The Reagan Diaries

by Ronald Reagan

  Charley Wick brought in Rupert Murdock for a meeting. He is supportive of me which means some of the press is with us—his press.

  [Wednesday, January 19: farewell breakfast with Nakasones; desk work in morning; flew to Chicago; visited high school; political fund-raiser; visit with radio personality Paul Harvey; Republican dinner, noted demonstration outside. Thursday, January 20: noted second anniversary of inauguration; Mrs. Reagan in Arizona; NSC briefing; press conference; lunch with Vice President Bush; honored youth exchange program; annual Executive Forum; photo session.]

  Friday, January 21

  Sen. Bennett Johnson brought the Mardi Gras King and Queen in for pictures—the Queen is his 17 yr. old daughter Sally.

  Met with Nitze and Rowny who are headed Back to Geneva for the arms negotiations. The Soviets are pulling out all the propaganda stops trying to turn off the allies. I think we can top them.

  Went over to exec. office bldg. and did a TV show in which I faced a group of high school kids from all over the nation & fielded their questions. I really enjoyed it. Then we took a half hour or so and dropped in on some offices I’ve never visited before. That was fun too. Final meeting was with pro-life reps. for planning how we are going to get rid of this abortion monster.

  Waiting for Nancy to come home so we can go to Camp David. She’s here and we’re on our way.

  [Saturday, January 22: radio broadcast; photo session; worked on State of the Union Address; called Super Bowl football teams.]

  Sunday, January 23

  More speech work. Had to drive down because of fog & rain. “60 Minutes” surprised me by taking on the Nat. Council of Churches & the World Council for their quiet spending in support of leftist forces and governments in the world.

  Monday, January 24

  Nancy is off to N.Y. Comes back tomorrow with Ron & Doria. N.S.C. briefing—not good news from Lebanon. The Israelis are becoming more intransigent. Habib is on his way back here. Met with Ec. Policy Advisory Board—as usual there were differing ideas about our budget & tax policies but altogether were more supportive of what we are doing than an outside group—Pete Peterson, John Connally, McNamara and Bill Simon who were all over the airwaves with proposals which are impossible to realize. Mr. Simon did not attend the meeting—he’s a member—he’s also a loose cannon.

  [Visit from Muhammad Ali, “gave me an autographed Muslim Prayer Book”; new budget figures show sharp increase in projected deficits, blamed recession for declining revenues.]

  Tuesday, January 25

  Met with House & Sen. Repub. leadership re tonite’s St. of the U. and next Monday’s budget message. It was the best meeting we’ve ever had and all pledged loyalty. Then a meeting preliminary to the V.P.’s visit to Europe and Geo. S.’s visit to Asia. George is going to read a msg. from me publicly in Berlin re the I.N.F. talks in Geneva. We intend to steal back the high ground the Russians are trying to occupy. In China Sec. Shultz will resist any effort by P.R.C. to oust Taiwan from the Asian Bank. A lengthy meeting of NSC re the “Start” talks which are kind of stalled over the Phase I Phase II framework—Russians want to make them all Phase I. I think we’ve found a framework.

  [Lunch with television anchormen; Mrs. Reagan home with Ron and Doria; State of the Union Address; ABC poll showed 15 percent rise in approval afterward. Wednesday, January 26: met with West German foreign minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, who pledged support for administration strategy in INF talks; flew to Boston to visit schools and factories and an Irish pub; met with Republican leaders; returned to W.H.]

  Thursday, January 27

  President Mubarak of Egypt arrived. We had good meetings and reaffirmed our solid relationship. He’s very concerned about Israels stubbornness about getting out of Lebanon & fears our peace initiative may simply die on the vine because of them. I share his concern. He believes they & the Syrians may be playing a game with an eye to both, even though they are hostile toward each other, cutting up Lebanon between them.

  [Visit from Christian Democratic leader of Austria; Republican party reception; dinner in honor of National Gallery of Art benefactor Paul Mellon.]

  Friday, January 28

  Spoke to 700 people—the familys of those who are still listed as Missing in Action in Vietnam. An emotional experience. We are going all out to follow up persistent leads that some Americans are still P.O.W.’s in that d--n Communist sink hole. Later spoke to the Vietnam Vets who have formed a task force to help establish those vets who have been unable to get back on their feet. These fellows are all very successful & now want to help the others.

  [Farewell reception for Secretary of Transportation Drew Lewis. Ron and Doria arrived for weekend. Saturday, January 29: radio broadcast; taped segment for NBC program featuring questions from children; spoke at Alfalfa Club; Don Regan reported hearing from business leaders that the recovery had begun. Sunday, January 30: watched Gandhi (1982), called it “a truly great movie”; watched Super Bowl.]

  Monday, January 31

  Bi-partisan Cong. leaders came to oval office re the budget—which was just being sent to Cong. today. Tip and I get into a donnybrook—I really had my dander up. The worst of it was Tip didn’t have the facts of what is in the budget—besides he doesn’t listen. Then we moved to the St. Dining room where Committee Chmn. were assembled. I made opening remarks & turned meeting over to Don Regan, Dave Stockman & Marty F. Early afternoon picked up Nancy & we went to the Shoreham Hotel for convention of religious broadcasters. Nancy received an award for her humanitarian causes. I addressed the group (4000). I’ve never had such a reception. Billy Graham called this evening and said they are still talking about it—called it the greatest declaration for the Lord any Pres. has ever made. I feel very humble.

  At Six thirty took Marine 1 to Dulles & met homecoming Redskins—Nat. Champs.

  [Tuesday, February 1: flew to St. Louis to visit resurgent Chrysler plant with Lee Iacocca and governor; speech to four thousand small-business owners; returned to W.H.; met with Republican campaign leaders.]

  Wednesday, February 2

  [Met with Jewish leaders briefly; cabinet meeting on Federal Charity Campaign; report from the Department of Agriculture refuting charges of deterioration of nutrition standards.]

  Finally had a visit with 6 Afghan Freedom Fighters here in this country to tell of inhumanity of the Soviets. One’s wife had been executed while her 2 children watched. One was a young, pretty and tiny lady—held in custody for 4 months—tortured daily. She had been a medical student. Her crime? Caught looking at a “freedom” leaflet. The others were from a village where the Russians had burned 105 people alive with gasoline & chemicals in an irrigation tunnel. Jack Hume came by with a plan for getting our story to the people. Looks like a good idea.

  Tonite 6:30 P.M., another Stag dinner, Laxalt, Rostenkowski, Cheney, R. Long, Scoop Jackson & Pickle. Good time had by all & some brownie points chalked up.

  Thursday, February 3

  Left W.H. at 7:25 A.M. for Nat. Prayer Brkfst. As always, it was a warm, heartening experience. Campbell College N.C. choir sang. Gen. Vessey gave a firm talk. Back to oval office for an N.S.C. briefing on C.I.A. covert activities. We’ve made great progress in re-establishing the C.I.A.’s effectiveness under Bill Casey.

  [Chancellor Bruno Kreisky of Austria arrived, observed of him, “he is not a well man”; farewell party for Health and Human Services Secretary Richard Schweiker.]

  Friday, February 4

  Met with High School Honor students from all over the country who are winners in a competition sponsored by Hearst people. Did Q&A. I hated to leave. They had chosen unanimously 97 of them to have a girl present me with a group photo autographed by all of them. The girl was on crutches—has only one leg. Found out later it was a recent operation—bone cancer—she is probably terminal. She insisted on making the trip. Final 2 hour briefing—Phil Habib is on his way back to Israel. I asked him to let me know if a phone plea to Begin would help. If not we’ll just have to sep
arate ourselves from Israel.—Off to Camp David.

  [Saturday, February 5: desk work; radio broadcast; noted birthday; returned to W.H.; reception with birthday cake for Young College Republicans. Monday, February 7: breakfast with Republican freshmen congressmen; received delegation from Louisiana expressing gratitude for assistance after flooding the previous December; met with local TV anchors, and with Air and Space employees; swearing-in ceremony for Elizabeth Dole; ceremonial visits; Mrs. Reagan away in New York.]

  Tuesday, February 8

  An NSC meeting about Surinam. […]

  Dropped in on Edit. writers lunch & took some questions.

  Cabinet meeting on deregulating gas. Hodel is going to work with our leaders in Congress to come up with a package to deregulate & at same time protect consumers. Under the present (Dem.) control plan there are 28 dif. classifications of gas price & it has still gone up about 50%.

  Staff and D. Stockman came in about accelerating pub. works already in budget to head off a Dem. job’s program.

  Bill Clark is off to Geneva to huddle with our negotiators.

  [Wednesday, February 9: met with Commission on Strategic Forces, related directly to deployment of the MX missile, a group commonly known as the Scowcroft Commission after its chair, Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft; also met with journalists (“Did Q&A without leaving any time bombs around”); answered mail.]

  Thursday, February 10

  Should have saved the mail til today—had a lot of open space in the schedule. The Israeli Cabinet meeting again—don’t know what they’ll decide about Sharon & the investigation report calling for his ouster from govt. Cabinet meeting on Davis Bacon Act.* A court ruled we can’t change the regulations—do we try for legislation or appeal? I decided appeal—we couldn’t get a bill against the labor lobby through this Congress.

  [Met with CEOs regarding budget; photo sessions; met with Builders Association.]

  Friday, February 11

  Winter is back—virtually a blizzard. Camp David is out—we’re in for the weekend. Started snowing last night. By noon we’d sent almost everyone home before they got snowed in.

  [NSC planning group meeting, report from Shultz and Bush on their respective trips abroad.]

  An almost 2 hr. lunch with Joint Chiefs of staff. Most of time spent on MX & the commission, etc. Out of it came a super idea. So far the only policy worldwide on nuclear weapons is to have a deterrent. What if we tell the world we want to protect our people, not avenge them; that we’re going to embark on a program of research to come up with a defensive weapon that could make nuclear weapons obsolete? I would call upon the scientific community to volunteer in bringing such a thing about.

  [Saturday, February 12: some staffers snowed-in at the W.H.; Vice President Bush and Deputy National Security Advisor Bud McFarlane brought report that Qaddafi was allegedly planning attack against Sudan; dinner with Secretary and Mrs. Shultz. Sunday, February 13: caught up on reading.]

  Monday, February 14

  Valentine’s Day. Had a brief on the West Bank. There can be no question but that Israel has a well thought out plan to take over the W.B.

  [Met congressmen Jack Kemp (R-NY) and Jerry Lewis (R-CA) regarding their concern over multinational bank funds, defended their usefulness; teleconference with Chamber of Commerce event. Did a closed-circuit telecast to a meeting of the Young Presidents Organization in California; “On way back stopped and bought some valentines”; interview with journalist Allan Ryskind of Human Events, “maybe this will help them know I’m not betraying the Conservative Cause.”]

  N.S.C. meeting about Khadafy and a report that he’s going to send bombers to help a coup in Sudan. Some question as to whether the report is valid. We are providing AWAC’s to aid Egypt fighters (planes) who will intercept Lybian planes.

  [Dinner in honor of five presidential historians.]

  Tuesday, February 15

  [Meeting with Republican congressional leadership, reports of Shultz and Bush trips, discussion of economy; intelligence briefing on Palestinian situation, heard of Palestinians scattered all over the Middle East, regarding Israel and the West Bank as their homeland.]

  Did a Q&A in the family theatre preparing for the press conf. tomorrow night. Home to wood shed for that exam.

  Almost forgot—Geo. Shultz sneaked Ambassador Dobrynin (Soviet) into the W.H. We talked for 2 hours. Sometimes we got pretty nose to nose. I told him I wanted George to be a channel for direct contact with Andropov—no bureaucracy involved. George tells me that after they left the Ambassador said “this could be an historic moment.”

  Wednesday, February 16

  Most important event—the Press conf. By the time I got to it I was mad as h--l. I’d watched the news and seen the witch hunt that is on for Ann Gorsuch at E.P.A. The media is a lynch mob that thinks it smells blood. Then I saw 2 Repub. Sens. Mathias & Pressler join the Dems. on the Foreign relations committee to oppose Adelman (a d--n good man) for appointment to the Arms Control Commission. Maybe being mad helped—it was a good conference & some said the best.

  They were snooping over another leak—this time the leaker could be risking lives. Khadafy, we’ve been tipped, is planning an air attack on the Sudan as part of a coup to overthrow Pres. Neimieri. We’ve flown AWAC’s into Egypt ostensibly to engage in a training mission. They are there to help direct Egyptian fighter planes if he tries it. The date is supposed to be the 18th.

  Thursday, February 17

  The leaks re Lybia are all over the place. We’re stonewalling.

  Met with Ann G. She’s really uptight. I’m reassured there has been no hanky panky because she wants us to give up on exec. privilege & turn the documents in question over to Congress. We are trying to work out a deal whereby members of the Committee can see them but we preserve the principle of E.P. so we don’t set up a pattern where they’ll think all they have to do is raise h--l & presidents will cave in.

  Jeanne Kirkpatrick reported on her trip to Central America. A grim story. Our Ambas. Hinton under the direction of the same kind of St. Dept. bureaucrats who made Castro possible are screwing up the situation in El Salvador. I’m now really mad. Bill C. is bringing George S. up to date & then I’m determined heads will roll, beginning with Ambas. Hinton.

  Friday, February 18

  We haven’t settled with Cong. yet on E.P.A. Poor Anne G. is really strung out. Now some zany on the hill is saying $50 mil. in the superfund is “unaccounted for.”

  P.M. Willoch of Norway arrived. He’s a fine man and a good friend of the U.S.A. We had a good meeting on a number of subjects. He’s worried that we should move to a lesser position in the I.N.F. talks before we begin to look inflexible. He has a “peace” mob in his country too. All in all though we were together on most things.

  The N.S.P.G. meeting was something. It was on El Salvador & Central Am. We have been so restricted by Cong. in our help to the El S. govt. that they are losing to the Rebels. I finally told the Council to come up with how we could be of more help, not whether we should. We (I learned) are tracking by radar the planes flying ammo & guns to the guerrillas but we’re forbidden to tell our friends so they can intercept them. That has to stop.

  [Mrs. Reagan left for Phoenix for a week’s visit with her mother; attended American Conservative Union dinner, commented that “evidently the Right Wing Rebels have had little effect. I was warmly received.” Saturday, February 19: felt lonely without Mrs. Reagan; made radiocast; edited speech; “stag dinner” with senators Jim McClure (R-ID), Al Simpson (R-WY), and Howell Heflin (D-AL) and representatives Henry Hyde (R-IL), John Breaux (D-LA), and Jim Martin (R-NC). Sunday, February 20: cleaned desk, read; noted lack of call from Mrs. Reagan, who was helping her mother move; wondered if phones were working.]

  Monday, February 21

  Holiday. Maureen & Dennis arrived early morning—took the red eye plane. They are now sacked out. I’m getting a real hang up on the press. Front page of Wash. Times (which is becoming as R. Wing as the
Post is L. Wing) had a story that the Conservative Union was cool to me Fri. night. I was interrupted a dozen times with applause and got a lengthy standing ovation.

  [Reception sponsored by the National Review; appearance at Society of Cincinnati gathering. Tuesday, February 22: met with Prime Minister Edward Seaga of Jamaica, who was working to unravel “left wing pro Cuban policies”; addressed American Legion convention; cabinet meeting on division of responsibilities on trade; dinner with members and contributors of conservative groups; dinner with Maureen and Dennis.]

  Wednesday, February 23

  [Breakfast with press.]

  Met with Ambassador Ahrens—he’s leaving to become Israel’s minister of defense. I hope I made him aware of how serious we are about Israel getting out of Lebanon.

  Soares of Portugal (probably be P.M. after election) came by. He’s a socialist but entirely anti-Communist & pro-America.

  Lunch for a dozen recipients receiving Pres. Medal of Freedom. About 350 people in all. After lunch, Dan R. caught me for an electrocardiogram & tests before and after the treadmill. Home for the afternoon. Called a Mrs. Nelson, Canton Ga.—her son, a Green Beret trainee on a training mission in Panama was killed. He was 25 and told her he was in the service because he wanted to serve me. I had a newspaper clipping with his picture before me. He was strikingly handsome. How I wish there were words that could bring comfort to his mother. When she told me what he had said about me I felt very humble. And oh how I pray I can even be a little deserving of that.

  [Thursday, February 24: closed-circuit telecast for international business leaders; met with local officials to explain block grants; Cabinet Council on deregulation of natural gas, “I’ve decided to go for it”; National Security Planning Group (NSPG) meeting on El Salvador, decided to increase aid; spoke to American Legion Auxiliary about parental notification of birth-control requests by teenage girls; Mrs. Reagan in L.A.]