Friday, November 30, 2007

Chris an I attended a Holiday Dinner Party at the White House hosted by the President and First Lady. I had been at several Holiday receptions at the White House around Christmas Time, but this was the first time that I attended a Holiday Dinner. There were about 75 – 100 people in attendance. Wonderful affair! The POTUS and First Lady circulated freely with guests as we had cocktails in the foyer adjourning the East Room. Spent several minutes talking with the POTUS and First Lady separately. He and she had just finished an AIDS event in Mount Airy to commemorate World AIDS Day (Dec. 1 – tomorrow). The POTUS had a large 50 foot red AIDS Ribbon hung from the front portico of the White House and he was excited about pointing it out to me. The POTUS in his usual generous way with me kept introducing me to people at the reception as one of the world’s greatest scientist who will get us an AIDS vaccine. Again, as usual, he was very warm and friendly with me. Dinner was elegant – pumpkin soup, lamb, fine wines and champagne. The evening was crystal clear and cold (around 40 F). After dinner we had Christmas carols by the Army Choir and a trumpet and piano medley of Holiday Songs by 2 young black men from New Orleans (?names). Nov. 30 – Dec. 9, 2007 - Pre-Iowa caucus heating up with Obama closing the gap with Hillary Clinton who is front-runner. Romney and Giuliani neck in neck on the Republican side. Despite the fact that election is 1 year away, election politics is dominating the news. The “surge” in troops in Iraq appears to be working in cutting down the violence, but this is still a tenuous situation. Latest NIE states that Iran (contrary to what was previously thought) has halted their nuclear weapons programs. Life in DC as active and political as ever.