George W and Laura Bush Honored for "Their" AIDS Outreach in Africa.

[Baby Snooks]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/features/6442148.html

Bushes honored for AIDS efforts
By SHELBY HODGE Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle


May 26, 2009, 5:08PM


Former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush swept through town slightly under the radar last week to accept the 2009 Leadership Award from the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative.

A well-connected coterie of more than 200 guests celebrated the former first couple at the River Oaks home of Jan and Dan Duncan, dedicated supporters of the Baylor initiative.

The award was presented by Dr. Mark Kline, BIPAI president, who praised George W. Bush for creation of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Since its inception, Kline noted, the program has saved more than 1.1 million lives and reduced AIDS-related deaths by more than 10 percent across sub-Saharan Africa. Kline lauded Laura Bush for her role as an advocate for mothers and children with HIV/AIDS and for her five trips to Africa.

After a cocktail reception and the awards presentation, guests adjourned to a seated dinner by Tony’s in a lavish party tent. The evening’s guest list included representatives from each of the countries where BIPAI has programs, including Romania. At the end of dinner, the Duncans served the sweetest dessert of all — announcement that they were contributing an additional $500,000 to the program.

Among those applauding that continuing generosity were Baylor College of Medicine interim president Dr. William T. Butler and wife Carol, Texas Children’s Hospital CEO Mark Wallace and wife Shannon, the Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, Texas Children’s board president Gary Rosenthal and wifeU.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal,Baylor board chairMarc Shapiro and wife Jeri, Judy and Bob Allen, Kim and Chuck Watson, Ann Lents and David Heaney, and Anita and Gerald Smith.
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Few things leave me speechless. This has.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Stuck clock is correct twice a day... this was one of the few things

george did for which... gasp, he should be honored.

[Solly Mack]

2. That's disgusting

The man's a war criminal...nothing he has done or ever will do mitigates that in any way. He committed crimes against humanity - heinous horrid crimes. To honor such a person for any reason is a measure of just how sick other people are

[Ocracoker16]

3. They don't deserve this

I have always been under the impression that the money Bush allocated for AIDS in Africa was distributed mostly to abstinence only programs. Bush made this grand gesture out of giving the money for those with AIDS in Africa. The truth is that he threw so much money into this cause in hopes that people wouldn't notice that he did nothing in Sudan. I don't think that 5 trips to Africa in 8 years by Laura Bush is that impressive.

[rustydog]

4. If abstinence-only wasn't preached, Bushy gave ZERO dollars!

[Baby Snooks]

5. I believe a percentage had to be committed to "abstinence only" education...

I was always appalled by the lack of any real protest of his AIDS policies in Africa by the national advocacy organizations but I suspect many were afraid of having their funding cut. I believe a percentage of the funding for this and other programs in Africa had to be committed to "abstinence only" education. In other words, if you passed out the Bibles, you got the AIDS drugs.

Dan Duncan's contribution to Africa has been shooting endangered species from helicopters and then smuggling them into the country to display.

He and several others including a tour guide were indicted last year on charges of violating hunting laws in Russia regarding the use of helicopters and I didn't pay attention to what happened - I suspect his buddy George W had the charges dropped.

I would have been more impressed had Dr. Kline told Dan Duncan "not on your life" but then he and his wife give away millions each year to make themselves and their friends including the Bushes look humanitarian. Dr. Kline looks less humanitarian at this point for not having done so.

Millions killed in Iraq. Millions killed in Darfur. And suddenly George W Bush is a humanitarian. Just leaves me speechless.