Tony's Diary Package — page 137

.,100,000/58,000; Meeting with Joe Grogan group in Roosevelt Room. Joe is pissed that the individual guidances for special situations, i.e. restaurants, Child care centers, etc, do not align with the various phases of re-opening. Also, CDC again were late and off on their own regarding guidelines for surveillance. CDC is tone deaf to how everyone feels that they are not up to the task. Briefed Kayleigh McEnany and Mark Meadows about the Remdesivir trial. Mark and Kaylee agree that I should announce this at a presser tomorrow. I warn Mark that we cannot allow the POTUS to ad lib and over-promise since I will be very conservative. Called up Mersad Parsey at Gilead out of courtesy to infrom him that I will be announcing this at the Presser. Amazingly, (or not) he asked me to hold off until Thursday informing the PIs at the sites tonight so that they can formulate a statement and policy to not allow an unfavorable or too favorable response of the Stock Market. I immediately told him that no way do I want to discuss the stock market with him and this was inappropriate. He backed off. PRESS: Bloomberg News (John Lauerman, print); Economics Club Podcast with David Rubenstein; Ryan Zimmerman Podcast; New York Times Sports Editor print interview; CNN "The Lead" with Jake Tapper. April 29, 2020 - Global - 3,000,000/203,000 USA - 1,100,000/58,000; Eventful day. Was supposed to present the Remdesivir findings at the usual 5:00 PM press conference at the WH. Marc Short called me when I was at NIH office and said to rush down to Wh since the POTUS was going to have a press availability with John Bell Edwards (Democratic Governor of Lousiana). George Adams drove me down to Wh with lights flashing and we got there in 17.5 minutes (Yikes). I present the data to multiple cameras in the Oval Office with POTUS sitting there. POTUS took me aside and said"Be enthusiastic, Tony. Be Optimistic, we need to open up the economy. It is very important". I told him that I would tell it like it is. He nodded OK. I gave ameasure, accurate presentation. Great success. In afternoon, HHS (with Paul Mango, Alex Azar, Bob Kadlec, Peter Marks, Bob Johnson, Francis Collins, Bruce Tromberg) presented our new vaccine strategic plan to the TF led by Deb Birx. Deb immediately tore everything apart (somewhat overly done). Poor Peter Marks took the brunt of it. She said we should have brought in all the companies that have a track record with their platforms and guided them and funded them to go after COVID-19 instead of