GO BIG DOG

While Rush Limbaugh hordes prescription drugs, Bill Clinton works to lower the cost of AIDS drugs, increasing access to treatment for people in developing countries.

Marvel at the contrast.

Former President Bill Clinton has secured a deal with four generic-drug companies to provide low-cost AIDS drugs in the developing world, an aide to the former president said Thursday.

The agreement, which was to be announced at a news conference later Thursday, will cut the price of a triple-drug regimen to about 38 cents a day.

The deal, brokered by the William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation, was reported Thursday in The Wall Street Journal and confirmed by the Clinton aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The companies involved three Indian companies and one South African firm opened their books to a group of Clinton advisers, who then worked with the companies to cut costs.

Patented versions of the regimen run at least $1.54 per day. Where available, the discounted generic regimen costs 55 cents per day.

The foundation also helped several Caribbean and African nations prepare detailed plans for introducing the drugs. The plans are intended to make the drugs more readily available throughout each nation.

To pay for the drugs, and for improvements in the countries' health systems, Clinton has secured partial funding by lobbying wealthy nations including Ireland and Canada. Ireland has committed $58.3 million over five years, mainly to Mozambique.

Bush says, Clinton does. Remember that $15 billion Bush promised in the SOTU? And how a great deal of that money was actually money that was already being spent for it? And other portions of that money are being whittled down further? There's another contrast to think about.