[Monday, March 19: spoke to representatives of small business; met with Cuban Americans and asked for support in launching Radio Marti; issues briefing at lunch; meeting with Joint Chiefs of Staff for the seventh time, positive report on military readiness; met with senators pressing them on school prayer amendment; dentist visit for cleaning and replacement of filling.]
Tuesday, March 20
[Breakfast with farm families.]
In the afternoon back over to the East Room for a signing ceremony of the Shipping Act of 1984. On to the E.O.B. for an NSC meeting on contingency planning for what we’ll do if Iran should seek to close the Persian Gulf causing a worldwide oil shortage. One thing we won’t do is go down the road of govt. allocations etc. We’ll trust to the mkt. for that. We’ll have to help our allies, we are less dependent on imported oil than they are.
Finished the day with an interview by reps. of 6 midwest papers. I don’t think they drew blood. During the day I called Congressman Ireland in a Fla. Hospital with pneumonia. He is the 4th Dem. Rep. to turn Republican since we’ve been here. We lost the school prayer amendment in the Senate. We had a majority but needed a ? majority. The sad thing is about 15 Sens. were convinced the amendment was a mandate that schools would have to have prayer. Lowell Weicker was the head ringmaster against us as he is on everything we want. He’s a pompous, no good, fathead.
Wednesday, March 21
Over to Capitol hill to talk to our Repub. Senators & Res. The subject was our $150 bil. down payment on the deficit. First I talked to the Senators in the original old Senate Chamber, then did a Q&A. It went pretty well & I answered Lowell Weicker’s Q without telling him what a schmuck he is. Later over to the House side—but not Q&A. All in all everything went well.
[Met with Shultz on (unidentified) potential progress in Angola and ongoing effort to resolve problems in Nambia and South Africa; new poll numbers seemed positive.]
(Then upstairs for some desk work.) We have house guests—Jimmy & Gloria Stewart, Bets Bloomingdale, Ted Graber, & Maureen. Got word that a carrier of ours in the Sea of Japan had a scraping collision with a Soviet sub. Then came a call that Gromyko has launched a charge that we’re responsible for a mine off Nicaragua that damaged a Soviet tanker & they claim injured some crewmen. I have approved refusing to accept their note. Our evening with old friends was great.
Thursday, March 22
A chill windy day but still an outdoor full dress ceremony for Pres. Mitterrand (France). Everything went well. We had an hours meeting in the Cabinet Room. I probed him about the Soviet U. His views were most informative & confirmed some thoughts I’ve been having. Geo. B. & I had our usual Thurs. lunch. Then I met with the speechwriters re a planned nat. address on foreign policy.
Sec. Bill Clark checked in with a report on progress we’re making in calming the normal hysteria of our more extreme environmentalists.
[Delegation of Costa Ricans bring petitions of good will signed by three hundred thousand of their countrymen; state dinner.]
Friday, March 23
[Breakfast with President François Mitterrand, discussed trade and agreed against “a return to protectionist policies”; Mitterrand left; addressed government managers; appearance with Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) fraternity alumni.]
George Shultz, Bud & I met for a strategy session on where we go with the Soviets. I think they are going to be cold & stiff-necked for awhile. But we must not become supplicants. We’ll try to get agreement on a few lesser matters.
[Videotapings, including a message for a tribute to Lucille Ball. Saturday, March 24: radiocast; helicoptered to Monticello, toured Jefferson’s home, “a place of surpassing beauty”; returned to Washington; addressed the Gridiron dinner. Sunday, March 25: quiet day; Maureen visiting; cleaned out part of desk (“I have many more that need it”).]
Monday, March 26
Why are Mondays all so busy. Called Paul Volcker whose Fed. board meets tomorrow to urge him not to go for any drastic action. Let this recovery continue. Frankly I don’t know what he will do. An NSC briefing & then a Cab. Council meeting on—whoops—that came along in the afternoon. It was on energy. We have an energy policy & it’s working. We need to get rid of excessive regulations to cut the building time on nuclear reactors now 12 to 14 yrs. down to 5 to 7 as it is in other countries.
Now back to the A.M. I met briefly with the Att. Gen’s. from our 50 states. We have a good working relation with them & they all sound supportive of what we’re doing with regard to crime.
At noon Nancy & I hosted the Medal of Freedom lunch. We gave 14 medals—some to old friends like Jimmy Cagney & Tennessee Ernie Ford. Also to Howard Baker & Mrs. Jackie Robinson for her deceased husband. She’s quite a lady. The news headline one though was the son of Whittaker Chambers accepting for his father.
[Appearance at meeting of Council of 100, black leadership group.]
The delegation that went to El Salvador as observers of the election—part Dem. part Repub. members of Congress plus some citizen reps—came to the Cab. Room to report. They were greatly impressed by what they’d seen. The TV news was a false picture in view of what they’d seen—people who would risk their lives to vote. Story after story confirmed that the people of El Salvador want Democracy & we should help them.
[Visit from leaders of National Cattlemen’s Association; greeted contributors to Senate campaign fund.]
Tuesday, March 27
Don Regan is back from China. Apparently the P.R.C. is moving more & more toward free enterprise. They are now opening up to outright capitalist investment by foreign businesses & industries. Farm communes are gone & individuals are allowed long term land leases & the right to sell produce in the market.
[Addressed Insurance Agents of America; visit by ten Hispanic American holders of the Congressional Medal of Honor, designing stamp; signed bill recognizing African American soldiers during Revolutionary War; NSC meeting on ways to counter Soviet propaganda implying “that they are the peace seekers when they are the ones who walked out of the arms talks,” believed U.S. campaign should begin with reply to Chernenko’s letter; interviewed by Family Weekly; off-the-record cocktail party for small number of journalists.]
Wednesday, March 28
[Met with Harry Shlaudeman, taking over for Richard Stone as Special Envoy to Central America.]
Had an interview (2 reporters) N.Y. Times. They’ve interviewed Mondale & Hart & Jackson—now it’s my turn. I enjoyed it. It gave me a chance to set the record straight on a few things.
[Interviewed by Phoenix television regarding Barry Goldwater.]
Geo. S. & Bud & I met—more talk about the Soviets & how we should handle the situation. Later our Ambas. Art Hartman came by. He’s truly a fine Ambas. It was good to have a chance to pick his brains. He says they aren’t going to let Chernenko become a top man & Gromyko is going to be sure everything goes thru him.
Went up to my study for rest of afternoon & some desk work.
Thursday, March 29
Met with Ambas. Pickering (El Salvador). He’s a fine rep. of the U.S. He confirmed all that our observers had said about the El Salvador election. He had some shrewd insights to offer on the entire situation.
N.S.C. meeting re a chemical warfare treaty. Problem is the near impossibility to verify whether treaty is being observed. I settled finally that we should table a treaty but with the proviso that verification must be negotiated first. If there is no agreement on that—then no treaty.
[Visit from Congressman Andy Ireland (D-FL), who was switching parties; interviewed on health by USA Today; meeting with presidents of Traditionally Black Colleges and Universities; visits by group from American Cancer Society; by Hungarian American group; executives of Smith & Wesson, with gift of a pistol; photo session, videotapings; off-the-record cocktail with newsmen; visit after dinner by the Reverend and Mrs. Billy Graham; report of good economic news. Friday, March 30: National Security Planning Group (NSPG) meeting on contingency plans in case of d
isruption of oil flow from Middle East; lunch with Commission on Women’s Business Ownership; visit from Mr. and Mrs. Mel Blanc; discussion of Soviet situation with Shultz and McFarlane (no details recorded in diary); greeted thirty labor union leaders pledging support; left for Camp David. Saturday, March 31–Sunday, April 1: quiet days; walks for fresh air; returned to Washington; annual meeting of Trilateral Commission. Monday, April 2: ceremony announcing Cherry Blossom Time; greeted Eisenhower Exchange Fellows; helicoptered to Baltimore for baseball season opener; returned to Washington; attended Paul Laxalt’s “Lamb Fry”: “The delicacy of the evening (an old Basque custom) lamb gonads. They made for lots of humor in the toasts but they’re not my favorite food.”]
Tuesday, April 3
Met with G.O.P. leadership—House & Sen. on 2 subjects; Our $150 bil. down payment on the deficit & why we had to stay united & our supplemental appropriations to help El Salvador. I hope we convinced them. There are military units facing the rebels with ammunition limited to the clip they have in their gun.
[NSC meeting with U.S. ambassador to Sweden; visited National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee; couple of hours in rehearsal for press conference; Mrs. Reagan at dinner receiving award for anti-drug campaign.]
This afternoon Bill Smith came in to tell me he’d stay on as Attorney Gen. until this whole mess with Ed M. is cleared up & we can go on. This solves a real problem for us.
Wednesday, April 4
N.S.C.—staff time & finally a Cab. Council meeting regarding the street people, particularly those who have been released from Mental Hospitals & have no homes. We are embarking on a program of partnership with various pvt. org’s. & groups. Had a brief meeting with Reps. of the Catholic Health Assn. Then lunch with Don Regan. He’s almost certain that the Fed. is on the right course & our recovery is going to continue. He says tax simplification is not going to be easy.
I made a couple of calls to the President of Columbia & Venezuela to thank them for the Argentine rescue mission. I’ll call the rest tomorrow. Geo. S. & I met to discuss our progress with the Soviets. We’re quietly making some headway.
[Rehearsal for the press conference; then staged press conference; considered it went well. Thursday, April 5: flew to New York City; spoke at Women in Business Conference; visited day care center financed by corporations; dinner with state organization of Catholic-school parents, escorted by Archbishop John J. O’Connor; returned to W.H. Friday, April 6: made “major foreign policy speech” at Center for Strategic and International Studies (no details recorded); met University of Southern California’s championship NCAA women’s basketball team; looked at plans for convention hall in Dallas; lunch with experts on China; attended meeting of National Conference of Lieutenant Governors; telephoned leaders of Latin American countries that cooperated with financial bailout of Argentina. Saturday, April 7: radiocast; greeted Georgetown championship NCAA men’s basketball team; desk work; evening watching television. Sunday, April 8: quiet day; reception for restored Ford’s Theatre.]
Monday, April 9
Like all Mondays—a busy day with my desk buried in paper. The usual staff & NSC meetings then a signing ceremony for the 27th Law Day U.S.A. proclamation. A goodly crowd on hand.
The Mayor of Berlin dropped by. He’s a personable young man & we had a nice visit. He presented me with a plate commemorating the 35th anniversary of the Berlin airlift.
[Issues lunch; ceremony for National Teacher of the Year; report by Brent Scowcroft on his trip to Russia, noted, “He believes the Soviet cold shoulder is due in part at least to their not wanting to help me get re-elected”; signed proclamation for Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Week; informal gathering with small number of W.H. reporters; attended dinner of the Chowder and Marching Club, Presidents Nixon and Ford also present.]
Tuesday, April 10
[Visit by President Jorge Blanco of the Dominican Republic, meetings on international affairs, including El Salvador, Nicaragua, and economic affairs; state dinner later in the day; signing ceremonies for Fair Housing Proclamation and Wheat Act, providing death benefits for government employees killed by terrorists; photo sessions.]
The whole day was however under a cloud. Barry G. started it off with a letter to Bill Casey which he made public. He’s raising h--l as chairman of the Intelligence comm. because of the harbor mining in Nicaragua—says he was never briefed. He was briefed on March 8 & 13. There is a rebellion which will probably lead to their shutting aid off to the Nicaraguan Contras—which will bring joy to the Soviets & Cubans.
Wednesday, April 11
Off to Kansas City to visit a Ford plant & speak to 2000 workers. I was warmly received in spite of the best efforts of the Auto workers union to see I wouldn’t be. They are doing a remarkable job of making a worker management team at that plant which probably drives the Union leaders up the wall.
[Flew to Dallas for an overnight. Thursday, April 12: visited construction site in Dallas; attended seminar with Builders Magazine; returned to Washington; reception for Republican fund-raisers; Maureen visiting; Patti announced engagement plans; Mrs. Reagan in Detroit.]
Friday, April 13
Bad luck day here but a big holiday—the beginning of New Year in Thailand. P.M. Pren pd. his 2nd visit to the U.S. We have a fine relationship with him & with his country. Our meetings were productive & we are able to offer some help—M48 tanks to begin with.
George S. & Bud & I met to discuss how we fund military needs of El Salvador with Congress going on recess & no action on appropriation we asked for. El Salvador is scraping the bottom of the barrel on ammunition & medical supplies.
[Ambassadorial formalities; received awards from Adenauer Foundation and the All-American Collegiate Golf Association; met new Hispanic appointees; photo with departing head of physical fitness program; spoke to large gathering of Baptist fundamentalists.]
Then we went on to White House Correspondents Dinner. I was picked on a little but think I might have tapped them with some Gridiron type one liners.
[Saturday, April 14: radiocast on Central America; lunch with China scholars and diplomats in preparation for upcoming trip. Sunday, April 15: quiet day; report of two observers killed in Namibia.]
Monday, April 16
A press ceremony in the Cab. room seeing George B. off for Geneva to present our treaty banning chemical weapons. An NSC working lunch with a movie prepared for our China trip showing all the places where we’ll be. It was well done & most informative.
Dave S. briefed us on the budget situation. It’s clear we’ll have to go to work to rebuild govt. structure along different lines if we’re still here next year in order to eliminate deficits.
[Met Chinese students from U.S. colleges; interviewed by Chinese journalists; videotapings.]
Tuesday, April 17
Nancy left for Phoenix. Discussion in NSC about doing a speech on Central Am. nationwide. Geo. S. & Bud leaned toward trying to do it—like tomorrow nite. We’ll do it when I return from China. Had lunch with about 100 leaders of Hispanic groups. They’re having a kind of conference & our people are briefing them. I spoke & was well received even though many of those organizations are Dem.
[NSC briefing on China, especially leaders and their dispositions.]
A Cab. Council meeting on Agri. About 2 to 4% of our farmers will probably go under this year. Much of that is due to poor business judgment, over-borrowing based on inflated land values. The inflation bubble has burst & that plus high interest rates is doing them in.
[Met with editors of farm papers; visit by president of Eureka College; gave medal to widow of soldier killed in the Sinai; signed proclamation for Military Spouses Day; photo sessions; visit by Art and Lois Linkletter.]
To the East Room for a reception—the Reagan-Bush finance committee. They were an enthusiastic group. In the receiving line I was surprised that at least 2?3 of them urged me to stand firm on Central Am.
Wednesday, April 18
A busy
time tying up loose ends for getaway day on the trip to China plus a complicated packing chore.
Said a farewell to Larry Eagleburger who is leaving State Dept. after 23 yrs. to go into private life. We’ll miss him—he’s a fine foreign service officer.
Kadafi must be insane—a demonstration by Libyan exiles in front of the Libyan Embassy in London was fired on by someone in the Embassy, 11 wounded & 1 Eng. Police Woman killed. The Eng. police have the embassy surrounded now but can’t storm it under international law. Kadaffi has surrounded the British Embassy in Libya with mil. forces & that is a state of siege. Our intelligence has learned that Kadafi ordered the embassy in London to attack the demonstrators & start a wave of fire throughout Eng. He charges Eng. is in cahoots with the demonstrators.
Had an interesting lunch with 2 Cardinals, several Arch Bishops, Bishops & Monsignor. It was a mix all the way from stalwarts like Cardinal Krol & Arch Bishop O’Connor to Bishops who are part of the peace movement. I think I got a few things off my chest—but politely. Back to packing.
Thursday, April 19
Marine 1 & A.F.1 now to Seattle, then to the ranch on the start to China. I’m writing this actually on Wed. nite.
* I’ve just been notified that our Congressional delegation in Central Am. survived the crash of an army (U.S.) helicopter near the Honduran, El Salvador border. The craft was downed by ground fire from the Salvador side—which would mean Guerillas. Sens. Lawton Chiles & Bennett Johnston, staff & wife of Ambas. Negropante all apparently alright & on their way to Palmerola Air Base in Honduras.
[Thursday, April 19: met with Weyerhaeuser executives in Tacoma, Washington; spoke with dockworkers; flew to ranch in California, met Mrs. Reagan there. Friday, April 20–Saturday, April 21: two days of riding and ranch work. April 22—Easter Sunday: flew to Honolulu; attended Easter Service at the Episcopalian Cathedral, commented, “The Bishop got in some digs in his sermon at our defense buildup. It turns out he’s a marcher in peace & anti-nuke parades.” Monday, April 23: went swimming.]
The Reagan Diaries Page 32