[Working lunch with Prime Minister Brian Mulroney; addressed Parliament; returned to W.H.; Maureen and Dennis visiting.]
Tuesday, April 7
Staff Time—decided on a statement to press on Soviet Embassy spy situation. Then about 1:30 P.M. I went into Press Room with it.
Before that however there was our NSC briefing—subject there was also our Marines & their part in the situation. An NSPG meeting to discuss George S’s coming trip to Moscow & offer suggestions to him re subject matter.
[Attended W.H. lunch for corporate sponsors of commemoration of the bicentennial of the Constitution; cabinet meeting with projection for future efforts; visit from second-cousin; received new poll numbers; haircut.]
Wednesday, April 8
[Staff meeting with discussion of appointment in bank program; NSC briefing on topics including security at Moscow Embassy; meeting with U.S.-Canada free-trade group.]
Then I went over to the Pentagon for my quarterly meeting with the Joint Chiefs. It was a fascinating report they had for me. Some of it reorganization plans but the real kicker a report on new weaponry. We can’t match the Soviets tank for tank so we use our technology & came up with a weapon that nullifies their superior numbers. There was much top secret & brand new in aircraft.
Back to the W.H. & after lunch a meeting with Ed Meese on replacement of Bill Webster as Dir. of FBI. A possible candidate is Byron White—presently on Supreme Court. This too will be checked out while we’re in Calif. Then a meeting again with business people volunteers. This time the Advisory Committee on Trade Negotiations. Again it was to report on our Canada trip.
[Ceremony for stamp honoring Dr. Harvey Cushing, the mentor of Dr. Loyal Davis, Mrs. Reagan’s father; Mrs. Reagan’s brother present. Thursday, April 9: flew to Lafayette, Indiana, for appearance at Purdue University; flew on to L.A. Friday, April 10: spoke at L.A. World Affairs Council; Mrs. Reagan arrived in evening. Saturday, April 11: radiocast; lunch with Reagan Presidential Library Foundation; went to ranch.]
Sunday, April 12
We rode in the morning—then Mike & Colleen brought Cameron & Ashley up for Ashley’s birthday. It was a new Mike. He’s writing a book & it had led to a soul searching about himself which resulted in a confession of how he had done things to all of us & that he now saw himself as he had been & what he wanted to be.
[Monday, April 13–Wednesday, April 15: rode every morning; cut branches; homework; received call from Shultz in Moscow. Thursday, April 16: rode; Ron and Doria arrived; chainsaw work; Shultz arrived to discuss Moscow trip, commented, “There is reason to believe we may be on the path to some arms reduction.” Friday, April 17: rode and cut branches. Saturday, April 18: rode without Mrs. Reagan; visited children from local Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times; tree pruning.]
Sunday, April 19—Easter
We went to church—1st Presbyterian in Santa Barbara. The Minister only learned 15 min. before arrival that we were coming. It was good to be in church again—we’ve missed going. In the afternoon our last day with the chainsaws.
[Monday, April 20: left for Washington.]
Tuesday, April 21
Back to routine—9 A.M. meeting with Howard, V.P. & Ken D.—talked about putting together an agenda & campaign for the next 21 months. Then an hour with Repub. Cong. Leadership. We talked budget & then Geo. S. gave a report on the Moscow trip.
At NSC the subject was Soviet missiles & General Rogers who is retiring as Chief of NATO forces. He has a nuc. missile theory a little different than mine.
Then Japanese Minister Abe came by. We had a good & friendly meeting but settled nothing about trade problem.
[Presented award to National Teacher of the Year; brief cabinet meeting.]
Ed Meese came by about new Dir. of FBI—He’s going to try for former Gov. of Pa. Dick Thornburg—I hope we can get him.
[Videotapings; meeting with Representative Jim Wright (D-TX) to discuss his trip to Moscow. Wednesday, April 22: usual morning meetings; lunch with Citizens for America; meeting with Shultz, mostly on Middle East; haircut; bipartisan congressional leadership meeting on arms control; attended W.H. correspondents dinner; noted call from son Michael “to thank us again for our session with him at the ranch.”]
Thursday, April 23
Staff time taken up with discussion of Cong. inroads on Presidential Power and choice I must make between Sen. Montgomery’s nominee for Chmn. of Fed. Home Loan Bank Bd.—Philip Winn (He made a good pitch) and Sen. Jake Garn’s candidate Don Wall. Jake due in at 3:45 to present his case.
In meantime had a nice lunch with V.P.
In morning NSC meeting subject was the PLO meeting in Algiers & the manner in which Arafat continues to dominate. Jake Garn made a good case & now it’s up to me. The choice isn’t easy. They are both good men.
Personnel time, a meeting with Culvahouse who has been through diary looking for items on Iran situation.
Then Admin. time—photo with former Sen. John Sherman Cooper & with the Easter Seal Poster Child & his family. She is 11 yr. old. Susie Wilcox—West Simsbury, Connecticut. Adult representative is 57 yr. old Dr. Andrew Vangelatos of Eureka, Calif. Pat Boone & Shirley also—he is Chmn. of Nat. Campaign. Susie is confined to a wheelchair.
Then up to a lonely W.H. Nancy is in N.Y.—home tomorrow.
Friday, April 24
Nancy due home today. In for the 9 A.M. day starter—the usual routine—nothing very exciting. Then NSC at 9:30 Frank reported on situation in Congress where they are hanging amendments on bills having to do with the SALT II & ABM Treaties. Not only do those impinge on my prerogatives they are most helpful to the Soviets in our ongoing negotiations. I’m ready with a veto—in fact I can’t wait.
[Signing ceremony for Crime Victims Week.]
After a lunch a preliminary meeting with our team preparing for the Ec Summit in Venice. Then a meeting with Geo. S. This was on Middle East—King Hussein, P.M. Shamir & F.M. Perez. He also gave me a report on efforts to trim down Embassy personnel. Problem is these are people serving agencies other than State Dept.—such as Coast Guard Loran Team. State doesn’t have a say so over them & they resent efforts to reduce their numbers. We discussed the situation of Ambassador Barnes. Back in Carter Adm. his wife became entangled with a Romanian driver who supposedly was romancing her out of State secrets. The whole case was investigated, the records sealed, & the Barnes’s reconciled. Now a defector from Romania has written a book & is telling this story. Mike Wallace apparently is going on 60 Min’s this Sunday with it. It’s tragic & could destroy 2 peoples lives.
[Asked Representative Dan Rostenkowski (D-IL) about making appearance in Poland; dinner party for presidential library board; left for Camp David to avoid demonstrations planned for W.H. vicinity following day. Saturday, April 25: radiocast on trade; walk with Mrs. Reagan and Rex; watched movie; phoned Justice Byron White on twenty-fifth year on Supreme Court. Sunday, April 26: returned to W.H.; received word that William Casey had medical setback. Monday, April 27: addressed National Chamber of Commerce; issues lunch; signing ceremony for National Volunteer Week; reception for donors to National Federation of Republican Women, commented, “I’ve urged them to stage a drive for the ’88 election to revive the Repub. 11th commandment”; photo session with Japanese newspaper; attended Senator Paul Laxalt’s annual “Lamb’s Fry.”]
Tuesday, April 28
A session on our upcoming agenda. I agreed to a general plan but with proviso that specific events be checked with me.
Then Bob Dole, Bob Michel, Trent Lott, & Al Simpson were in with our team for a session on budget & trade & how to handle the Dems who are moving on both with acts that look like veto candidates.
NSC brief was on upcoming meeting with Nakasone plus some talk on Soviets & arms reductions.
Then an NSC meeting—all on the Japan problem & the coming visit of the P.M.
After lunch Senator Gordon Humphrey came by to deliver a letter from P.M. of Pakistan—where he has been on a v
isit.
They are asking for an AWAC plane because of violations of their border with Afghanistan. More people have been killed by Soviet bombing & strafing in these 3 months than in all of last year.
[Oval Office interview with six correspondents; new poll shows job approval up to 55 percent; meeting with Howard Baker and Frank Carlucci regarding Soviet arms talks; Maureen visiting.]
Wednesday, April 29
Staff meeting had to do with comments on statements re Soviet arms deal by R.N. & General Rowny.
[NSC meeting regarding arms situation related to Germans, who were concerned about giving up short-range missiles; meeting with Republican congressmen about forthcoming veto of trade bill; joint economic and domestic policy meeting on increasing domestic oil production, commented, “Faced with 2 options—I came down on the side of one that should make a real difference—using the market & not a tax increase.”]
George S. meeting—subject Nuclear weapons & our allies. He also had a report on Israeli relations—visit by Arens.
[Interview with biographer Edmund Morris; party fund-raising dinner.]
Thursday, April 30
Opened day with a briefing for P.M. Nakasone’s visit—then the moment was at hand. Ten A.M. the S. Lawn ceremony. I never seen a bigger public turnout for one of these events. Weather was perfect. He & I had a very brief one-on-one & then into the Cabinet Room for the plenary. He’s most anxious that our trade sanctions on the semi-conductor issue should be lifted before the Ec. Summit this June in Venice. Well we’d like that too but it depends on their adherence to the agreement we had on the marketing of semi-conductors. I invited him, his wife & daughter to have breakfast tomorrow morning with Nancy & me. We did that in 1983—our 1st meeting.
He was very pleased.
Had lunch on the patio with V.P. He said he’d understand if I felt I should lend a hand to Paul Laxalt now that Paul was a candidate for President. I told George I had already told Paul I’d remain absolutely neutral in the primaries.
[Considered new appointees; ceremony for Law Day; meeting with Weinberger, noted, “He is opposed to a zero zero deal for short range nuclear missiles but all for it on the long range weapons. He & I disagree on this one”; state dinner, entertainment by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mathis.]
Friday, May 1
Started day by having the Nakasone’s including their daughter for breakfast—a pleasant hour. Then he went up to meet Cong. & I went to the office. Usual staff meeting had to do with the budget & the games the Dem’s are playing trying to play off cuts in defense budget for a tax increase. Then there was the oil problem & again their desire for a tariff on imported oil. Some discussion on my upcoming speech to the Nat. Publishers Assn. Sunday in N.Y. The subject is going to be Central America. NSC brought an announcement that the Bank of Japan had publicly repudiated Prime Minister Nakasone on his proposal that they lower interest rates—something we’d asked him to do in our trade negotiations. Then we got into SDI and Sen. Levin’s amendment which would really cripple & eventually close down the project. And a lot of discussion of short range nuclear missiles. Soviets have proposed to eliminate them but our NATO Allies aren’t too happy about that. We’re waiting for this discussion.
[Final meeting with Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone; farewell ceremony; addressed American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC); meeting with Shultz on short-range nuclear missiles; report from Suzanne Massie on last Soviet visit; discussion of assistance to domestic oil industry with Howard Baker and others; videotapings. Saturday, May 2: radiocast; homework delivered by staff members, noted, “They’ve interrupted my search for books to give away”; dinner party at British Embassy. Sunday, May 3: flew to NYC, Mrs. Reagan pursued her own agenda; addressed National Newspaper Publishers Association; returned to W.H., while Mrs. Reagan not due to return for two days; Maureen visiting.]
Monday, May 4
Staff meeting—subject budget & Dem. determination to cut defense. I’ve proposed that we submit supplementals but make each one a particular weapons system. See if Demo’s can afford to oppose specific weapon systems.
NSC—Discussion of Ross Perot who wants a meeting with me. I said OK but he has become a loose cannon on the POW matter. I have chosen Gen. Vessey to be our sole negotiator with Hanoi.
[Signed proclamation for Asian Pacific American Heritage Week.]
An issues briefing lunch then a Domestic Policy Council meeting. Subject was AIDS. I’ve ruled that we appoint a commission to see if various groups dealing with AIDS—Nat. Health, Ed., etc can help find a way to combine our efforts.
[Meeting with departing W.H. Fellows; haircut; received update on William Casey, noted, “Casey is still in intensive care & is in & out of comas. It sounds last stage.” Tuesday, May 5: staff meeting to plan upcoming agenda; NSC meeting on Central America; signed Executive Order on W.H. Conference on Drugs; NSC briefing on upcoming visit by President Vinicio Cerezo of Guatemala, commented, “We’ll have to work on him to get him in line with Honduras & El Salvador against the Sandinistas—he’s known to play games”; advisor meeting on two-year agenda, decided on priorities, including budget reform and balanced budget amendment; Mrs. Reagan returned home.]
Wednesday, May 6
Short staff meeting to make time for George S. to come in. NSC postponed also. George came in to tie up loose ends about arms deal with Soviets. I approved trying to persuade Helmut Kohl to join in offering zero zero on short range missiles.
Then Ross Perot came in on our dealings with Vietnam. I have named General Vessey as my rep. to seek info. on our POW’s. Ross is convinced some 350 or so are being held in Laos. I’m trying to persuade Ross to step back & not indicate we should try normalizing relations—trade, etc. until we get the truth on our POW’s.
A quick lunch & then to Marine 1 & off to York, PA the Harley-Davidson motorcycle plant. They have done a remarkable job climbing out of a slump. Japanese competition was destroying them. We invoked a 201 a temp. use of tariffs to allow them to reform to meet that competition. A year early they told us to cancel the protection. It was thrilling experience. They haven’t just improved production, they have a team from the workers on the line to top management & they can out compete any one. It isn’t a factory, it’s a religion.
[Received word early in the day that William Casey had died; telephoned widow.]
Thursday, May 7
At Staff—we had a full plate—Secord’s testimony that North had led him to believe I knew about the Iran money going to the Contras. Then the run away Bud. resolutions passed by the House & Sen. with $118 billion over 4 years tax increase. Senator Hollings trying to hold up confirmation of Webster as CIA Director. Nothing done about debt limit. I’ve agreed to promote Jim Hooley to Deputy Assistant to the Pres.
NSC—Report House has passed an amendment that we’d have to abide by SALT II Treaty but Soviets wouldn’t. I approved a set of bargaining terms for our Arms negotiators.
[Meeting with Zbigniew Brzezinski, commented, “He was quite informative about European attitudes”; met with American Association of Editorial Cartoonists; lunch with Vice President Bush; photo session with W.H. Personnel Department, Air Force Thunderbirds, Naval Academy basketball star David Robinson, Diabetes poster child; attended reception for National Endowment for the Humanities—about forty people; noted meeting early in the day with South Korean defense minister Lee Ki Beak, in Washington for discussions with Weinberger.]
Friday, May 8
9 A.M. meeting with Sen. Repub. Leadership—Discussed our problems of getting a clean bill increasing the debt limit. Congress has a way of loading this bill with amendments knowing how impossible it is to veto it. If we don’t get this passed before the 28th of this month the U.S. will be in default for 1st time in 200 yrs. This could be a disaster in the money markets world wide. We also touched on the terrible trade bill the Dem’s in the House passed. They have hopes of clearing it up in Cong.
Back to the Oval O. for a short session with
NSC. We talked about the restraints on my ability to deal with the Soviets built into the Budget Bill by Dem’s in House.
Then a brief meeting with delegates from the Arab League. They are in the U.S. to urge the U.N. to take steps to halt the Iran-Iraq war. Iran is the hold out.
[Meeting with Republican House members, along the lines of earlier meeting with senators; signed bill making Santa Fe Trail a historic site; met with sponsors of report by Working Seminar on the Family and American Welfare Policy; taped radiocast; donated books to Eureka College Library. Saturday, May 9: flew to NYC for William Casey’s funeral, noted, “Bishop called attention to what he said was Bill’s inability to understand it was wrong to help the Contras. Jeanne Kirkpatrick took care of that in her Eulogy & got a big hand. First time I’ve ever heard at a funeral”; returned to W.H. Sunday, May 10: flew to Alabama to speak at commencement of Tuskegee University; participated in ceremony to unveil plaque citing General Daniel “Chappy” James; flew to Pope A.F.B. in North Carolina; joined Bob Hope in show; returned to Washington.]
Monday, May 11
Staff: Ed Meese came by—he has called for a special investigation to look into his case. The Cong. is charging him with some kind of hanky panky involving a defense contractor. It’s the usual phony lynch mob attack. I think he’s wise to do what he’s done. Then we talked about Bud McFarlane’s return as a witness before the Joint Committee. None of us feel alarmed at all. Last subject was the debt limit problem. Dem’s are playing game hoping to trap me into tax increase. We have to have an extension on the debt ceiling by May 28 or face default.
NSC—Discussed terrorist movement & possibility that Qaddafi is trying to set up a network in the U.S.
At 11:30 Cap W. came in for his usual meeting. He’s off for Europe. One of his targets is Norway & their making available to Soviets technology for silent running submarines. We also talked about irresponsibility of Cong. with regard to the defense budget. What they are proposing will set us back years. It will also play h--l with our arms negotiations.
The Reagan Diaries Page 68