CDC: 107 people on TB flights need tests

[Buzz Mills]

Bottom line, he still seems to have thought very little of others, and much more about himself.

Poster Child for the '00 decade: Andrew Speaker: It's all about me!

Somehow he felt entitled to put 1000's at risk. I wonder how in the world he developed that attitude?? It's beyond me.

If I was one of the 100's of people having periodic skin tests for the next n years, all the time fearing that one of the tests would come back positive??

I'll bet there are a lot of attorneys currently taking a very good look at the potential for liability.

 

[MSM]

Most attorneys I know have credit cards with pretty high limits - both business and personal. They shouldn't have had a problem renting a plane and charging it. I'm sure they charged their rooms, airfares, etc with credit cards. Also, they're plane tickets back probably cost a pretty penny anyway because they weren't booked in advance.

Yep...this is a person who could afford a wedding in Greece and a several-week-long honeymoon in Europe that we are talking about. Yes, $100K is a lot of money, but I suspect that he could have raised it. In fact, I clearly recall seeing a quote from him in one of the many articles I read where he acknowledged that he probably could have come up with the money (sorry, don't have the link handy right now).

Another statement that came out today in the hearings is that records in Speaker's medical chart indicate he was told that he was not "highly contagious" but that he was NOT "non-contagious", as he keeps claiming. And...why did he leave the country 2 days earlier than scheduled? Could it be that he thought a legal order was coming to prevent him from travelling, and he ducked out ahead of it? It would make sense, coupled with the secret recording of the meeting May 11.

A Fulton County, Georgia, health official, however, insisted that Speaker was told he was not highly contagious, rather than not contagious at all. Dr. Steven Katkowsky added that about 17 percent of TB cases are transmitted by people who are considered not highly contagious.
"The patient's chart indicates he was told he was not highly contagious," Katkowsky said.
Federal and local health officials said Speaker took an international flight two days earlier than planned after he was told he had a drug-resistant form of TB and should not travel.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/06/tb.borders/index.html

 

[MSM]

Not all attorney's - just like not all doctors - can come up with that sort of cash in an emergency.

Even though him and his father work together, he is a newer attourney. We also don't know how long his father has had a private practice or the state of their finances. Also, with the new regulations in reguard to banking, very large international transactions can be difficult to complete and are usually scrutinzed due to different laws (reguarding terror and fraud).

Looking back, Speaker realizes he may have been able to raise the $100,000 to charter a flight home. He said he didn't because he didn't think he was a health risk to others.
"In hindsight you can try … say maybe I could have planned something out, maybe could have raised money," he said. "[But] understand at this whole time everyone told me I'm not contagious and no threat to anyone."

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/Story?id=3231184&page=2

There you have it right from the source, he admits he didn't even try to come up with the money when he may have been able to.

I guess it just comes down to whether you believe him when he says he was told he was not contagious. I don't. I don't see why his doctors would tell him that when it's not true, and his medical records back that up--they state he was told he was "not highly contagious."

He, however, had a big motive for claiming he was told he was not contagious--ie, "I don't want to lose all the money I spent on this Greek wedding and honeymoon." That, combined with the surreptitious taping, and leaving the country 2 days early, immediately after being told he had drug resistant TB, just looks to me like someone who deliberately went against medical advice, then expected our government to send a private plane for him ASAP, all expenses paid, no questions asked, when he wound up in a situation he shouldn't have put himself in to begin with.

 

[gaia]

Anybody see Speaker, his wife, his father, mom, and sister on Larry King last night? Did it change your mind about him?

gaia

 

[fran]

Somehow he felt entitled to put 1000's at risk. I wonder how in the world he developed that attitude?? It's beyond me.

If I was one of the 100's of people having periodic skin tests for the next n years, all the time fearing that one of the tests would come back positive??

I'll bet there are a lot of attorneys currently taking a very good look at the potential for liability.

I haven't read this entire thread, so please excuse me if I'm not as up to date on this case as all of you. Although I've seen part of the coverage on this case, I haven't seen anything about the hearings, other than here.

From his parent's performance on LKL last night, and the couples long distance interview from the hospital, it seems this guy is already on the offense and defense of this incident.

I think we're going to see a few law-suits in this case, not just filed against him, but him filing against the CDC for causing his family such duress.

I guess it doesn't matter that this one person has caused duress and inconvenience to 1000's of complete strangers.

He knew he shouldn't have gone on this trip, thus the reason he snuck out of town two days early. Of course they're saying it was because of the 'stress' he was under which prompted him to leave early. IMHO, he KNEW they were going to try to stop him. His new FIL probably warned him of what was going on at the CDC and trying to rush his case through channels.

Him being an attorney should know more than anyone, that 'ignorance' is no excuse. He knew TB can and is contagious. Yet it was all about him and his family and what HE wanted.

IF he can afford that lengthy European wedding/honeymoon/vacation, he could have afforded a private jet. Or, like others have said, he should have gone to the local authorities until he could arrange to be brought back to the U.S. by private jet.

IMHO, he's a self-centered person making excuses for his inappropriate actions.

JMHO
fran

 

[mjak]

I saw him and his family on LKL. I agree with Fran he is a self-centered person making excuses for his inappropriate actions. His reason for his trip was he knew the next two years of his life were going to be unpleasent becuase of medical treatment so he felt he needed to go now. He admitted to being told repeatedly not to fly. His argument was they gave him no convincing reason why he should not fly if he was not highly contagious. Anyone who thinks they no better then the CDC and feels that is a good idea to just ignore the requests of the CDC is a person with a grandiose perception of himself and a selfish streak a mile long. If he would just come our and say I was wrong... I did a stupid thing, I am sorry I would feel a lot better about him. Instaed he is playing legal linguistics with what the CDC said and insisting they did not legally serve him with papers stating he could not travel so he did nothing wrong. My thoughts on that is one dose not need legal papers to tell you not to travel when the CDC has verbally told you repeadedly not to do so. One only needs a concious and care for your fellow man to know he should not travel.

mjak

 

[Texana]

I think he played word games worthy of any lawyer or my 14 year old ("When you said I had to clean my room to get my computer back, you did NOT say I had to clean UNDER my bed.")

Else why the taping? He knew there was risk, no matter how defined. He knew this was a serious disease with long-term consequences, complications, and treatment. He knew there would be travel restrictions and difficulty flying commercial fare.

And he went anyway and came back through Canada admittedly because it was easier.

The only thing I'm thankful for is that his actions pointed out all the flaws in the system.

 

[Marthatex]

I think he played word games worthy of any lawyer or my 14 year old ("When you said I had to clean my room to get my computer back, you did NOT say I had to clean UNDER my bed.")

Else why the taping? He knew there was risk, no matter how defined. He knew this was a serious disease with long-term consequences, complications, and treatment. He knew there would be travel restrictions and difficulty flying commercial fare.

And he went anyway and came back through Canada admittedly because it was easier.

The only thing I'm thankful for is that his actions pointed out all the flaws in the system.

Definitely - maybe this will save some lives later on.

 

[Marthatex]

I saw him and his family on LKL. I agree with Fran he is a self-centered person making excuses for his inappropriate actions. His reason for his trip was he knew the next two years of his life were going to be unpleasent becuase of medical treatment so he felt he needed to go now. He admitted to being told repeatedly not to fly. His argument was they gave him no convincing reason why he should not fly if he was not highly contagious. Anyone who thinks they no better then the CDC and feels that is a good idea to just ignore the requests of the CDC is a person with a grandiose perception of himself and a selfish streak a mile long. If he would just come our and say I was wrong... I did a stupid thing, I am sorry I would feel a lot better about him. Instaed he is playing legal linguistics with what the CDC said and insisting they did not legally serve him with papers stating he could not travel so he did nothing wrong. My thoughts on that is one dose not need legal papers to tell you not to travel when the CDC has verbally told you repeadedly not to do so. One only needs a concious and care for your fellow man to know he should not travel.

mjak

Another day, another NARCISSIST.

 

[gaia]

Marthatex, ain't it the truth? Ya know, I watched LK and now I know why this young man makes the decisions he does and behaves the way he does. Yep, his FATHER is a real PIECE OF WORK and makes excuses for everything his son has done. His mom does too. Wonderful!! What kind of people are these folks? They say they are just really nice people from Atlanta - and everyone just loves 'em. Well, I think I know some people not so in love with 'em right now. The father says he taped that conversation with the Atlanta health department because he wanted to be sure to understand everything about the DIAGNOSIS. Right. The CDC did not tell Speaker he wasn't contagious or just strongly advise him not to travel...that was the local health dept. He knew what was coming from the CDC and left early to head off the inevitable. What a jerk. Class AAA jerk! Look, I don't think the health dept. and the CDC did great jobs of handling this, but ain't no way he should have just decided to possibly expose others by choosing to fly commercially all over the place and stay in hotels, etc. I'm still appalled every single time I see him and listen to him try to explain himself.

gaia

 

[Marthatex]

His wife will be sorry if she doesn't get a divorce; unless she's the same shallow sort.

Yes - Sins of the Fathers..... Thanks goodness he wasn't very contagious; but what about next time?

 

[Nova]

Has anyone mentioned the possibility of Speaker's returning from Europe by boat? It takes longer, but it's cheaper and I don't believe boats have the same sort of confined air systems that planes have.

Even if Speaker could have rented a plane, what about the risk to the crew?

 

[southcitymom]

Has anyone mentioned the possibility of Speaker's returning from Europe by boat? It takes longer, but it's cheaper and I don't believe boats have the same sort of confined air systems that planes have.

Even if Speaker could have rented a plane, what about the risk to the crew?

I have never heard mention of the boat idea.

One of the interesting things from the article I recently posted is that the CDC said they couldn't send their airplane to get him because of the exposure risk to the crew, but then they turned around and said that Speaker really only exposed two rows away from him to the TB when he travelled the commercial flight.

Seems to me, the CDC could have sent their plane for him and he could have sat more than two rows away from the staff without exposing them.

The CDC is talking out of two, three, four sides of its mouth. I have a good friend who is a bit of a muckety muck at the CDC, so this fact doesn't surprise me all that much.

 

[Nova]

I have never heard mention of the boat idea.

One of the interesting things from the article I recently posted is that the CDC said they couldn't send their airplane to get him because of the exposure risk to the crew, but then they turned around and said that Speaker really only exposed two rows away from him to the TB when he travelled the commercial flight.

Seems to me, the CDC could have sent their plane for him and he could have sat more than two rows away from the staff without exposing them.

The CDC is talking out of two, three, four sides of its mouth. I have a good friend who is a bit of a muckety muck at the CDC, so this fact doesn't surprise me all that much.

(Emphasis added.) So maybe the closed ventilation system wasn't the issue.

I agree that Speaker should have canceled his wedding plans and stayed put.

But I'm not entirely surprised, given what we have heard from the CDC since, if Speaker thought he was getting a lot of double-talk.

 

[accordn2me]

Has anyone mentioned the possibility of Speaker's returning from Europe by boat? It takes longer, but it's cheaper and I don't believe boats have the same sort of confined air systems that planes have.

Even if Speaker could have rented a plane, what about the risk to the crew?

Mrs. Speaker (Andrew's wife) mentioned it during that interview with Diane Sawyer.

Not sure if the link still works.

 

[accordn2me]

I have never heard mention of the boat idea.

One of the interesting things from the article I recently posted is that the CDC said they couldn't send their airplane to get him because of the exposure risk to the crew, but then they turned around and said that Speaker really only exposed two rows away from him to the TB when he travelled the commercial flight.

Seems to me, the CDC could have sent their plane for him and he could have sat more than two rows away from the staff without exposing them.

The CDC is talking out of two, three, four sides of its mouth. I have a good friend who is a bit of a muckety muck at the CDC, so this fact doesn't surprise me all that much.

How big is the CDC's plane? I doubt it's a jumbo jet. And while maybe it was only passengers seated in the surrounding couple of rows that had the greatest risk, the crew interacts with all passengers during the flight. Some of them probably had repeated interaction with AS.

 

[southcitymom]

(Emphasis added.) So maybe the closed ventilation system wasn't the issue.

I agree that Speaker should have canceled his wedding plans and stayed put.

But I'm not entirely surprised, given what we have heard from the CDC since, if Speaker thought he was getting a lot of double-talk.

This is the big issue to me. From what I've read, I honestly don't know what to believe.

I understand that the CDC told him not to fly. But I don't understand why Speaker wasn't immediately quarantined if they thought he was such a danger. Answer: they knew he wasn't a danger. They told him as much in the same conversation where they told him not to fly.

I pretty much operate under the idea umbrella that people are selfish and want to do what they want to do. So I'm assuming Speaker really wanted to go on his wedding trip before he went to Denver and I can understand that.

And while it was selfish of him to do what he did, I don't think for a second that he thought he was putting anyone in danger by doing it.

Now, when he was in Europe and the CDC called him and said "we've got new tests and you need to stay put and go to a hospital there," he understandably freaked because a few weeks ago they had told him that the only place he could be treated was this hospital in Denver. Did they tell him during this phone call that he was now a danger to people? Again - not that I'm aware of.

Throw stones at me if you wish, but if I didn't think I was a danger to anyone, I would have tried to get back home as well!

Maybe, I don't have all the facts right - feel free to correct me if I am missing anything cogent.

 

[fundiva]

Has anyone mentioned the possibility of Speaker's returning from Europe by boat? It takes longer, but it's cheaper and I don't believe boats have the same sort of confined air systems that planes have.

Even if Speaker could have rented a plane, what about the risk to the crew?

Speaker mentioned that the CDC told him when they contacted him in Italy that he was not to fly commercial and they were even "uncomfortable" with him going by ocean. Besides, his bed at the hospital had been reserved for him to be admitted in 3 weeks and he had already spent two of them on his wedding and honeymoon. He didn't have time for a boat.

 

[fundiva]

This is the big issue to me. From what I've read, I honestly don't know what to believe.

I understand that the CDC told him not to fly. But I don't understand why Speaker wasn't immediately quarantined if they thought he was such a danger. Answer: they knew he wasn't a danger. They told him as much in the same conversation where they told him not to fly.

I pretty much operate under the idea umbrella that people are selfish and want to do what they want to do. So I'm assuming Speaker really wanted to go on his wedding trip before he went to Denver and I can understand that.

And while it was selfish of him to do what he did, I don't think for a second that he thought he was putting anyone in danger by doing it.

Now, when he was in Europe and the CDC called him and said "we've got new tests and you need to stay put and go to a hospital there," he understandably freaked because a few weeks ago they had told him that the only place he could be treated was this hospital in Denver. Did they tell him during this phone call that he was now a danger to people? Again - not that I'm aware of.

Throw stones at me if you wish, but if I didn't think I was a danger to anyone, I would have tried to get back home as well!

Maybe, I don't have all the facts right - feel free to correct me if I am missing anything cogent.

The CDC told him he needed to surrender to local authorities and be put in quarantine. I think pretty much everyone knows that if you're in quarantine you're probably contagious. Knowing this he went to a third country (Czecoslovakia) to fly to a fourth country (Canada) to drive across the border to the U.S. He states he wasn't avoiding anybody. Then why didn't he just get a direct flight to the U.S.? Or cross the border into France and fly directly to the U.S? He obviously was trying to sneak back into the country and thought he might get arrested or detained because he flew against the CDS's request/advice.

 

[southcitymom]

The CDC told him he needed to surrender to local authorities and be put in quarantine. I think pretty much everyone knows that if you're in quarantine you're probably contagious. Knowing this he went to a third country (Czecoslovakia) to fly to a fourth country (Canada) to drive across the border to the U.S. He states he wasn't avoiding anybody. Then why didn't he just get a direct flight to the U.S.? Or cross the border into France and fly directly to the U.S? He obviously was trying to sneak back into the country and thought he might get arrested or detained because he flew against the CDS's request/advice.

Thanks for that.

I thought Speaker had admitted he was trying to get back here because he felt abandoned by the CDC.

Do you know anything about the Canadian border guard who let him cross? I know the guy was fired, but I read that that border guard only saw whatever was flagged on Speaker as a warning - not a life or death situation. I'd love to know what the warning stated.

Also, why was it safe for the CDC to fly him on their plane once he back was in the country when it wasn't safe for them to fly him when he was in Europe?