Former President George W. Bush saved thousands, if not millions of lives with the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, a $15 billion program dedicated to curbing the spread of HIV globally. Earlier this year, singer and activist Bono said he was hopeful President Obama would “follow through on what President Bush did … George kind of knocked it out of the park.”
While the former president now works mostly behind the scenes though the Bush Institute to promote global health, many are taking the occasion of World AIDS Day to remember Bush’s efforts.
https://twitter.com/jstrevino/status/274996106209923073
In regards to #WorldAIDSDay, I'm thankful for PEPFAR, President Bush's initiative to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa. Helped over 2 mill people.
— Demetrius Minor (@dminor85) December 1, 2012
https://twitter.com/jmattbarber/status/274888815846510593
https://twitter.com/danielleneocon/status/274787497177923585
Shout out to George W Bush on AIDS day.. he really did curb the tide in Africa
— Felecia the Dazzling Urbanite aka (@frcoulter) December 1, 2012
[CBSNewsOnline] Rick Warren: "President Bush is a hero" to AIDS cause http://t.co/98yxRzU4
— VIDEOS PILIPINAS (@VideoTweetsPH) November 30, 2012
For its part, the White House issued a statement observing World AIDS Day, overlooking PEPFAR but managing to promote Obamacare.
Statement from President Obama on #WorldAIDSDay 2012: http://t.co/teW6waWz pic.twitter.com/18FO5tx6
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) December 2, 2012
Here in the United States we are implementing a National HIV/AIDS Strategy and concentrating our efforts in communities where HIV rates are highest, including among gay men, Latinos, and African Americans. We are investing in comprehensive HIV prevention and care, including through the Affordable Care Act, to prevent infection and ensure that all people living with HIV have access to life-extending treatment.
Interesting on National AIDS Day, AIDS activist aren't pushing the Obama Admin to return to the Bush policies of AIDS relief & funding.
— Todd Wilson (@TDubb) December 1, 2012
Even critics of the former president acknowledged Bush’s efforts.
Tried to remember if GW Bush did ANYTHING that might have been beneficial. One: he tackled AIDS. #grudginglygivingcredit
— Dallas Smith (@smithbend) December 1, 2012
Today is World AIDS Day, one of the only good things Bush did was #PEPFAR: http://t.co/Z4ePeqgN
— Mitch Lake (@mlake9) December 2, 2012
A handful, though, seem to have succumbed to Bush Derangement Syndrome, for which there is no known cure.
https://twitter.com/joshisushma/status/274884581059072000
https://twitter.com/RickBinCT/status/274853672469544962
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