The Reagan Diaries

by Ronald Reagan

  A 1 hr. N.S.P.G. meeting on E. Europe. Those countries are restless under the Soviet domination.

  [Desk time; farewell party for departing staffer; videotaping; allergy shot; Mrs. Reagan home.]

  Wednesday, October 26

  Connie Mack wants me for Fla. again. I may have to try & offer a tape or something. The schedule looks like Fla. is impossible. I approved a replacement for Gary Bauer—Fran Marie Keal. We discussed a new Ambas. for Morocco—Mike Ussery. discussed a transition team to get under way Nov. 9th. Word on a Whistle Blower bill. When it comes I’ll pocket veto & ask for a better one in Jan.

  N.S.C.—Sakkarov is coming to the U.S. for a visit. I’ll see him. He’s representing something called—“A Fund For the Survival of Humanity.” Colin P. reports on a N.Y. Times reporter who has done an article revealing terms of an N.S.S.D. I signed off on (& which is top secret) last week. John Negroponte reported on a valley in Peru that produces 40% of all the Cocaine in the world. D.E.A. wants us to double our mil. involvement & presence in Peru. Also increase our financial help from 10 to $20 mil. They suggest a survey team to go & work with Peru’s Nat. Guard.

  [Flew to Baltimore, Maryland, for party fund-raiser luncheon; returned to W.H.; greeted L.A. Dodgers, world champion baseball club; Mrs. Reagan left for California; economic meeting on positive outlook for economy; short meeting with Shultz […]; met with Howard Baker on his campaign efforts; short interview with Lou Cannon; packed for trip. Thursday, October 27: flew to Little Rock, Arkansas, for airport rally; flew on to Springfield, Missouri, and San Diego, California, for campaign appearances; met Mrs. Reagan at Beverly Wiltshire Hotel in L.A.; received telephone call from Vice President Bush. Friday, October 28: addressed World Affairs Council; went to ranch.]

  Saturday, October 29

  [Rode; changed into work clothes, commented, “First chore cutting up a dying Oak tree that had gone down”; further cutting; quiet evening.]

  A call from Walter Annenberg. He had seen the Video Tape of the “Reagan Days” which Lew Wasserman is putting on the market—all proceeds going to the “Library.” Walter said he was in tears for much of it.

  Sunday, October 30

  [Rode; received gift of photo of ranch as it was in 1920s.]

  Lunch, some picture signing for Barney, packing, a shower & all dressed up for trip to L.A. & drop by dinner for Simon Wiesenthal—80th Birthday. Mainly it was to announce the start of the Wiesenthal museum on the Holocaust. It was a pleasant evening with a number of our old friends present. Arnold Schwarzenegger made a speech that was most generous about me. Then Nancy received the 1st of their “Museum of Tolerance Awards.” My turn & I was presented the 1988 Humanitarian Award.” And back to the Beverly Biltmore to bed.

  Monday, October 31

  Up fairly early. Nancy was off to our new home at 9:15 AM for a day of opening boxes & arranging. My 1st was a meeting—Ken D., Colin etc. here in the suite—Marlin. First topic was campaign schedule for me. We have decisions to make. Jim Baker wants Ill. & Texas—one or both etc.

  [Canadian campaign at an even split, with Prime Minister Brian Mulroney having lost lead in polls.]

  Learned I’ve got another 20 bills to sign today—possibly 1 veto.

  NSC—Colin brought up video tape of Terry Anderson supposedly criticizing us for blocking rescue attempts. Obviously he was taking orders from his captors.

  We’re having Soviet Ambas. called about Soviets moving heavy bombers close to the Afghanistan border & within range of Pakistan. Then downstairs for signing of the Berne Pact legislation. This is legislation to protect Am. copywrights, books, movies & Computer software. A.C. Lyles had stage full of celebritys, long time friends of ours. Lew Wasserman gave me 1st printing of E.T. videotape. Then a lot of photos & upstairs after a barrage of press Q’s. most on Terry Anderson.

  [Meeting with Kathy and Fred Ryan to plan L.A. office and presidential library; then with Ventura County Supervisors; signed thirty bills, with one veto; showered and changed into pajamas; telephoned Secret Service to advise that Mike Reagan and his wife wanted to end agent protection in mid-November.]

  Nancy returned—worn out by the work she’d been doing. We had dinner in bed with the TV news.

  [Tuesday, November 1: left for campaign speeches in Orange County, California, Reno, Nevada, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Wednesday, November 2: flew to Ohio for campaign appearances in Cleveland; returned to W.H.]

  Thursday, November 3

  Went to office at 10:00 AM. First subject was about a N.Y. Times story about me—surprisingly in the Times. Then K. told me that I’ll be signing about 300 bills the Cong. left for me. Signed about 40 of them before the day was over. Polls in Calif. went up 3 points after my trip so—I’m going to Calif. Monday. In upcoming transition I’ll have to work out a resignation plan for many of my appointees. Also, I have to submit a budget for 1990.

  [NSC meeting regarding Israeli election; attempted coup in the Maldives; Soviet warning to Mujahadeen in Afghanistan; Geneva talks with no breakthrough on Krasnoyarsk Radar, commented, “which we see as breach of ABM treaty; Soviet military producing new SS18 missile more powerful than present model”; desk work; spoke at party fund-raiser luncheon but left before the meal; had lunch alone in study at W.H.]

  At 1:30—Dick Wirthlin’s new figures—our polls are up all along the line. Then Geo. Shultz meeting—no startling news—some about Afghanistan etc. Haircut at 3 PM, then a visit & photos with Courtney Trissler (our Ranch Foreman) & his two daughters. Bob Tuttle & some appointments—my sneeze shot & a taping in the Library. Upstairs—some desk time & Nancy arrived. Merme is also here. Dinner & bed.

  [Friday, November 4: announced that unemployment rate was down to 5.2 percent; flew to Chicago, Illinois; signed Genocide Implementation Act; made campaign speech at community college; flew to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for further campaigning in New Jersey; returned to W.H. Saturday, November 5: made campaign appearances in Michigan and Texas; returned to W.H.]

  Sunday, November 6

  A lazy day—beautiful, sunny & no humidity. I got some bothersome correspondence out of the way, also some reading. Exercised, showered—a few hours after a lunch in the Solarium & early to bed.

  [Monday, November 7: campaign appearances in Long Beach and San Diego, California; returned to W.H. at 11:10 pm, commented, “Joined Nancy in bed & the campaign is over.”]

  Tuesday, November 8—Election Day

  No office schedule. Edmund Morris at 2:30 (after Nancy & I had lunch in the solarium). Then Ken & Dick W.—report on exit polls, they think the news is good. Then a rub down & up to shower & dress for our dinner party. Phone call from Ambas. Price & asking about election. A photo of us watching TV—returns by photo pool. Dick & Patti have arrived. (Phoned George & Dan with congratulations.)

  Then 28 friends here for buffet & to watch the returns on TV. A great evening as almost from the beginning it was evident that Bush-Quale were winners. About 11 P.M. to bed—happy.

  Wednesday, November 9

  Into the office at 10:00 AM The Rose Garden was jam packed with all our staff cheering me. A very touching moment for me. Into the morning session. Some talk about the election of course. Planned for George’s afternoon arrival here from Houston. I have appointed Ken as Chmn. of our transition team. Dan Crippen joined us & we talked about ’89 budget I must submit by Jan. 9.

  N.S.C.—Dep. Foreign Minister of Kabul’s Afghan Puppet govt., ABDUL GHAFFAR LAKANIHL was in N.Y. to address the U.N. He came down to Wash. & turned himself in to State dept. asking for Asylum. We’re keeping it secret ’til his family can get out of Afghanistan. Col. Paul (involved in drugs in Haiti) dead of heart attack. Rumor has it he was poisoned. Arafat has asked for a visa to come to the U.N.

  A man—no hostage—was in jail in Iran for something during Pres. Carter’s term. Then he was freed. He committed something or other & is back in jail in Iran. Ex Pres. Carter wants him freed again. Libya is building a chemical weapons plant that threatens th
e entire Middle East. […] We, too are looking at that. Kohl (W. Germany) has been of help to Libya. I’ll have to take this up with him when he comes.

  [Bill signing; gave National Security Medal to General William Odom, director of the National Security Agency (NAS); photo session; met with member of the Afghanistan Resistance Alliance; regular meeting with Shultz, commented, “nothing of great importance”; ambassadorial formalities.]

  Then at 3:50 Nancy came down—we greeted the Bushes & Quayles. Made an appearance—the 6 of us—before the press in the Rose Garden. George & I had a little one on one & I asked him to continue my custom of returning military salutes. He’s for it. Then upstairs, exercised (finally)—dinner & bed time.

  Thursday, November 10

  Regular meeting only with the V.P. present after a long absence. Talk of transition & early staff & Cabinet meetings. All appointees are asked to resign but to agree to stay until replacements are in place.

  Told my radio cast will be about Veterans day which is tomorrow. A. B. Culvahouse came in. There is a disagreement between the Attorney General & Sec. of Transportation. Burnley wants testing for drugs in travel industry. Dick T. objects & claims it violates the Const. On the Oliver North case—“Walsh” says Cong. could deny the President the right to order any covert operations.

  NSC—Today Defense announces existence of Stealth Fighter planes. We’ve had 50 in the desert operating only at night. Now they are going to be operational.

  Pres. Carter sent a note that anything to do with his former pilot now in an Iranian jail is called off.

  Canada is presenting a problem. P.M.’s opponent Turner looks like he’s going to be the winner.

  Our Sec. of the A.F. is resigning to take a position with an aircraft firm. Sec. Shultz wants us to deny a visa for Arafat. […] Our one open channel to Iran’s govt. brought a message of congratulations to Geo. B.

  [Desk work, read Presidential Daily Briefing (PDB); received award, as did Gorbachev, from the Beyond War Foundation; attended luncheon for all living recipients of Medal of Freedom; cabinet meeting to hear Joe Wright on the budget for 1990.]

  After that we swore Joe in as new Dir. of O.M.B. Usual meeting with Bill Webster, dir. of C.I.A. He reported on new satellites we have […].

  [Gave POW medal to World War II veteran.]

  Upstairs—exercise—shower. Dinner—Merme here. After dinner Dick Davis, Patti & Geoff arrived. At 8:30 I phoned Yasu Nakasone—returning his call. Just congratulations. Early to bed.

  Friday, November 11—Veteran’s Day

  At 10:40 AM off to Arlington—all our guests along. I laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown soldier. Then into the amphitheater where I gave a brief speech. From there over to the Vietnam Vets. Memorial—some 20,000 people there. I spoke—message was well received. Then I read a note Nancy & I had signed & we put it at the base of the memorial. It’s a tradition that has grown of people leaving letters, gifts etc. at the memorial.

  [Went to Camp David with family and friends; watched Winchester ’73 (1950). Saturday, November 12: radiocast; lunch with guests, noted, “Eddie Serrano (steward) showed the gals how those special brown W.H. crackers are made”; rode; after dinner movie was Cocoon: The Return (1988). Sunday, November 13: watched ABC’s This Week; returned to W.H.; read and watched TV; dinner party with friends.]

  Monday, November 14

  Into the office at 10 AM—discussed random drug testing by dept. of transportation. Then Gorbachev coming to U.N. to address Gen. Assembly. He’ll be available for a get-together with the V.P. & me in N.Y.

  NSC—More on Gorbachev & N.Y. Then Colin said Soviet Shuttle is supposed to go up at 10 P.M. our time tonite.

  Then it was time for meeting with Andrei Sakkarov in Oval O. A half hour meeting—talked mainly of Perestroika & his view that part of that should involve human rights.

  [Read Presidential Daily Briefing (PDB); presented Malcolm Baldrige Quality Awards to three firms; addressed junior high students.]

  A haircut then over to Dr. Hutton to check my allergies—he believes I may have picked up a virus. I’m having post nasal drainage problems.

  Upstairs to exercise & shower. I should have pointed out that our morning discussion of drug testing was because Dept. of Transportation has issued order to entire transportation industry for drug testing.

  Quiet evening & early to bed.

  Tuesday, November 15

  My Biographer, Edmund Morris wants to stick with me an entire day. I’ve said yes. We’ve decided on a press conf. Dec. 8. A luncheon will be held in Wash., 2nd week in January to raise money for F.D.R.’s Presidential Library. They want me to be Honorary Chmn. How do you say no to that? Gorbachev & Raisa are going to visit Eng. on way home from U.N. speech.

  Noted misinterpreted letters sent by Federal Agency.

  NSC—Lots of Q’s. about P.L.O. statement on Israel. We still don’t know all the details.

  Colin is going to see Sec. of St. about denial of visa to Arafat who wants to come to U.N.

  [Discussed Angola, details not yet known on Cuban withdrawal; desk work; briefing for and then visit by West German chancellor Helmut Kohl, commented, “He’s a good friend”; bill signing; received first copy of Constitution magazine; greeted heart transplant recipient.]

  A meeting with Dennis (Merme’s husband). Merme is feeling lost & left out now that we are leaving. She wants to stay involved in govt. & politics. I had to tell him I can’t ask George to find a place for her.

  [Videotaping; allergy shot; exercised; Maureen and Dennis at dinner.]

  Wednesday, November 16

  Trade deficit figures. We have highest level of exports in history & the deficit is lowest it’s been in years.

  Resignations are coming in. George has announced he’s turning down Nick Brady’s & keeping him on as Sec. of the Treasury.

  Same discussion of helping resolve the situation of so many “Savings & Loans” that face financial ruin. We’re going to make some appts. “Recess”—people Sen. has not acted on.

  N.S.C.—Tomorrow I have to make certification of no nuclear weapons in Pakistan.

  Colin, Bill Webster & Geo. S. met with Kohl on Chemical warfare. Some German businesses are participating in construction of a nuc. weapon plant in Libya. He says he’ll put a stop to this. After the P.L.O. statements that looked like they were going to recognize Israel as a nation—now spokesmen are saying they have not made such agreements.

  Then it was briefing time for Thatcher visit. At 10 AM we meet her & Dennis on S. Lawn. The regular ceremony—19 gun salute—Mil. on hand & we inspected the troops. Her speech was a eulogy to me & our admin. She praised me as having changed the whole world. Then the receiving line & the meeting in the Oval O. She really is a great stateswoman. A bit of desk time—then lunch in Study. Out to Oval O. to meet Mayor Teddy Kollek—Jerusalem. He presented me with a 15th century map of the middle East. Then I received the P.S.I. in Ed. Report. The pvt. sector has gone from 40,000 business & school partnerships to 142,000 & they are still growing.

  Then over to the East Wing—1st Ladys Garden for a photo session—the P.C. of Nancy & me we’ll use for picture requests once we leave here.

  Tonite—State Dinner for Margaret Thatcher. It was a wonderful evening & a great mix of people—from Oral Hershiser the great Dodger pitcher, to Billy Graham, Loretta Young & on & on. There was an air of nostalgia—our final state dinner etc. We got upstairs about midnight.

  Thursday, November 17

  Day started at 10 AM in the office. On Mon. I leave for Calif. And ex-Pres’s. Ford & Carter came to see George B. I await a bill that Commerce wants me to veto but everyone else wants me to sign (which I think I’ll do). It has to do with NASA. Geo. S. is going to the Inaugural in Mexico. It looks like my Sat. Radio talk will focus largely on Thanksgiving.

  NSC—A kidnap in Lebanon of a Swiss member of the Internat. Red Cross. Three armed men—possibly Hizbollah. In Canadian election Mon. looks like Mulroney has gained some ground
. Looks like Ms. Butto is winner (not official yet) in Pakistan. Soviets may have fired a SCUD missile into Pakistan. Soviets have suddenly & seemingly opened the door for a new long term grain deal with us.

  [Addressed gathering of business people and diplomats on free trade; stopped in at gathering of Advisory Committee on Presidential Libraries; lunch with Vice President Bush; noted that biographer Edmund Morris sat in on meetings all day; received report from Committee on the Arts and Humanities; photo session; signed one hundred photos and more than a dozen bills; reviewed recess appointments; met with 1968 campaign manager Cliff White; received membership card number 1 in Republican National Committee; doctor came to W.H. residence to perform nose and throat exam; attended black tie dinner in honor of Charley Wick.]

  Friday, November 18

  Into the office at 10 AM. Discussed bills I’ll be signing later in the day. Ken D. suggested that while at the ranch I might try putting down some thoughts for the farewell address. Ken also reminded me that 11 AM I would have a full briefing on the budget I must submit. In the meantime Dan Crippen gave me a little advance on it. A. B. Culvahouse came in to discuss who I’d turn to as legal counsel when I left office. I told him I already retained a firm of which Bill Smith was a member.

  N.S.C.—Sofear of St. Dept. is going to the Hague about the Iranian funds we still have tied up & which we need to turn over to them. A B-1 Bomber crashed last night. Crew all safe. Apparently it was pilot error, not a failure of the plane. Last word on Persian Gulf is that we can make another reduction of our forces there. Then some desk time & bills to sign but only briefly. The Pres. of Bangladesh (Ershad) came by for a brief visit. We’ve been helping them with their flood situation. Then the budget briefing. More desk time & lunch. A photo with a staff members family. Then over to E.O.B. for ceremony—10 awards for Preservation of Historic sites. Then meeting with George Shultz after photos with his entire family—18 in all. Occasion is a daughter getting married. Then George’s regular meeting. This time he had Chet Crocker reporting on the Angola situation & the schedule for Cuban troops going home. Out to the Rose Garden for annual presentation of Turkey. The bird isn’t the one they give us to eat—it’s a 50 lb. monster. Finally up to get Nancy then down to East Room for signing of Drug Bill—The Anti-drug Abuse Act of 1988. Quite a turnout. Congressmen, Cabinet, the father & mother of a young policeman Dave Byrne—murdered by a drug pusher, & the mother of a girl brutally raped & murdered by 3 Pornographers. Upstairs more bill signing & paperwork, then exercise, shower, dinner & early to bed.