Wednesday, October 19, 2005

“Intrigue” at the White House Upon return from SE Asia, we have just heard that the overall responsibility for Pandemic Influenza will be handed over to the Homeland Security Council (HSC) run by Fran Townsend. Also, DHS will be playing a more significant role. We believe that this relates to several factors: 1) the preparedness planning involves multiple agencies and so there is a need for a coordinating entity. 2) The WH is concerned about the fact that it has taken so long to get a plan out and now we realize that we need an Federal Plan (all agencies) as well as a National Plan (State, Local, Federal). 3) Anxiety about the failures of FEMA around Hurricane Katrina and the need to have centralized control over a potential disaster (in this case pandemic flu). 4) WH staff wanting to assert themselves Also, it is becoming more and more obvious how the Public Affairs people at HHS are trying to block Julie Gerberding and me from being out front with the Press. They keep intercepting requests by the Press for me and Julie to put the Secretary out there. This was seen in SE Asia and again is seen here. However, there is so much press going on that I am getting plenty. They are, however, sucking off the good offers that I get (network TV). In this regard, I am still doing a lot of CNN

Incredible evening. U2 gave a concert at the MCI Center in D.C. Bono arranged for premier tickets for Chris and me. We met with Bono in the hospitality suite before the concert and exchanged warm hugs and discussions. Amazingly, in the middle of the concert in front of >25,000 people, Bono dedicated a song (“Miracle Drug”) to me. He praised me and said that I was doing wonderful things for HIV/AIDS globally and then dedicated the song to me. After the concert, he invited Chris and me to a private reception at his hotel - The Ritz-Carlton in Georgetown – for drinks and discussion. Everyone was bussing that he dedicated a song to me. I thanked him and we discussed the need to keep up the PEPFAR program and make sure that we do not stop drugs in people because the program phases out. There is no sign that the Administration will phase the program out after the 5 years are up.