figure out just how much the Social Conservative/Sen. Sam Borwnback issue played in Clay Johnson's insistence to the president that I not be NIH Director. Mar. 26, 2002 - I went to White House ceremony where Pres. Bush announced Elias Zerhouni as nominee for NIH Director.