RECORD TYPE: PRESIDENTIAL  (TRP NOTES MAIL)

CREATOR: Toby Donenfeld ( CN=Toby Donenfeld/O=OVP [ OVP ] )

CREATION DATE/TIME:26-JUN-1997 22:56:10.00

SUBJECT:  FDA Commissioner

TO: Donald H. Gips ( CN=Donald H. Gips/O=OVP [ OVP ] )
READ:UNKNOWN

TEXT:
Ron yanked the FDA Commissioner memo from the lunch memo pack b/c he feels 

that this process has spun out of control and it's not appropriate for the 

VP to be in the position to tell the President that we may not like the 

choice.  Ron feels that we should have been consulted more thoroughly, Al 

Gore should sign off on the person and then it should move forward to the 

President.



Ron wants you to call Donna Shalala and Bob Nash and "raise hell" about 

the process.  You should say that this is unacceptable, that we should 

have been consulted before one name is going forward to the President.  

Ron wants you to tell Bob to hold off on sending a decision memo to POTUS 

until Donna briefs you on who is being chosen and why and until you and 

the VP are comfortable with that decision.  Also, you should confirm that 

the President wanted more than one name to go to him.



In general, Ron felt that this whole process needed to reeled in and that 

nothing should move forward to POTUS until a list of people is agreed to.