Monday, March 1, 2010

Regular Monday evening meeting in the Situation Room of the White House led by Heidi Avery with the usual cast of characters. Still inertia on HHS part and agitation by Heidi. Couple of days later (~ March 3 or 4) Heidi called me at home at around 10:00 AM very discouraged at the inertia and lack of imagination of HHS people, particularly Peggy Hamburg, Nicki Lurie and Jess Goodman. Asked for my help in getting the initiative going or she even said that it might be hopeless with this cast of characters. She felt that Nicki was in over her head and that she was afraid of losing her command of the situation instead of capitalizing on what Heidi wants to do. Heidi also feels that Peggy is missing the big picture and that Jesse is hopelessly garbled in his thought and expression. I will try to help her by formulating a plan with her to get this initiative rolling.