Diary Prequel Package — page 83

others that I have gotten to know over the past 2+ years: Jay, Margaret Spelling, Kristen Silverberg (just back from Iraq and will replace Jay), Karl Rove, Scooter Libby, Josh Bolten, Ginger Loper (WH Leg. Affairs), Terrell Halaska, Allen Gilbert, Mark McClellan (FDA), Scott Whitaker, Ladd Wiley, Alex Lazar, etc. Oct. 24, 2003 - Met with Sen. Barbara Mikulski to try to convince her not to support Rep. Chris Van Hollen's attempt to block the construction of the biodefense building (Bldg. 33) on the NIH campus and move it to Ft. Detrick. He keeps calling it a bioterror building. She was sympathetic, but indicated that we must engage the community more. Fact is....we have been doing this, but a very recalcitrant few do not want to building on campus no matter what. This is the same group that did not want to fence put up around NIH. This is a political issue since Van Hollen made 2 campaign promises: 1) no fence; and 2) no biodefense building. He already lost the first and does not want to lose the second. We will try to work with him. Also present at the meeting were several of Mikulski's staff, Elias Zerhouni, John La Montagne, and Marc Smolonsky. Also, I hosted Julie Gerberding to deliver the NIAID Joseph Kinyoun Lecture and then took her to dinner with John La Montagne, Ed Tramont, Pamela McInnes. Oct. 25, 2003 - Had biodefense strategizing meeting at Wye River Conference Center run by Richard Danzig. Discussed issues related to dealing with mass casualties. The usual suspects were there - DA Henderson, Julie Gerberding, David Franz, Michael Osterholm, Bill Patrick, C.J. Peters, George Tavel, people from DoD, FBI, CIA, etc. Oct. 27, 2003 - Had a Policy Coordinating Committee for an "end-to-end" analysis of biodefense responsiveness at the White House EEOB. Meeting run by Ken Bernard and Bob Kadlec. Attended by all the usual suspects from each agency - CIA, FBI, DHS, HHS, OMB, OVP, etc. After the meeting I met with Bob Kadlec about the possibility of going to Iraq to interact with the medical and research community. Apparently, the copies of HPIM-15 that I had sent to Iraq through Kristen Silverberg were a smash hit and the Iraqis want very much for me to go to Iraq. However, over the past few weeks there has been a great escalation of insurgency and terrorism with many suicide bombings and rocket and rocket propelled grenade attacks on both military and civilian targets. It appears that the terrorists are targeting the Iraqis who are cooperating with the USA in trying to rebuild the country. Kadlec does not trust the security associated with the ministries of health to provide for my safety. He actually feels that if word gets out that I am coming that I would be targeted by snipers. He feels that if I go, he will arrange for CIA operatives to get me into the country and move around "under the radar" and that CIA operatives would provide my security. We decided to wait a few weeks before resuming plans about going to Iraq and consider going in January/February. Bob will have to go there at this time anyway to continue search for weapons of mass destruction. Oct. 29, 2003 - Met with Ray Gilmartin (CEO of Merck) and Adel Mahmoud (Merck) to discuss ways that Merck can collaborate with NIAID in AIDS and in biodefense. Great meeting. Also, discussed how Merck can interact with BioShield process.