Saturday, January 26, 2002

I go to the Annual Alphalfa Dinner at the Capitol Hilton as a Guest of Robert Wood (“Woody”) Johnson IV.. Amazing scene! Virtually every important government official (the entire Cabinet, military leaders, etc) was there. At the reception, I met Barbara Bush who was very warm with a hug and kiss and told me that she is “pulling for me”. I did not pursue this since this is not my style. I then met former President Bush who was his usual wonderful self with me, hugging me and telling guests who were standing around that I had won the 1988 election for him when he told the world that I was his hero. I mentioned that we had just received the President’s Budget for FY2003 this week and that the President has fulfilled the promise to double the NIH budget and had given NIAID and additional $1.5 billion for bioterrorism research. I told Bush that this was similar to what he, himself, had done with me in the 1980s when he increased my AIDS budget, but that this was on a much larger scale. I told him how much I appreciated this. He told me to make sure that I tell the POTUS this. I also saw Tommy Thompson at the dinner and walked into the ballroom with him. He seemed very sad and troubled. He again said that he was going to see the POTUS next week and will tell him that I am not only the best person, but the “only” person for the NIH Director’s job, regardless of what Clay Johnson will tell him. At the dinner Woody Johnson brought me over to the head table to say hello to the POTUS. Bush greeted me warmly (he clearly knew who I was). I thanked him for the BT money and he asked about our efforts; I briefly told him. He then surprised me by asking whether I had seen Clay Johnson yet, and so he knows that the meeting was set up. I told him that I did see him a couple of days ago. The POTUS said “Good, I will touch bases with Clay next week”. Later on I met Laura Bush and she too complimented me on my work and we had a very nice conversation. In none of these encounters did I mentioned the NIH Director’s job. My feeling at this time is confirmed that the President really does not know the situation except that he has heard a lot about me, but this is confounded by the fact that it is clear that Clay Johnson does not want me. Is it really because he is against 2 jobs, or is there some hidden agenda. I feel strongly that it is the latter. We shall see….maybe.