Twitterverse Tracks and Ponders Clinton's Remarks on Obama's Global Health Initiative

Despite some hype and curiosity, today's talk about the Global Health Initiative didn't produce much news. You probably already know that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered prepared remarks about the Obama administration's Global Health Initiative (recorded webcast is available). And if you were following the event on the hashtag #saisevents, you probably noticed some vocal disappointment with the level of detail Clinton provided.

Some sentiments:

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   MSHHealthImpact Clinton:metrics for GHI to be rolled out :focus on maternal mortality, family planning distrib.,child marriage. Still not clear #saisevents 16 Aug 2010 from web
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   SL_Dwyer Clinton talk: wish it had been less general and provided more details on focus countries and how we'll be achieving GHI goals. #saisevents 16 Aug 2010 from TweetDeck
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   KarenGrepin Despite few specifics, it is nice to hear US enforcing commitments to #globalhealth at a time when others are pulling back. #saisevents 16 Aug 2010 from TweetDeck
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   LAlexanderson @SL_Dwyer Me 2-Haven't hrd any1 talk in detail abt y cntries were chosen/how we R going 2 make ths integration/innovation happen #saisevents 16 Aug 2010 from TweetDeck in reply to SL_Dwyer

Here's some of the wittiest and most interesting observations / commentary I managed to round up as Clinton spoke:

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   KarenGrepin Circa 1960s? 80s? 90s? RT @NandiniOomman: US will make up for lost time in Family Planning. Clinton says @ #saisevents 16 Aug 2010 from TweetDeck
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   tompaulson In global health, Clinton says we need more collaboration, coordination and systemic change. As always, the devil's details #saisevents 16 Aug 2010 from web
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   MSHHealthImpact Clinton is focusing on a coordinated system of care but hasn't used "health systems strengthening" term, interestingly. #saisevents 16 Aug 2010 from web
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   JRatevosian Right. An SMS cannot replace a health worker. @NandiniOomman: "cell phones have penetrated where health clinics have not" #saisevents 16 Aug 2010 from HootSuite
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   NandiniOomman Lots on the good GHI goals, but how will the GHI work? Tell us more about the HOW. Clinton's speech. #saisevents 16 Aug 2010 from web

@JRatevosian pointed out something interesting:

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   JRatevosian Sec Clinton says US is first & largest contributor 2 @globalfundnews BUT 4 the record, @whitehouse cut the GF budget in FY11. #saisevents 16 Aug 2010 from HootSuite

I looked into this and the White House FY11 funding request for the Global Fund was indeed lower than the funding amount that was enacted in FY10. According to this budget tracker from Kaiser (my employer), the White House requested $700 million this year. In FY10, Congress approved $750 million for the Global Fund. But Senate and the House committees have both passed funding higher than the FY10 amount. Most recently, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved (login required) a $54.1 billion FY 2011 spending bill for the State Department that includes $800 million for the Global Fund.

@JRatevosian was on a roll today and it's also worth noting another great question he raised:

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   JRatevosian And where does Zeke fit in? Does he? RT @NandiniOomman: Shah, Goosby, Frieden lead GHI "under the guidance of Jack Lew!" @ #saisevents 16 Aug 2010 from HootSuite in reply to NandiniOomman

I'm wondering what the deal will be if Lew is confirmed? Despite reports of strong resistance from Clinton, last month Obama nominated Lew to be the new director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Other questions/ ideas from the discussion:

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   ktdilley Secy #Clinton seems so passionate about global health. Do others agree? #saisevents. 16 Aug 2010 from web
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   J_Roth Clinton says QDDR will be coming out this fall....any bets on when we will see it? #saisevents 16 Aug 2010 from web

Additional thoughts / questions from the discussion? Or was there a tweet I missed? Feel free to add your say / enhance this discussion in the comments.