488 Project
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The price of Makena, a drug to prevent preterm birth, has increased dramatically from $20 per dose to $1500 per dose. If all eligible women received the drug, it would increase national healthcare costs by over $4 billion annually. However, the same compound has been available for years at a much lower cost. While the manufacturer claims the new price is reasonable given research and development costs, doctors and patients say the price increase is outrageous. The U.S. military has increased its attacks on Libyan government forces, now using low-flying attack aircraft designed to strike ground troops and supply lines.
488 Project
- 1. ABCDE Mostly sunny 53/36 • Tomorrow: Rain 45/39 • details, b8 TUESDAY, MARCH 29 , 2011 K MD DC VA M2 V1 V2 V3 V washingtonpost.com • 75 Price tag soars on preterm birth drug FDA-approved compound goes from $20 to $1,500 a dose BY R OB S TEIN When a drug to prevent babies from being born too early won federal approval in February, many doctors, pregnant women and others cheered the step as a major advance against a heart- Comm 488 breaking tragedy. ARIS MESSINIS/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE VIA GETTY IMAGE Then they saw the price tag. Libyan rebels walk past a burning multi-rocket launcher at sunset outside the oil-rich town of Ras Lanuf as they press on in their mission to topple leader Moammar Gaddafi. Obama: U.S. had responsibility to act The list price for the drug, Makena, turned out to be a stunning $1,500 per dose. That’s for a drug that must be injected every week for about 20 weeks, meaning it will cost about Washington Post $30,000 per at-risk pregnancy. If every eligible American woman INTERVENTION were to get Makena, the nation’s INTERVENTION IN LIBYA DEFENDED bloated annual health-care tab would swell by more than $4 bil- U.S. deploys lion. What really infuriates patients low-flying President stresses how he limited involvement and doctors is that the same compound has been available for attack planes BY S COTT W ILSON sponsibility as a leader and — years at a fraction of the cost — more profoundly — our responsi about $10 or $20 a shot. President Obama delivered a bilities to our fellow human be “It’s outrageous,” said Helain J. BY G REG J AFFE broad defense Monday of his ings under such circumstance Landy, chairman of obstetrics AND K AREN D E Y OUNG decision to intervene in Libya would have been a betrayal o and gynecology at Georgetown and of his leadership style, argu- who we are,” Obama told an “Campaign 2012: Because it's never University Hospital. “Raising the cost of each injection from around $20 to $1,500 is ludi- crous.” The U.S. military dramatically stepped up its assault on Libyan government ground forces over the weekend, launching its first ing that the United States has a strategic interest in preventing the killing of civilians around the world and that it must do so in audience of mid-career militar officers, who remained quiet dur ing much of the 27-minute ad dress. “Some nations may be abl The company that owns Make- missions with AC-130 flying gun- partnership with other nations. to turn a blind eye to atrocities in too early to start thinking about it.” na, KV Pharmaceutical of St. Louis, says the price is reason- able, given that it is spending more than $200 million to devel- ships and A-10 attack aircraft designed to strike enemy ground troops and supply convoys. The use of the aircraft, during Speaking at the National De- fense University, Obama used his first televised address since mili- tary operations began in Libya other countries. The United States of America is different.” At the same time, Obam stressed the limits he placed on op the drug and conduct follow- days of heavy fighting in which YOUSSEF BOUDLAL/REUTERS nine days ago to outline a moral the operation, saying he acted up studies that the Food and the momentum seemed to swing A rebel fighter prays along a road in Wadi al Hamra. rationale for intervention in civil only after securing broad inter Drug Administration demands, in favor of the rebels, demon- conflicts such as the push under- national cooperation, kept ou and because of the savings re- strated how allied military forces TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST way to topple Libyan leader U.S. ground forces, and planned sulting from preventing preterm have been drawn deeper into the Moammar Gaddafi. for a quick transfer of command births. Through a subsidiary, chaotic fight in Libya. A mission Monday’s developments Facing accusations that he has to European allies. Ther-Rx Corp., the company cre- ated a program to help women that initially seemed to revolve around establishing a no-fly zone •LIBYA: Rebel forces come under •SYRIA: Securityof protesters in heavy fire as they battle toward gas on thousands forces fire tear not explained the United States’ interest in Libya’s war, Obama Those guidelines could dictat how Obama approaches simila who can’t afford it. has become focused on halting Sirte, the home town of the the southern city of Daraa, a key said the nation had a responsibil- civil conflicts, including the othe “Ther-Rx is fundamentally advances by government ground country’s leader, Moammar flash point. President Bashar al- ity to prevent a mass killing after popular uprising now recastin committed to the community of forces in and around key coastal Gaddafi. The rebels have now Assad is expected to address the Gaddafi pledged to carry out a much of the Middle East. In th women, children and families it cities. captured all the territory they lost nation as early as Tuesday to try to brutal reprisal campaign against case of Libya, he said that ex serves and has been carefully The AC-130s, which fly low over the past week. A10 ease the crisis by lifting a state of civilians in rebel-held territory. panding the operation from pro listening to all stakeholders fol- lowing the announcement of the and slow over the battlefield and are typically more vulnerable to • YEMEN: A powerful explosion at a factory making weapons and emergency imposed in 1963. A8 • EGYPT: The country’s military He emphasized that the mission was undertaken with the United tecting civilians to removin Gaddafi from power would frac list price for Makena,” the com- enemy fire than fast-moving ammunition in the country’s south rulers announce that the country’s States’ closest allies, and that ture the coalition of European pany said in an e-mail. fighter jets, were deployed only kills at least 78 people after the hated emergency law will be lifted command of the military opera- and Arab support, leaving th Critics are challenging that after a week of sustained coali- facility is taken over by Islamist before parliamentary elections tion will be transferred to NATO United States to pick up the cost militants and then looted by scheduled for September. A8 on Wednesday. makena continued on A18 aircraft continued on A11 residents. A8 “To brush aside America’s re- obama continued on A10 Amid reactor crisis, head of Japanese utility vanishes An empty gesture Move, though not power plant. After a short break to recuper- even Congress can’t love ate, they said, Shimizu, 66, is back a first among nation’s at work directing an emergency Lawmakers chip in to cut debt. Two of them. business elite, draws ire command center on the second floor of Tepco’s central Tokyo of a second. The governmen headquarters. BY D AVID A . F AHRENTHOLD burned through their gift in thre BY A NDREW H IGGINS Still, company officials are beats of a hummingbird’s wing. I vague about whether they have t sounds like the perfect politi- The story of this little-used pay tokyo — In normal times, Masa- actually seen their boss: “I’ll have cal gesture for the moment. back program says somethin taka Shimizu lives in The Tower, a to check on that,” said spokesman Congress is getting ready for about the fight Congress is begin luxury high-rise in the same up- Ryo Shimitsu. Another staffer, an epic fight over the national ning. The debt is so huge, and th scale Tokyo district as the U.S. Hiro Hasegawa, said he’d seen the debt, and House rules allow mem- fight so joyless, that even con Embassy. But he hasn’t been there president regularly but couldn’t bers to give back a portion of their gressmen — the masters of th for more than two weeks, accord- provide details. salaries for debt reduction. empty but attractive gesture — ing to a doorman. Vanishing in times of crisis is Two of them do. appear to see little use in this one The Japanese public hasn’t something of a tradition among Sometimes, up to three. “Even if all members of Con seen much of him recently either. CARLOS BARRIA/REUTERS Japan’s industrial and political Last fall — as the issue of spend- gress returned their full salaries i Shimizu, the president of Tokyo Resigned to a long fight elite. During Toyota’s recall deba- ing helped Republicans storm order to pay off the debt,” it woul Electric Power Co., or Tepco, the A woman in Miyagi prefecture contemplates her destroyed home, while at cle last year, the carmaker’s chief back to power in the House — barely make a dent, Rep. Henr company that owns a haywire the Fukushima Daiichi plant, attempts to contain radioactive contamination also went AWOL. “It is very, very exactly one sitting Republican Cuellar (Tex.) said in an e-mail. nuclear power plant 150 miles stumbled after officials found it had spread into tunnels and soil. A13 sad, but this is normal in Japan,” and one Democrat chose to dock Cuellar is a “Blue Dog,” or mor from the capital, is the most invis- said Yagushi Hirai, the chief edi- their pay for the cause. conservative, Democrat, and h ible — and most reviled — chief hospital or committed suicide, cause of overwork after a 9.0- tor of Shyukan Kinyobi, a weekly Together, they donated has embraced the debt as a politi executive in Japan. company officials said Monday magnitude earthquake sent a tsu- news magazine. $2,610.39 that quarter. cal issue. He has called for a bal Amid rumors that Shimizu had that their boss had suffered an nami crashing onto his compa- That’s how much the debt
- 2. WaPo general trends for 2012 • The Washington Post is very unbiased in its writing, stating ideas and then reminding the public than anything can happen in the next year and a half • Common trends: • The battle for the Midwest is changing politics • Hispanic voters could be problematic for Republicans • Celebrity politics- Trump and Palin
- 3. Washington Post’s Republican Field “If no one is an immediate frontrunner, I think you might see a whole new cast of Republican candidates within the Mike Huckabee next couple months,” said DeMint, who reiterated that he will not run. He Sarah Palin Bobby Jindal declined to name anyone but said there were potentially good candidates among the nation’s Republican governors. Jeb Bush John Thune Mitch Daniels Haley Barbour Mitt Romney Newt Gingrinch Rick Santorum Marco Rubio Tim Pawlenty
- 4. Iowa Caucus • GOP presidential prospects court Iowa conservatives • Attack President Obama’s policies • Gauge the mood of the most conservative wing of the GOP base • Michele Bachmann lit up the gathering with a rapid-fire denunciation of the president • Most speakers had problems with statement by Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels who has called for a truce on cultural issues • Because of the need to focus on what he sees as a looming fiscal crisis
- 5. Evangelical Voters • Potential Republican presidential candidates court evangelicals • Must win evangelical vote to win the Iowa caucus, Rep. nomination • Parishioners are listening closely to politicians’ platforms, particularly regarding marriage and abortion. • Tougher competition in Iowa for candidates like Huckabee • Potential candidates Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Sarah Palin also have appeal to evangelical voters
- 6. Other GOP Themes • Who is signing on with who • Aids that are signing on signal who will run • CAUTION: No formal decisions yet • Obama/ Economy and Government • Need for a unifier
- 7. Obama coverage in WaPo • Deficit problems - Obama’s misleading claim • Losing young voter interest • White House seeks to reconnect with young voters • In a generic PEW poll, Obama runs ahead • However, there’s still a year and a half to go, and 16% undecided. • The same poll also says Romney and Huckabee are leading Rep. candidates • Romney: older, wealthier Republicans • Huckabee: Evangelical Protestants • Libya
- 8. Politico FiveThirtyEight Hot Air
- 9. Politico • Cautious, broad approach to the Republican field, with an emphasis on states with early primaries • Cover many candidates in a “Candidate Hub” on the front of their “2012 LIVE” page. Under each name, Politico adds the most recent public event on their schedule, and then lists recent stories about the potential candidate. • “Early State Insider” pages for Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada • Covers recent statements from potential candidates, fundraising efforts and trips to early states, as well as gaffs or insider drama • Obama covered as a candidate differs from coverage as president - 2012 LIVE looks only at fundraising and polls • Obama also covered through attacks made by potential Republican candidates
- 10. Politico’s Republican Field Sarah Palin Tim Pawlenty Donald Trump Mike Huckabee Rudy Guliani Rick Santorum Ron Paul Jon Huntsman Haley Barbour Newt Gingrinch Mitt Romney Chris Cristie Michelle Bachmann Mitch Daniels Herman Cain Gary Johnson George Pataki Jim DeMint John Bolton
- 11. FiveThirtyEight •Cautious coverage of polling data and national trends •There’s Nothing Special about Ohio •Models Can Be Superficial in Politics, Too •“Reads and Reactions” includes a weekly summary of posts, and responses to them by other bloggers and news organizations, supporting the community of online news • Talks about candidates potential in early states - Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada - focuses on Romney, Palin, Pawlenty as frontrunners • Uses Intrade to assess possibility of frontrunners winning Iowa - The Talented Mr. Romney • Coverage of Obama looks at impact of recent administration decisions on polling data • Libya
- 12. In Coverage of 2012 Candidates, the Blogs and the Beltway Divide “The next question is whether there is any predictive power in this information at this early stage, when many other indicators, like polls, remain relatively unreliable. And if so, should a candidate prefer to be mentioned more often in the blogosphere or in the traditional media? Is one of these metrics a leading indicator and the other a lagging one?”
- 13. Hot Air • Less coverage of 2012 than Politico or FiveThirtyEight, dominant theme is that Obama is wrong • Headlines at the top, Hot Links to many other conservative oriented blogs and news sources • Reposts and adds commentary to stories from other sources • Comments on polling data about the large Republican field • Gallup: Huckabee leading a broad GOP pack • Seemingly less focused on Republican field than 538 or Politico - instead, mostly a collection of any negative story about Obama. • “Obamateurism of the Day”
- 14. Analog vs Digital • How does the tone differ between online and analog news? • FiveThirtyEight and Hot Air have a more casual tone than Washington Post or Politico - talk directly to readers and encourage comments and feedback • Tone is not necessarily a reflection of online or analog, so much as the goal of the organization • What is more or less compelling about the approach of the online sources? • Ability to start a conversation - both between readers and across blogs • If you were a candidate, where would you want to focus your efforts? • Blogs are more likely to attract niche readers • Washington “insiders” on Politico, statistics nerds on 538, conservative base on Hot Air • “Analog” news may still reach a greater number of swing voters • However, a good blog post can generate more news than a single news story • Reblogs with reactions and added commentary