The Reagan Diaries

by Ronald Reagan

  Friday, February 5

  [Discussion of plans after Contra aid vote.]

  Then Colin came in NSC time. We are putting NSC to work keeping watch on Ortega & the Sandinistas to see if they are going to play games. We’ll have rat traps set for them.

  We have worries about King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. […]

  Our Rep. at Haiti inaugural will be our Ambas.—Sunday Noriega of Panama will be indicted today. And in Japan—P.M. Takeshita seems to be trying to do something about Beef Quotas & construction contracts for Am. co’s. Then desk time & receipt of gifts.

  At 11:25 AM over to EOB to speak to 1988 Class of U.S. Senate Prog. This is a program instituted by Hearst Papers. Randy was on hand. Then back to West Wing for signing ceremony of Housing bill. At noon Warren Burger came in & presented me with a solid silver bust of Ben Franklin—he made the original when he was 15 yr. old. Then Dick Wirthlin came by with good polling figures. My approval rating is 57%.

  Then it was time to go over to the WH. for lunch. Howard Baker & Jim insisted on helping me with my gifts. When the elevator doors opened—there was Nancy waiting. I thought it was because she’d been away in Indianapolis. I didn’t even notice we were on the 1st floor. Then she opened the door to the St. Dining Room & there were about 100 or so of Cab., Staff, Friends etc. singing Happy B.D. to me. I was completely surprised. What a job Nancy had done. Marvin Hamlish on 1 weeks notice had written a stirring march—The “Ronald Reagan March.”

  When lunch was over we went up & changed clothes for Camp D. When we came down to leave there were more than 1000 people on S. Lawn, a podium & mike & the Army Band. Another surprise—Howard Baker made some remarks & I responded, then everyone sang Happy B.D. & the Band played the new March.

  Finally off to Camp D. & that night the movie was “Santa Fe Trail.”

  Saturday, February 6

  The radiocast—some exercises in the gym. Some phone calls & a lot of reading in the icy afternoon. Then movie time—but 1st another surprise—they ran a part of a retraining film I’d made during the war. Then gifts from our guests—gifts from the S.S., Mil. aides, Medical group, Camp D. people etc. Finally got to the movie—Spencer Tracy in “Bad Day at Black Rock.”

  [Sunday, February 7: returned to W.H.; had massage.]

  Monday, February 8

  Usual staff time—spent some time discussing possible leverage we might have on the Contra situation in the House in view of the Sen. Votes. Then the matter of George Bush & the NSC meeting of Jan. 7. This is the one I believed he wasn’t present because Shultz was in his chair. Now it seems the record shows he was there.

  [NSC meeting with report that French president François Mitterrand can’t make up his mind about seeking reelection, word that Contras are slowing down in Nicaragua and rotating troops in from Honduras, awaiting plan from Representive Wright, discussion of Noriega appearance on 60 Minutes, report from India that Mikhail Gorbachev thinking of withdrawing troops from Afghanistan; desk work and responding to birthday greetings; flew to North Carolina for drug forum at Duke University; returned to W.H.]

  Tuesday, February 9

  Well the Iowa Caucus is over (thanks be.) On the Dem. side it’s Gephardt, Simon & Dukakis & for us Dole, Robertson & Bush.

  Downstairs to the Dr. at 8:39—Dr. House was here & my new hearing aids. They are supposed to reduce background noise & I carry a small slim control that regulates volume etc. Then to the office—some talk about Gephardt’s campaign trade bill. Jim Baker agreed to represent us at the Korean inaugural. Then talk about the idea of a Nat. Ec. Commission. We don’t think it should be appointed ’til after the election. I’m not sure it’s a good idea at all.

  NSC—Brf. on F. Minister of Saudi Arabia due in to office in 20 min’s. Then talk of Panama. Noriega went on TV to say our military should be removed from the Canal Zone. Pres. of Panama has announced he’s asking Noriega to take a leave of absence. We have found out that Noriega’s shouting that Admiral Poindexter had asked him to invade Nicaragua has been proved a lie.

  [Report that Israel was planning new settlements in West Bank, commented, “We are going to try & talk them out of that”; short meeting with Saudi foreign minister; desk work; greeted Boy Scout leadership; interviewed by Edmund Morris for biography; National Security Planning Group (NSPG) meeting on START treaty and, as noted, “a call to action by everyone”; videotapings; attended reception for ambassadors.]

  Wednesday, February 10

  Of course the 1st subject was Gen. Noriega who is spouting lies all over the news.

  Several depts. of course have a hand in foreign affairs, Commerce, Justice Dept., Defense & of course State. We discussed setting up a channel so that before any one of them goes off on it’s own it goes through me.

  Speaker Jim Wright has publicly announced that I’m invited to join him in working out a new Contra aid bill. I’ve replied that he should send his plan over to me to look at & I’ll give him my ideas.

  Discussion of my part in Nat. Repub. Convention. We all agree maybe I should make a speech opening day.

  N.S.C.—Pres. of Panama announced he was going to ask Noriega to take a leave of absence—then he postponed the Cabinet meeting where this was supposed to take place.

  U.S. attorneys in Miami are drawing up papers demanding extradition. In Haiti things going well with new President but we’re a little curious—there seems to be no sign of Namphy. A letter is coming from P.M. Mulroney (Canada) re our mutual problem of Acid rain. This is a touchy problem.

  [News of Irani-Iraqi action in Persian Gulf; visit from vice president of Switzerland.]

  Desk time—then lunch with V.P. Bush. He told me he had called & squared tif with Dan Rather—both are keeping it quiet. Meeting with C.I.A. Director Bill Webster—briefed on some Soviet naval advances. Then meeting with Geo. S.—He spoke of mid-East peace plan & transition in W. Bank & Gaza. Most countries are very pleased but P.M. Shamir is a hold out. Then he talked of his upcoming trips & my coming visit to NATO.

  An Ec. briefing—nothing much new. And finally a visit by publisher & several cartoonists & cover artist of the New Yorker magazine. They gave me a cartoon book of those that had appeared in New Yorker.

  [Worked on correspondence.]

  Thursday, February 11

  Some talk of Q’s I might get in Cabinet meeting when press would be there for photos etc. Well when time came & they shouted their Q’s. I refused to answer.

  Talked also about Cab. members following my lead & being neutral on our Presidential candidates.

  [Discussed nominees for National Economic Commission; briefing for upcoming meeting with President Miguel de la Madrid of Mexico; taped radiocast; worked on backlog of correspondence; cabinet meeting on budget; photo session with Culvahouse and legal staff, advised not to hold reception for Archie Roosevelt, author of new book, in case of appearance of promoting it, decided to meet in office instead; greeted leadership of Masons; attended Conservative Conference dinner.]

  Friday, February 12

  Up 7:30—no breakfast—fog—had to drive to Andrews A.F.B. then A.F.1 to Calif. By having breakfast on plane we got our schedule onto Calif. time. Arrived L.A. 11:50 Calif. time. Lunch in suite at Century Plaza. Then some down time until 4 P.M. when we left for David Murdock’s home for a Calif. State Repub. fundraiser. About 50 people at $10,000 each. Total raised $630,000. Gov. & Mrs. Deukmejian & Pete Wilson & wife were there. We did a receiving line—mixed & mingled for a bit & then went back to the hotel for early dinner, the TV news (Al Haig quitting the campaign & signing on in support of Dole. He did it with a blast at George Bush).

  Saturday, February 13

  Up early in morning & breakfast on the plane. Flew down to Mazatlan for summit with Pres. de la Madrid. We’re both in our last year in office. He & I met 1st with only note takers & interpreters. They were good meetings on our mutual drug problem, on trade & on the threatened increase of Soviets in Mexico. He’s aware of that threat & refused to allow Soviets to set
up consulates along our border.

  [Plenary meeting; went to ranch, Mrs. Reagan waiting there. Sunday, February 14—Valentine’s Day: rode; tree pruning. Monday, February 15: participated in filming of documentary by Ray Stark on Mrs. Reagan, commented, “I’m a supporting player.”]

  Tuesday, February 16

  [Rode; did tree pruning.]

  Rcvd. a call from Ken D. with news of George Bush’s win in the New Hampshire primary—that made my day even if I do have to be neutral publicly.

  Tomorrow we leave the house at 8:35 for the flight back.

  Wednesday, February 17

  [Returned to Washington; Maureen visiting.]

  We did get bad news—Lt. Col. Higgens, a U.S. member of the U.N. force in Lebanon has been kidnapped. It occurred in the vicinity of a Palestinian refugee camp. The Amal militia has surrounded that camp—beyond that we have no info.

  Thursday, February 18

  Started day at 10 A.M.—Some talk about budget & I deliver it (’89) to the Congress today. Then some talk about Contras & Jim Wrights proposal on Contra aid. He wanted us to join him—we told him to present his version & we might provide one of our own.

  Then it was time to receive the top 6 from the Hill—Byrd, Wright, Foley—Bob Michel, Al Simpson & John Stennis. I gave each of them signed bound volumes of budget. Then we all went into Cabinet room where full leadership was gathered. Jim Miller gave a run down on budget which conforms to the agreement we arrived at last November & no new taxes. Then it was desk time & lunch.

  [Visit from Bill Stout, commented, “who I believe is terminal with Cancer”; farewell photo with Ken Adelman, arms negotiator; NSC meeting to discuss Higgins kidnapping; telephoned Higgins’s wife; tea party with Lucky and Archie Roosevelt; swearing-in ceremony for Anthony Kennedy as Supreme Court Justice.]

  Friday, February 19

  [Telephoned Drew Lewis to invite him to join National Economic Commission.]

  Several terrorist org’s. are each claiming they have our Lt. Col. Higgens. Nabbi Berri’s Amal Militia is in the hunt to try & find him. Our Gen. Walters faced Pres. Mitterrand & P.M. Chirac separately about French security going into hotel rooms of pvt. Am. business people as well as govt. representatives searching for & stealing business & technical information. Both denied knowledge of this & said they’d look into it.

  Efforts are going forward to set up an interim govt. in Afghanistan. Geo. S. & Colin leave for Moscow this afternoon & will bring this up with Soviet ministers.

  Word from Canada’s P.M. Mulroney that as host of Ec. Summit this June he’s going to try & loosen up the format & avoid a set hard & fast structure. I’m for that.

  [Received copies of economic report; briefing for and then meeting with West German chancellor Helmut Kohl; brief meeting with Shultz and Powell; went to Camp David; watched Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942). Saturday, February 20: radiocast; exercised; took short walk; watched The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948).]

  Sunday, February 21

  A pretty day to look at through a window.—It was cold & bright. Watched a couple of the talk shows. Lunch & at 2:30 wheels up for Wash. Back to the W.H. & some desk work. Then at 7:15 downstairs—(Black tie) for the annual dinner for the Nat. Gov.’s Conf. It was a great evening—the Gov.’s dinner always is. Dave Brubeck Quartet entertained magnificently.

  Monday, February 22

  Announced I’ll be doing a press conf. this Wed. 8 P.M. Then got a call from Geo. S. & Colin. They were somewhat upbeat about their meetings in Moscow—3½ hours alone with Gorbachev. We learned Jim Wright is suggesting the Dem. Contra Aid bill may come up for a vote Thurs. It will of course not provide for my lethal material. Bob Michel is going to try for a bill that will provide for such.

  [Advised of date of state dinner in June; appointed acting director of arms control; NSC meeting with discussion of Higgins appearance on videotape; noted Human Rights Commission declined by one vote to condemn Cuba, commented, “This will be brought up in current meeting in Geneva. This time—new head of our commission is Veladores—22 yrs. a pol. prisoner in Cuba”; swearing-in ceremony for chairman of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission; issues briefing lunch; addressed employees of Office of Management and Budget.]

  Back to office for Cabinet meeting. Beryl S. briefed Cabinet on economy. Photo with office of legislative affairs. Dir. Will Ball is going to become Sec. of Navy. Present Sec. Webb resigned over Navy budget cuts. I don’t think Navy was sorry to see him go. A haircut then a long taping session & finally upstairs to exercise, dinner & bed.

  Tuesday, February 23

  Began day at 9 AM in map room downstairs on live TV—the World Network & Voice of America—speaking to all of Europe etc. on arms situation & assuring world we would not retreat from our position of solidarity with NATO. Then over to office for staff meeting. It seems Jim Wright is not sure he’ll be submitting his version of a Contra Aid bill to Cong. for a vote Thurs. as he’d promised. We’re told he may not have the votes. Howard is going to call him & tell him to send the pckg. or we’ll send one of our own. Deadline is Feb. 29.

  [Rehearsed for upcoming press conference; report that Prime Minister Brian Mulroney of Canada wanted private meeting, decided to try and comply.]

  NSC—Iraq’s planes continue to harass our ships—we don’t know whether they just don’t know what they’re doing or not. Some of our top mil. are in Baghdad trying to find out. Afghan resistance has come up with a proposed interim govt. for when Soviets leave. They propose 28 ministers—7 from present govt. 7 from refugees & 14 from various factions of the freedom fighters.

  Pres. of Panama is still talking that Noriega must retire. On Feb. 22 (yesterday) Noriega’s force arrested & detained 28 Ams. mainly our soldiers on their way from home to post. They were charged with wearing their uniforms in Panama & detained for a time. Curiously on Feb. 21 Noriega’s daughter & her husband were arrested by our mil. police for a traffic violation in one of our compounds.

  [Desk work; greeted law-enforcement officers.]

  At 1:30 Lady Olga Maitland of Eng. friend of Margaret T. & Charles Price came in—she did an interview. She’s a journalist—very pleasant. She also heads up a women’s org. that is in opposition to the peacenik bunch in Eng.—very supportive of I.N.F. etc.

  [Allergy shot; rehearsal for press conference.]

  Wednesday, February 24

  A little talk about Jim Wright’s Contra aid bill which is a stinker. Then Colin—just back from Soviet U. came in for NSC—There was some talk of Q’s. I might get at press conf. Then George S. came in for a brief report on his Soviet Trip. We’re not going public—but the Soviets spoke about dismantling Krasnoyarsk Radar (big violator of A.B.M. Treaty). There was progress on Human Rts. & nuclear testing. Also on our effort to get U.N. Security Council to come down hard on Iran regarding their refusal to end war. Iraq has already said yes to ending it.

  Shevardnadze will be here March 23rd. George is off again tonite—this time for Middle East.

  [Met with congressmen opposed to Wright plan on Contra aid; briefing about and then meeting with Prime Minister Aníbal Cavaco Silva of Portugal, commented, “he’s very much along our way of thinking”; addressed members of Export Now team; held press conference, considered that it was successful.]

  Thursday, February 25

  Well the Jim Wright Contra aid bill will not be voted on in the House today. It is clear Jim Wright knows he doesn’t have the votes. Some of his people are looking favorably upon to be counted on. I assured him he was absolutely right & I’d be saying the same thing when I go to Brussels & meet with NATO next week.

  [Desk work; photos with departing staff; briefing about and then interviewed by Lou Cannon; greeted Easter Seal poster child and adult.]

  Finally Armand Hammer came in & presented report from “President’s Cancer Panel”—he has chaired this since 1981. That ended office time. I went up—did my exercise & had dinner with Mermie. On ABC News Sam Donaldson had somehow gotten a sheet of
my talking points for one of the meetings & used it to show (his interpretation) that I could no longer be trusted to attend meeting without having everything I was to say written out for me.

  Friday, February 26

  Had a letter from our Ambas. to Ireland Peggy Heckler. She says Irish are all for us on I.N.F. Some talk with Howard & Ken about Noriega. That really is a mixed up mess in Panama. Then we talked about possibility of trying a line item veto just to get the problem before the Sup. Ct.

  We are having a problem with Jesse Helms on our appointment of Gen. Burns to A.C.T.A. Right now we have several unfilled vacancies at Dept. of Commerce. Verity’s man Bruce Smart is leaving.

  N.S.C.—Colin reports that Pres. of Panama has been ousted. He denies he is out but the Assembly passed a measure declaring he was no longer Pres.

  Ceau Ceauceson of Romania has asked us not to extend “most favored nation” to Romania.

  Soviets & Armenians are having trouble. Armenians want independence.

  [Taped message for congressional candidate; meeting on Noriega; lunch with GOP state chairmen; attended gathering of Crusade for a Drug Free America; photo with departing staff member.]

  Then upstairs. Nancy is down in Dr’s. office having a little tuck taken where her mastectomy was done.

  Saturday, February 27

  Cancelled Camp D.—I did radiocast on Drugs (1st half) & Central Am. (2nd). Spent most of day wood shedding on coming NATO Summit. Rcvd. word Pres. of Panama has gone into hiding, his wife is in Presidential residence & his children are in our embassy. Noriega had ordered the Presidents arrest.

  Maureen & Dennis are here.

  Sunday, February 28

  Quiet at home until 5 P.M. then another concert at the W.H. Theme, “Salute to Broadway.” Artists—Marvin Hamlisch, Pearl Bailey, Jerry Herman, Larry Kert, Judy Kuhn, Pamela Myers, & Jerry Orbach. It was the best show yet.

  [Monday, February 29: discussed staff appointments; NSC meeting with reports on Panama and South Africa; addressed W.H. Conference on a Drug Free America; received annual report from Office of Management and Budget, noted $125 billion in savings due to administration program; lunch with Vice President Bush; desk work; photo with members of Boone & Crockett Club; photo with Mr. and Mrs. Mike Mansfield; meeting with Frank Carlucci; packed for trip. Tuesday, March 1: made speech about NATO summit; flew to Brussels, stayed at Chateau Stuyvenberg.]