[Used influence to help family stymied by federal hospital regulations; received Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) with his mother, Rose; met with army rodeo group and with NSC regarding arms reduction talks with Soviets.]
Friday, November 13–Sunday, November 15
Nancy left for Calif. to get “Scopus Award.” I was in meetings until early afternoon & then off to Houston Texas for Repub. fund raiser. It was honoring Jim Baker and all the Texans now in our admin.—(quite a few of them). A big affair—Gov. Clemens, John Connally, several Congressmen (wives for all just named), Eddie & Fran Chiles—he was dinner chairman. Billy Graham dropped in to do a benediction. It was a warm and friendly affair.
The next morning off to San Antonio, then by chopper to ranch for our 2 days of Turkey hunting. The ranch house is small—really evidently just a cabin for this sort of thing.
Hunting Turkeys provides some good nap time. You sit in a blind—in our case 3 hrs. each day. The 1st day Turkeys finally came in but they were all hens so no shooting. The second day—3 hours and then had to get ready for home but saw no Turkeys at all.
Came home in the 747 Doomsday plane. Was briefed on its capabilities. It’s like being in a submarine—no windows. […]
Monday, November 16
Staff meeting re the Allen $1000 episode. I don’t think it amounts to much. It’s hard to believe a fellow didn’t forget the money since he left it in the safe of the office he was moving out of.
It goes back to a Japanese mag. interview with Nancy. It seems they give cash gifts to people they interview. This took place clear back at Inaugural time. Dick intercepted the envelope to avoid embarrassing Nancy or the Japanese since she obviously could not accept it. It was then given to his Sec. to put in the safe. Both forgot & it was found after he’d moved out.
We had an F.B.I. investigation—everybody was all clear but we didn’t know that under the 1978 “Special Prosecutor Act”—several Justice Depts. must successfully review the findings. Someone in Justice after all these months leaked it & I suspect bureaucratic sabotage. In other words our admin. not Dick Allen is the target.
An N.S.C. meeting following an interview with D. Lambro. This has to do with Central Am. We have decided on a plan of covert actions, etc. to block the Cuban aid to Nicaragua & El Salvador. There is no question but that all of Central Am. is targeted for a Communist takeover.
[Tuesday, November 17: official visit by President Luis Herrera Campins of Venezuela.]
Wednesday, November 18
Today was the big day—the speech to the world at the Nat. press club. It really was to the world. I’m told it was the largest network ever put together—all of Europe, China & I don’t know how many other places. It has been wonderfully received worldwide except for Russia—Tass is screaming bloody murder. I asked Russia to join us in total elimination of all medium range nuclear weapons in Europe. Funny—I was talking peace but wearing a bullet proof vest. It seems Kadaffi put a contract on me & some person named Jack was going to try for me at the speech. Security was very tight.
[Farewell to President Luis Herrera Campins; received traditional gift of Thanksgiving turkey; two receptions.]
Thursday, November 19
An NSC meeting on what we can do to further help El Salvador by way of the C.I.A.
Reports still coming in on the Speech. It was telecast in 50 countries with an estimated audience of 150 to 200 mil.
[Met with Jewish groups to discuss sale of AWACs to Saudis; saw film From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China (1981) and thought it “wonderful.” Friday, November 20: appearance at Library of Congress in honor of James Madison; met with Haig to discuss Israeli defense minister Ariel Sharon; saw President Gaafar Nimeiri of Sudan; Midwestern governors regarding unemployment and Idaho congressmen about silver sales by Treasury; interviewed by People magazine; filmed campaign spot for General Paul Calvo of Guam.]
Saturday, November 21
Home at my desk most of the day cleaning up odds & ends. The House, Sen. Conf. committee is slugging it out on the “Continuing Resolution” which was to have started at midnight last night. Still no budget of course. Neither house gave us the $8 Bil in cuts we want but the Sen. bill was closest & would have given us about half that. The Dem’s are fighting for less. It seems at 5 PM they were about ½ bil $ apart on the Dem. side. That isn’t enough to justify a veto since I indicated I’d settle for the Sen. version. I’m still waiting to learn what happens.
Don Regan home from China—says in 4 days of meetings with all the top people, Taiwan wasn’t mentioned once.
Helmut Schmidt called to see if I had any ideas about what to say when he meets Brezhnev tomorrow night. I said to tell him I really mean it about the SS20’s.
A rub down & home for the evening.
Sunday, November 22
[Photo session.]
The Cong. is still meeting. Finally adopted a conference report I said I’d veto. I’ve suggested they pass a 15–20 day extension of the present “continuing res.” go home for Turkey day & then come back & take up where they left off. If they don’t & I have to veto—we won’t board A.F.1 for the ranch and the battle will go on.
[Unofficial visit by King and Queen of Sweden; reception in honor of PBS young artists series.]
Then the long evening wait for the vote in Cong. The house went against us by only 11 votes. I said “veto.”
Monday, November 23
At 8 A.M. I read the veto message to the press. The House was convening at 10, the Sen. at 12. Finally the House voted and we won with every Repub. & 43 Dems. The afternoon went on and finally came the Senate vote 88 to 1 in our favor. The 1 negative was Alan Cranston. Now I’m waiting to sign the extension and then it’s A.F.1 & Calif.
Arrived in dense fog—had to motorcade to ranch. Barney & Anne on hand.
Tuesday, November 24–Monday, November 30
[Horseback riding; interview with Barbara Walters.]
Thanksgiving turned out rainy but inside dinner went well with Bess & Moon, Maureen & Dennis, Patti & Peter Straus about whom she is very serious.
[Riding and chores; phone calls to key advisors.]
Security very tight even at the ranch. A “hit band” is supposed to have crossed into the U.S. by way of Canada with me, George B., Al Haig & Cap W. (any or all) as targets. (Our friend in Libya).
[Flight home with fund-raising stop in Cincinnati.]
Tuesday, December 1
[Met with Teamsters national board, received their support.]
Pres. Mobutu of Zaire came in. We’re trying to help him but his economy is in bad shape—partly due to corruption which he’s promised to clear up.
[Planned fund-raiser for 1982 campaigns.]
At noon addressed the Conf. on Aging. To my surprise they were most friendly giving me ovations about 6 times during the speech & at the finish. An N.S.C. meeting re Central Am. We’re proceeding with covert activity in Nicaragua to shut off supplies to the Guerillas in El Salvador.
[SCT; dinner at home.]
Wednesday, December 2
Finally the meeting with the whole AFL-CIO Board. Lane Kirkland led off with why they don’t like our ec. program. To hear him it is responsible for the recession. Never let it be said that 21½% interest rates last year, double digit inflation & factories closing down played any part in our troubles. It’s easier to blame a program which has barely started & already interest rates are down to 15¾—inflation almost cut in half & while there is great unemployment there are also 266,000 more people working than there were last Jan. 20th.
He wants us to take back the Patco strikers & embark on a plan of government spending that sounds like the “new deal” all over again—and it didn’t work. He chided me for not communicating with labor. I politely reminded him of the approaches we’d made—all of which he turned down and I said, “Lane—you slammed the door, not me.”
[Meetings with farm leaders and task force on private initiative.]
Nancy went t
o Arlington to Tex Thornton’s funeral. Security said no to me. It seems Kadaffi has enlarged his hit list to include even Sen. Baker—but I’m still target No. 1.
Thursday, December 3
A lengthy interview with several editors of “Reader’s Digest.” I think it went well—most of the Q’s were on foreign policy. A long day filled with meetings & appointments. A rumor started somewhere that I had a heart attack. It was just like the phony rumor during the campaign. We traced that one to a brokers office on Wall Street.
N.S.C. meeting—I approved starting a Civil Defense buildup. Right now in a nuclear war we’d lose 150 mil. people. The Soviets could hold their loss down to less than were killed in W.W. II.
Friday, December 4
An easy day. Meeting with leaders of Steel industry. Persuaded them to let us deal with Europe’s dumping of 3½ mil. tons of subsidized steel on our mkt. They wanted to go at them with law suits.
[Meeting on economic program and maintaining the country’s faith in it.]
A most enjoyable dinner (about 12) mainly old Hollywood friends on hand for the annual awards Sun. at Kennedy Center—the Stewarts, Grants, Fairbanks, etc. After dinner gave them a W.H. tour. They were enthused about all that Nancy & Ted have accomplished.
[Saturday, December 5: met with Bill Casey on Allen case; ran Reds (1981) for guests—which included the film’s director, Warren Beatty—and thought it “a most imaginative job.”]
Sunday, December 6
Sun. but hardly a day of rest. A pic. at 11 AM for Time magazine. 2 P.M. meeting with Al Haig. Then changed clothes for another pic. This one downstairs with the Christmas tree. Nancy & Ted have done a beautiful job of decorating the entire downstairs. Then change into Black Tie for reception for the annual winners of honors as entertainers; Helen Hayes, Cary Grant, Count Bassie, Jerome Robbins & Rudolph Sarkin (pianist). We shook 450 hands in a receiving line. But it was a beautiful & warm affair amid all the Xmas lights & decorations.
Then upstairs to snatch a quick dinner and off to Kennedy Center for the show (taped to go on CBS) honoring the 5. This too was a wonderful event.
Monday, December 7
[Meeting on government efficiency; received visits from astronauts, grassroots Republican workers, and celebrities Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Tommy Lasorda.]
An NSC meeting re Quadaffi. No conclusions reached except that we can’t do anything until we find an answer to the 1700 Americans still working in Libya.
[Inducted as an honorary colonel in the Army of Texas.]
Had a long talk with Bill Clark about some in house problems that must be solved.
Tuesday, December 8
A full day. First a meeting to hear the 1st 1983 budget review. We who were going to balance the budget face the biggest budget deficits ever. And yet percentage wise they’ll be smaller in relation to G.N.P. We have reduced Carter’s 17% spending increase to 9%. The recession has added to costs & reduced revenues however so even with that reduction in govts. size we face a large deficit.
Then an N.S.C. meeting—2 of them—to discuss Quadaffi and Global negotiations on helping the 3rd World. We are sending a secret or private warning from me to him that harm to any of our people by his terrorist goons will be considered an act of war. We’re looking at other actions that must however come only after we’ve tried to get our people out of Libya. We also debated the O.M.B. difference in budget for foreign assistance and State’s request $1.1 Bil. bigger. I think this time I came down on States side.
The press is beginning to charge that we are making up the Quadaffi threat because we won’t tell them the sources of our information. I’ve come to the conclusion they are totally irresponsible and won’t be satisfied (if then) until someone is gunned down by the “hit men.”
I’ve told our people not to tell the press we’re going to Camp David. As it is we’re changing our route for security reasons.
[Lee Annenberg resigned for personal reasons.]
Wednesday, December 9
Made decision to ask for waiver allowing striking air controllers to apply for govt. jobs (not including air control) without waiting 3 yrs. Also decided to OK sale of Caterpillar Pipe Layers to Soviet U. Told Cong. Repub. leaders of that decision this morning. Saw some Ambassadors off & met with March of Dimes Poster Child for those born with defects. Richard Wagner was a joy. He uses leg braces & crutches but plays basketball, soccer & swims—5½ yrs. old. Bright as a whip & happy.
Rcvd. Blackthorn walking sticks as gifts for Nancy & me along with Tip O’Neil. Lunch with him, Mike, Max, Ken. It’s Tips birthday & we had a good time telling stories—Irish stories.
[Desk work; heard Navy choir sing carols; dinner with Annenbergs.]
Thursday, December 10
Met with Council of Ec. advisors. While one or two spoke of possible tax increases after 1982 the others (majority) said no. Tax increases don’t eliminate deficits they increase govt. spending. The general consensus was that our plan is the proper medicine for the recession and we should stick to it. That’s what I intended to do all the time. In N.S.C. decided to go forward with a $100 mil. sale of corn to Poland (on credit).
[Met with David Rockefeller and committee to assist Jamaica; cabinet meeting on difficulty of further budget cutting.]
Today the House signed a continuing resolution I can sign.
Friday, December 11
Off to Camp David by a quite different Helicopter route. Our Libyan friends are thought to possess heat seeking missiles that can be hand launched.
[Considered various budget cuts; met with President Ford and discussed Qaddafi case.]
Saturday, December 12—Camp David
A long walk in the morning then an afternoon at the desk. Somehow it seems easier there. Word received that Poland has moved on Solidarity. Leaders have been arrested, union meetings & publications banned, martial law declared. Our intelligence is that it was engineered & ordered by the Soviet. If so, and I believe it is, the situation is really grave. One thing certain—they won’t get that $100 mil. worth of corn.
Sunday, December 13
Many calls all re Poland. Returned to W.H. at 1:30—a brief security council meeting on the latest info. A quiet evening with “60 Minutes.”
Monday, December 14
[Spoke to group of conservative state legislators.]
Met with Paul Volcker. I’m not sure he sees the need to let the increase in money supply go forward in the upper range of their moderate schedule. This recession is because they slammed the door in April & kept it closed until Sept.—almost Oct.
Our plan will get the Ec. moving again only if the Fed. allows—not an upward surge—but a moderate growth geared to Ec. growth.
Called the Pope re Poland. Expressed our concern & intention to keep close tabs on what is going on.
This is take my picture day—a half dozen including a portrait by Arnold Newman.
Then a meeting with Papal Sec. of State Cardinal—whoops! Wait a minute—that’s tomorrow. Todays meeting with 4 professors—the Pope’s Vatican study team on Nuclear War. Their findings—we must not have one.
Al Haig got back, met with him in the Study. He says Europe’s leaders are on Cloud 9 over my speech about zero missiles in Europe.
Cap came by—may have an answer re the Allen situation. Even if cleared, I don’t believe he can resume as W.H. advisor. Cap has 2 proposals—either one of which would be good for him if he’d take it.
The W.H. Christmas party is now over—that is the 1st shift. Tomorrow night we’ll have one for the other half. Everyone seemed very pleased with it.
Tuesday, December 15
Just up from the 2nd Christmas party. It was a success & every one seemed to have a warm, wonderful time. Nancy has her wish—it is snowing.
Today was a tough one—2 major decisions facing me and I don’t have the answers yet. One is a debate between OMB and EPA (Ann Gorsuch) on the ’83 figure for EPA. Even though I want to save money I lean toward Ann. She’s
a good manager & has done a great job of cutting back.
Second problem worse. I promised to do away with the Energy Dept. Jim Edwards (Sec.) has carried this out. The problem is do the functions which must continue go to Interior or Commerce. Both want it & I think they should have it but only 1 can get it.
Lunched with Cardinal Casaroli—Sec. of St. to the Vatican. Most of the talk was on Poland. This thing going on there was no sudden reaction as the Communist Govt. would have us believe. The operation is so smooth it must have taken weeks for planning. Solidarity was going to demand a vote by the people as to whether they wanted to continue under Communism. That the Commies can never permit.
Wednesday, December 16
[Visit from Charles Price, ambassador to Belgium.]
Made decisions on Energy–to Commerce. And came down in favor of Ann Gorsuch of the E.P.A. budget with a slight nod to O.M.B. She’s a good manager & if money can be saved, she’ll do it.
[Interview with PBS; receptions for Gannett employees, and for congressmen after vote on farm bill.]
Thursday, December 17
[Conflict between OMB and HUD over budget figures; press conference.]
Learned a Major Gen. of ours—Dozier by name, was kidnapped in Italy—probably by the Red Brigade. I fear for his life.
[Interview with Tom Brokaw of NBC; reception for Christmas tree lighting; dinner with Nofzigers and Laxalts.]
Friday, December 18
Had to be the heaviest schedule & most frustrating day yet. One long series of meetings on bud. on Nat. Security and half a dozen other things. Broke the routine in late afternoon to go over to the W.H. for W.H. staff party. It was nice. All these good people who take care of us & tend the place with their families.
Most important meeting with heads of Auto Co’s. That industry is facing total disaster. I’m recommending that we tell Japan we are going to impose same restrictions on their exports as they do on import of Am. cars in Japan. Auto makers need passage of Clean Air Act changes which can reduce price of Am. cars.
The Reagan Diaries Page 8