Sunday, December 29–Friday, January 3, 1986
Won’t try to break this down by days—it was just the usual wonderful time at the Annenberg’s for our New Years. We arrived in the afternoon—no other guests on hand as yet. Monday some were on hand and we got in 9 holes of golf. As usual I had some enjoyable shots but many more of the other kind. After all it was my 1st round since last year. That night was the Wilson, Jorgensen party at El Dorado Country Club. A good time—mainly with the old friends we’ll be with the rest of the trip.
Ended 1985 with 18 holes of golf—shot the 1st 9 in 45. Then the New Years party and as always it was great. New Years Day—we watched the Rose Bowl—U.C.L.A. vs. Iowa. And a smaller dinner & songfest with mainly the other House guests. Of course hanging over all of this was a cloud we tried to ignore temporarily—the matter of Khadafy & his connection with the massacres at Rome & Vienna airports. We all feel we must do something yet there are problems including thousands of Americans living & working in the mad clown’s country.
Thursday Jan. 2nd we left the Springs & returned to L.A. There my new hearing aids were delivered & they work. I’m the experimental animal—these are the only 2 in operation.
CHAPTER 6
1986
Friday, January 3
Nancy off to Phoenix & I departed for our meeting with Pres. De la Madrid of Mexico at Mexicali. It was a nice ceremony & fruitful meetings. Then after lunch on to Wash. In the meetings I tried to sell him the idea of opening his country up to outside investors. My pitch was that Baja could be one of the worlds great resort areas. He’s handicapped by Spanish tradition. Constitutionally an outside resort operator would not be allowed to own the beachfront land for a hotel etc. Arrived home around 10 P.M.—Nancy had gotten here around 7.
[Saturday, January 4: radiocast; desk work; briefing for Tuesday press conference. Sunday, January 5: quiet day; watched football; read. Monday, January 6: staff meeting including Regan and Vice President Bush; NSC briefing; visit from president of Mormon Church; desk work; National Security Planning Group (NSPG) meeting on Qaddafi and how to handle him and terrorism, commented, “I think we’re all agreed we must do something in view of the massacres in the airports at Rome & Vienna”; issues lunch without major business due to congressional recess; haircut; desk work.]
Tuesday, January 7
(It seems that this was a day spent on 2 issues)—one was Quadafi (Libya) (and the other our 5 hostages in Lebanon.)
First on Libya’s top clown, after quite a session I finally came down on the side of an exec. order bringing Ams. & Am. business home from Libya & canceling relations—trade, etc. with them. At the same time we beef up the 6th fleet in the Med. Sea. If Mr. Q. decides not to push another terrorist act—O.K. we’ve been successful with our implied threat. If on the other hand he takes this for weakness & does loose another one, we will have targets in mind & instantly respond with a h--l of a punch. At tonite’s press conf. I announce the ex. order.
The other issue is a highly secret convoluted process that sees Israel freeing some 20 Hizballahs who aren’t really guilty of any blood letting. At the same time they sell Iran some “Tow” anti-tank weapons. We in turn sell Israel replacements & the Hisballah free our 5 hostages. Iran also pledges there will be no more kidnappings. We sit quietly by & never reveal how we got them back.
[Prepared for press conference and then presided over it in the evening.]
Wednesday, January 8
Called Dick Nixon to wish him happy birthday tomorrow. He endorses what we’re doing with Quadhafi—called it ominous silence. We found out he is making noises like taking Libyan funds out of American banks ($240 mi.) so we’ve frozen those assets. He’ll probably do the same with ours but we were afraid he was going to do that anyway.
[Received report on acid rain from Drew Lewis and Canadian Bill Davis; interviewed by independent television bureau chiefs, commented, “They asked good sound questions not zingers trying to catch me—as the W.H. press corps does.”]
Geo. S. came by for a kind of year end round up re the Philippines, Middle East, Nicaragua & Soviet U. He’s seeing Dobrynin this P.M. & wants to settle the next summit date as late June—our suggestion. They’ve been talking Sept. Then a busy taping session which included a tribute to Irving Berlin—now in his 90’s. Then upstairs for rest of day & some desk work.
Thursday, January 9
[Staff and NSC meetings; learned unemployment decreased; received report from Canada-U.S. Permanent Joint Board on Defence on minor dispute over sovereignty of Northwest Passage; met with Asian American voters, concluded that more appointments must be found for Asian Americans.]
Met with 2 Congressmen, Bill Hendon & Bob Smith. Bill is way out yonder on the issue of M.I.A.’s. He claims Mil. Intelligence has all sorts of proof that Vietnam is holding live prisoners but the bureaucracy is covering it up from even the Sec. of Defense etc. After they’d gone I turned George Bush loose on it—to check out some of his stories—one of which involved me in a meeting—which never took place. Geo. reported back after lunch. I’m afraid Bill is off his rocker—even Bob (who said nothing in our meeting) told Geo. he can’t go along with Bill on his rantings.
[Bought cookies from champion sales agent of Girl Scouts; greeted new members of W.H. press corps; farewell meeting with retiring political editor of Time.]
Friday, January 10
Saw Foreign Minister Abe to Japan. Last time he was in the Oval O. I had told him Congress was ready to go for protectionist legislation I might not be able to stop mainly because of their auto sales. He returned to Japan & a short time later Japan announced its voluntary limit on export to U.S. of their autos. Things are better now but let him know there was still a protectionist sentiment in Congress. NSC meeting about whether to take on Congress for mil. aid to the Contras in Nicaragua. Everyone had his say & I then announced they wouldn’t have to wait for my decision. The answer is “yes” we must come to their aid. This does not mean however use of Am. troops.
[Interviewed by five European journalists; meeting with Shultz, called it “our usual Friday round up”; went to Camp David. Saturday, January 11–Sunday, January 12: quiet weekend; returned to W.H.; Monday, January 13: received report of U.S. freighter stopped and soon freed by the Iranians in the Persian Gulf; greeted Glamour magazine’s honorees; lunch with Citizens for America; meeting with Council for a Black Economic Agenda; desk work.]
Tuesday, January 14
A St. visitor—Pres. Febres Cordero of Ecuador. Of all the Lain Am. leaders he is the closest to us in philosophy & politically. He’s a self made businessman who filled his cabinet with people like himself. Our outdoor ceremony was in the cold—28 degrees plus a wind & falling snow. It was really cold—7 spectators including one Marine passed out from the cold.
Our meeting went well.
[Presentation of a painting by representatives of National Geographic; report on organized crime by Judge Irving R. Kaufman, commented, “It is shocking the extent to which organized crime has moved in & taken control of a number of unions”; took several tests at doctor’s office; state dinner, entertainment by Jessye Norman.]
Wednesday, January 15
As usual after a St. Dinner it was a short night & an early morning. I could have slept longer. Had a meeting with Deputy Sec. of St. John Whitehead who is off on a 10 day, 9 nation trip to persuade our allies they should join us in clamping down on Kadhafi. The press has a story today about the variety of spellings they are using of his name. I notice I use the last one I’ve read so this book has it a dozen ways.
[Spoke at Washington’s Martin Luther King Jr. High School.]
In the afternoon an interview with Trudy Feldman for the Jewish Press. I’m not sure I pleased her—she seemed to want me to ramble on about what my coming birthday meant to me. I was expecting more direct & specific questions.
A bill signing ceremony for a bill to have states provide sites for disposing of radioactive waste. Then a long meetin
g with Geo. Shultz & John Poindexter on our Khadafi problem, also our response to a letter from Gorbachev who surprisingly is calling for an arms reduction plan which will rid the world of nuclear weapons by yr. 2000. Of course he has a couple of zingers in these which we’ll have to work around. But at the very least it is a h--l of a propaganda move. We’d be hard put to explain how we could turn it down. Then we moved on to the Middle East. We’re sending Crocker over & we have to get the peace talks between Jordans King Hussein & Israel’s P.M. off dead center & moving again.
A lengthy taping session, a rub down & days end.
Thursday, January 16
Staff meetings & then a meeting with our team just back from meeting with the N. Vietnamese Govt. in Hanoi on the matter of our still missing P.O.W.’s. Progress was made but no admissions about possible live P.O.W.’s being held. There is agreement on joint excavations of crash site, etc. The lady who heads the M.I.A.-P.O.W. family organization gave further evidence that Cong. man Bill Hendon is absolutely wrong in his wild charges that our govt. has info about the P.O.W.’s & is covering it up.
[Meeting with Child Safety Partnership; lunch with Vice President Bush; awarded medals to young people for bravery and service; cabinet meeting on the 1987 budget, noted, “urged all cabinet sec’s. to take to the speaking circuit to inform the people about our need to cut spending”; met with Chief Justice Warren Burger on the need for further funding of the celebration of the Constitution in 1987; approved list of appointees; presented medal to civil rights activist Roy Wilkins’s widow; gave award to the Air Force Academy football team.]
Photos with 2 of our Ambassadors & familys.
Then an hours meeting with Coretta King (widow). I believe I managed to erase any lingering ideas that I am a bigot.
Friday, January 17
[Met with Ciriaco De Mita, leader of Italy’s Christian Democratic Party; brief talk before to American Legislative Exchange Council, conservative state legislators group.]
Only thing waiting was N.S.C. wanting decisions on our effort to get our 5 hostages out of Lebanon. Involves selling TOW anti-tank missiles to Iran. I gave a go ahead. Then office time & the swallowing of 8 or 9 glasses of Golightly & frequent walks to the little room in the hall. All part of preparation for physical at Bethesda Naval Hospital. It went well—X-rays of lung then the colonoscopy—found 3 tiny polyps, size of a half a grain of rice—all benign. Then for 2 hours I drank a quart or more of barium & waited 2 hours for it to coat my innards for the cat scan. It took 100 photos of slices of my innards about 1 milimeter [millimeter] apart—another hour & a half. My day was made when the Dr. (a woman) on the catscan said my innards looked like those of a man 20 yrs. younger than me. & so off to Camp David.
[Saturday, January 18: took two hikes. Sunday, January 19: noted foggy weather; sat by fire; watched The Color Purple (1985), called it “a magnificent job of picture making.” Monday, January 20: left early due to weather; rough trip back to Washington in helicopter; haircut; dinner with Maureen.]
Tuesday, January 21
It seems like Monday but then yesterday seemed like Sunday. Geo. Bush reported on his day in Atlanta—the various programs celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. Bishop TUTU of S. Africa took advantage of the day to kick me & our admin. around.
Then at 9:30 A.M. met with Repub. leadership of House & Senate. We briefed them on ’87 budget also on ideas for covert help to […] the Contras in Nicaragua. Then we discussed tax-reform & I made it clear I wanted it.
Later I met with Bill Casey who is leaving for Saudi Arabia. I gave him word I’ve received that there may be some hostile actions on our Southern border & that some of the illegal Mexican entrants are actually from the Middle East.
Dick Wirthlin came by with some amazing poll results. My general approval rating is at 74%.
[Received United Way report; desk work; annual Republican Eagles gathering.]
Wednesday, January 22
Brkfst. in the State dining room for almost all the Repub. Senators. It went very well & I think we’re off to a good start. Then a meeting with Japanese Finance Minister Takeshita (emphasize the 2nd syllable).
[Telephoned Right to Life group congregated on the Ellipse; lunched with group from Public Sector Initiatives.]
Geo. Shultz came by to talk about a possible meeting with Pres. Botha of S. Africa. Having him here will present some touchy problems. We’ll talk about this some more.
[Met with leaders of Right to Life movement, pledged support for them; Baker and Regan came by to discuss tax reform.]
I think the ghost of Abe Lincoln is stirring around upstairs where we live. Rex sets up a holler & goes barking down the great hall for all the world as if he’s barking at someone. Finally I accompanied him all the way to Lincoln’s bedroom. There he balked at going into the room.
[Thursday, January 23: breakfast with Republican senators, heated discussion with those in favor of tax increase; staff meeting; briefed one hundred business leaders on effort to induce Congress to approve sale of Conrail; meeting with Economic Policy Advisory Board, with no consensus resulting; cabinet meeting to brief them on State of the Union Address; meeting with twenty-five CEO’s on tax reform; greeted youthful winners of Vocational Olympics; also Unser family of car racers; address RNC; worked out in gym; dinner at the apartment of writer Arnaud de Borchgrave, noted, “At about 7 P.M. our time our 6th fleet began maneuvers right of Kadaffi’s [Qaddafi’s] beach.”]
Friday, January 24
Another brkfst. drop by—this time the Sens. who were elected with me in 1980—a good give & take. Over to the Oval O. for staff & NSC meetings & then 5 Afghan children were brought in. They were mere babys—but all victims of Soviet bombings. One little girl with her face virtually destroyed. Three with one arm each & one with only one leg. I’d like to send the photos to Gen. Sec. Gorbachev.
[Met with Senator Packwood, on plan to work out tax reform plan; dropped by a meeting of Republican mayors; then briefed gathering of supporters on budget; meeting with Shultz; briefed group of CEO’s on budget.]
Saturday, January 25
The radio cast then upstairs for an afternoon at my desk—catching up. Put in a phone call to Margaret Thatcher. She’s being rousted around by the Parliament & her integrity challenged—the 1st time ever that has happened. I told her I just thought she needed to hear a friendly voice. She was most appreciative. We had a few pleasant words & I really think I left her feeling better.
[Attended Alfalfa Club dinner.]
Sunday, January 26
A lot of homework & then an NBC interview as part of the pre-Super Bowl program. Then the game & the Bears did it 46 to 10. Two phone calls—an easy one to the Bears locker room—a tough one to the losers. I must say, however, Mr. Sullivan, owner of the Patriots & the Coach Berry were splendid in defeat & ended up thanking me for what I was doing.
Monday, January 27
At NSC briefing—with snow falling outdoors, Sen. Ted Kennedy came by—he’s off to Moscow Wed. & wanted to check in to make sure he wouldn’t say anything there that would be at cross purposes with us.
[Briefing for 180 citizens on budget; issues briefing lunch on budget and tax reform; meeting with twenty business executives positioned to help lobby Congress; finished work early, commented, “I think they are taking it easy on me because of the “State of the Union” tomorrow nite.”]
Tuesday, January 28
A day we’ll remember for the rest of our lives. Started off with a staff meeting & then a session with the Cong. leadership of both parties. Had a go around with Tip—think I came out pretty good. Then Sen. Murkowski brought in a family of 4 just recently united here in Am. An American husband, his Vietnamese wife & their 2 children who had been held in Vietnam.
Then I was getting a briefing for a meeting I was to have with network anchors—an advance on the St. of the Union address scheduled for tonight. In came Poindexter & the V.P. with the news the shuttle Challenger had blown up on tak
eoff. We all then headed for a TV & saw the explosion re-played. From then on there was only subject—the death of the 6 crew & 1 passenger—Mrs. McAuliffe, the teacher who had won the right to make the flight. There is no way to describe our shock & horror. We cancelled—I should say postponed the St. of the Union address til next week. Cong. closed down for the day. Nancy’s brother Dick, Patty & son Geoff were already on their way here for the speech—also Maureen was here. Well they’ll all be back next week.
Wednesday, January 29
Shades of Déjà vu—a meeting with the Sherpas who are preparing for the Tokyo summit. They wanted to be sure I’d approve “terrorism” as a subject. My answer? H--l yes. Fred Fielding came by to tell me he wanted to return to civilian life. As always I said yes & thanked him for all he’s done. Actually he stayed longer than he’d planned to. Now he has to make some money. A memorial service has been set up for Friday in Houston for the 7 heroes who lost their lives yesterday. Incidentally, phone calls & wires poured in with nice words about my 5 min. speech yesterday on TV. Now this afternoon I had a tougher job—phone calls to the families of the 7. All of them asked that we continue the space program—that’s what their loved ones would have wanted.
[Thursday, January 30: dropped by breakfast for Republican congressmen, discussion of budget; short meeting with Angolan anti-Soviet rebel Jonas Savimbi; lunch with Vice President Bush; met with supporters who paid for television campaign in support of administration; brief meeting with Bob Tuttle; videotapings; appearance at Conservative Political Action dinner.]
Friday, January 31
At 8:45 on way to Andrews. A.F.1 taking us to Houston for memorial service to Astronauts. Met with families at NASA Center—an emotional time. Then out to join some 14,000 people which included all the employees, family etc. of the entire space center. Nancy & I sat between Mrs. Scobee—wife of leader of the Challenger crew & Mrs. Smith, widow of one of the crew. It was a hard time for all the families & all we could do was hug them & try to hold back our tears. When it was over we flew to Andrews & then helicoptered to Camp D. It was really winter there—in the 20’s & covered with snow.
The Reagan Diaries Page 53