Friday, July 26, 2002

Got an e-mail from Gary Edson at the WH asking if I had completed the Global AIDS Treatment plan to present to him in order to determine if it is worth presenting to the President for him to announce in his upcoming (January) visit to Africa. Mark and I are finished and we set up a meeting at the WH for Wednesday, July 31. Let us see what happens. Had an unusual meeting at the Rayburn Building with Chairman Kolbe (R-AZ) of the House Foreign Relations Committee and his chief staffer Charlie Flichner. I accompanied Claude Allen (Deputy Secretary, DHHS). They are very upset at the White House, particularly Gary Edson, for having the President announce the MTCT initiative without first consulting with them. They made disparaging remarks about Gary (”Emperor Edson”, ”President Edson”). They were cautious about being disrespectful about the President; however, they were pissed. They also disparaged Tommy Thompson about getting involved in International issues when this is not the purvue of DHHS. Actually, it is becoming the purvue of DHHS with the CDC’s GAP (Global AIDS Program). This clearly was a turf issue. They are a powerful Committee and they are pissed that the President made an announcement without consulting them. Wait until they hear about the Global AIDS Treatment package that we are presenting to Gary Edson and Jay Lefkowitz on Wednesday, July 31. I am going to have to relate to Gary the essence of my meeting with Kolbe and Flichner.