Diary Prequel Package — page 48

After the annoucnement, I went with Ari Fleischer and gave a press briefing in the WH press room on the program. Importantly, the Pres. asked Josh Bolten to meet with me and get my feel for the big picture of what the Adminsitration should be doing with AIDS (domestic and global). Present at the meeting were me, Josh, Margaret La Montagne Spellings, Robin Cleveland, Jay Lefkowitz, Gary Edson, Kristen Silverberg, Allen Gilbert. Josh asked whether we should do a Manhattan Project for a vaccine and not invest in international prevention and treatment. He said that I should assume that money was not an issues and I should tell them what is "the right thing to do". I gave details about the importance of building a sustainable (low tech) infrastructure of clinics and trained Africans. This infrastructure could then be used for HIV prevention and ulitmately treatment, but could also be used for approaching malaria, TBC, and other important diseases. I said that the USA needs to be the world leader in making international health a driving force in our foreign policy. If we lead, other countries will follow. Josh seemed genuinely moved and agreed with me. He even stated that it is his feeling that years from now, this Administration will be judged by how it handled the International HIV/AIDS Pandemic. He stated that the Pres. was very sympathetic to me and what he has heard me say on various occasions, but there is a skepticism that money will be wasted if there is no accountability. This is also fed by Paul O'Neill and Mitch Daniels. I said that I agree that we should not do it unless there was strict accountability. We need to have someone to run the program who could "kick ass". Josh and I resonated very well. I believe that the WH will be calling upon me soon to help with such a strategic plan. In fact, I am going to proceed to put one together and present to them pre-emptively. It was a great day!!! I may have accomplished more for global health on this day than on many, many others put together. July 7-12, 2002 - XIVth International AIDS conference in Barcelona. - Very important conference. The science was completely overshadowed by the policy, which in turn was dominated by the discussion of the incredible numbers and projections for the developing world. Latest figures are that approximately 40 million additional infections will occur worldwide by 2010 and up to 70 million dealths will occur by 2020 if serious intervention (prevention and therapy) are not implemented. I gave a highly scientific talk and used it to come to the conclusion that we must implement treatment and prevention for the North and the South. Please see records on my speeches for the full text of the talk. It was a Plenary Lecture on July 10. I spent much time with Secretary Thompson and his team (Terrell Halaska, Tony Jewell, Bill Steiger et al). There was an aggressive demonstration against Secretary Thompson during his address on Tuesday, July 9. I was with him and predicted to him exactly what would happen. I had heard from Gregg Gonsalves that ACTUP would demonstrate for awhile and then allow him to speak provided that he would meet with them afterwards. He agreed to meet, but they shouted him down and although (as per my suggestion) he calmly finished his speech, the audience could not hear what he said. This was unlike Secretary Sullivan in San Francisco when the TV and microphones allowed audiences (TV and present ) to at least here what he said. I helped Secretary Thompson with the Press (backstage)immediately after the shout-down. There was an issue that I handled. During the conference 2 days before the demonstration, at a Press Briefing during which