Pubdate: Fri, 06 Oct 2000
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Section: Behind Closed Doors
Copyright: 2000 The Washington Post Company
Contact:  1150 15th Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20071
Feedback: http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/edit/letters/letterform.htm
Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Author: Al Kamen
Note: Headline by MAP editor

MCCAFFREY REPORTS DRUG TESTING ERRORS

"Barry," President Clinton said, turning to White House drug control policy 
director Barry R. McCaffrey at last week's Cabinet meeting, "did you and 
Donna have a good time at the Olympics?"

McCaffrey, who accompanied Health and Human Services Secretary Donna E. 
Shalala on the delegation to Australia, launched into a lengthy review of 
his schedule there, including meetings with anti-drug officials, with 
WADA--the World Anti-Doping Agency--a news conference with Olympic 
marathoner Frank Shorter on drugs and sports, and on and on and on.

"Give me a break, Barry," national security adviser Samuel R. "Sandy" 
Berger finally interjected as the Cabinet roared. (Some members had barely 
stopped laughing over U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky's 
presentation, delivered in a croaking whisper as a result of laryngitis.)

McCaffrey waited stone-faced until the laughter subsided before continuing.

Clinton worried that there was no uniformity in the standards used by the 
various athletic governing bodies, especially given the apparently growing 
complexity and variety of the substances being regulated.

McCaffrey agreed. There are certain foods or substances you can ingest that 
appear to be legal, he said, "but the body responds to them in a way that 
causes you to excrete banned" substances.

The room erupted in laughter once again. There was no regaining control 
after Education Secretary Richard W. Riley, a soft-spoken, courtly 
southerner, deadpanned: "What are those foods, Barry?"

"We have clearly digressed," Clinton said, standing up to end the session.

[snip]
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