The Reagan Diaries Read online

  [Compliment from Weinberger on cabinet meeting.]

  Thursday, February 5

  [President’s prayer breakfast; meetings with Boy Scouts and high school students.]

  Lots of phone calls—Sen. Robt. Byrd (D) is playing games with bill to raise debt ceiling. Has held vote over til tomorrow.

  Friday, February 6

  My birthday. Nancy, Tip O’Neil, Paul Laxalt, Tom Evans & Cong. Wright from Texas surprised me (all duly recorded by Cap. Press Corps) with a beautiful cake. Tip gave me a tie & the flag which flew over the Cap. on Jan. 20. We wheeled the cake into another room where it was cut up by about 200 of our staff.

  That afternoon received a great present—our own Sens. who had held out on debt. ceiling turned around and we carried the day.

  [Surprise birthday party with California friends.]P.S. During day discovered my Ambas. appts. were processed by State Dept. They take forever. I want Bill Wilson cleared by them before 26th so he can meet Pope (he’s to be Ambas. to Vatican) in Alaska. Told Penn James to tell the guy at State that was advising him to get off his A-- & do it.

  [Saturday, February 7: photo sessions and dinner party.]

  Sunday, February 8

  Thank you letters for gifts we found on 2nd floor Fri. night. It took entire Sat. morning to open. Just had a call from Al Haig. I had asked that we quietly have Swiss […] tell Iranians if they did not free Mrs. Dryer (Am. woman they had charged with being a spy & imprisoned) we might find it difficult to implement the terms of the Carter hostage agreement. Mrs. Dryer is coming home. She was turned over to the Swiss. Word […] is that last 2 weeks of hostage negotiations were completely dominated by Iranian fear they’d have to negotiate with our admin. I couldn’t be happier.

  Monday, February 9

  Started the day learning Mrs. Dryer did not leave Iran—some snafu with paper work. Hopefully tomorrow.

  [Meetings on timing of tax cuts, and with groups of state legislators; signed citation for Vietnam veterans.]

  Tuesday, February 10

  This was a day. I was wired for sound. David Brinkley is doing “a day in my life” for TV showing Fri. His cameras catch me in every meeting etc. and I turn on the sound for those things suitable & turn it off for balance of meetings. Began with Brkfst. with labor leaders who supported me in campaign; Teamsters, Merchant Marine, Marine engineers & Air Controllers.

  [Meetings on economy with governors and with labor leaders, including Lane Kirkland of the AFL-CIO and Douglas Fraser of the UAW.]

  An early hurried dinner then to Kennedy Center for Harlem Ballet. This group represents effort of one man (Mitchell) to take kids off the streets of Harlem & make something of them and he has. They are really good and it was an enjoyable evening. Cong. Tom Evans & his wife, Cong. Rangel & wife whose district includes Harlem, the Bushes etc. We discovered some of the niceties that go with this job. At intermission in the room behind the Presidential box we found a W.H. usher on hand serving snacks & drinks. Went back stage & met the dancers. Found out no other Pres. had even gone to one of their performances.

  Came home to the news that Mike was being charged with fraud in connection with his “gas a hol” business. I suspect this is plain pol. and aimed at me.

  Wednesday, February 11

  High spot a Nat. Security Council meeting. We have absolute proof of Soviet & Cuban activity in delivering arms to rebels in El Salvador—Also their worldwide propaganda campaign which has succeeded in raising riots & demonstrations in Europe & the U.S.

  Intelligence reports say Castro is very worried about me. I’m very worried that we can’t come up with something to justify his worrying.

  [Thursday, February 12: meeting with cabinet regarding economic program; dinner with the Bushes. Friday, February 13: left for Camp David.]

  Saturday, February 14

  Slept in—took a morning walk then spent the afternoon with desk work. We had both sneaked out & bought valentines for each other & believe it or not we did surprise each other. Ran a movie & had Dan Ruge & the others who have to go with us over for it. It was a comedy (Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton & Lilli Tomlin) “Nine To Five.” Funny—but one scene made me mad. A truly funny scene if the 3 gals had played getting drunk but no they had to get stoned on pot. It was an endorsement of Pot smoking for any young person who sees the picture.

  Sunday, February 15

  I was at Camp David but I was indoors all day writing my speech for Wed. nite in Cong. Nancy spent the day interior decorating—very well I might add in the other cabins “Dogwood”—“Birch” etc. Finished speech by bedtime.

  Monday, February 16

  Walked to cabins to help Nancy with more picture hanging—an early lunch & back to Wash. A meeting regarding the speech—a few minor changes. Dinner here with Tip & Mrs. O’Neill—Ed, Jim B. & Susan & the Friedersdorf’s.

  [Several of the guests arrived late.]

  It was a nice evening but maybe Tip & I told too many Irish stories.

  Tuesday, February 17

  Met with Congressmen & Sens. on grain embargo. Those from farm states want it lifted. I explained we’d made no decision but while I was against the embargo we had to worry about making a concession to the Soviets without some Quid Pro Quo. It might send a wrong message.

  Tip had last word & it was a good one. He told me I was Pres. and had to think of all the states. The gist was—was lifting the embargo good for the U.S. and our security vis-a vis the Soviets.

  Wednesday, February 18

  This was the big night—the speech to Cong. on our ec. plan. I’ve seen Presidents over the years enter the House chamber without ever thinking I would one day be doing it. The reception was more than I’d anticipated—most of it of course from one side of the aisle. Still it was a thrill and something I’ll long remember.

  [Initial telegrams favored the speech. Thursday, February 19: met with editors from all over the U.S.; left for California. Friday, February 20–Sunday, February 22: vacation at ranch; returned to Washington. Monday, February 23: speech at National Governors Conference. Tuesday, February 24: ceremony at Pentagon; state dinner for governors.]

  Wednesday, February 25

  A cocktail reception for the 14 Cong’men. & wives who 1st came out for me and campaigned enthusiastically. Then an evening of trying to catch up with paper work. Maybe our drive to reduce govt. paper work should begin with us.

  Thursday, February 26

  P.M. Margaret Thatcher arrived. A most impressive ceremony on So. Lawn—review of troops etc. We had a private meeting in Oval office. she is as firm as ever re the Soviets and for reduction of govt. Expressed regret that she tried to reduce govt. spending a step at a time & was defeated in each attempt. Said she should have done it our way—an entire package—all or nothing.

  [State dinner.]

  Friday, February 27

  P.M. getting great press. Went up to the hill and was literally an advocate for our ec. program. Some of the Sen’s. tried to give her a bad time. She put them down firmly & with typical British courtesy.

  Dinner at British Embassy—truly a warm & beautiful occasion. I believe a real friendship exists between the P.M. her family & us—certainly we feel that way & I’m sure they do.

  Saturday, February 28

  Saw the Thatchers off at 11 AM after coffee together. Mexican Ambassador brought message from Pres. Lopez Portillo to Dick Allen & Jim Baker. The Pres. is willing to go forward (with Venezuela) in trying to negotiate an end to El Salvador problem. I’m all for it. A call in evening reported a boat load of Haitians approaching our shores. I’m all for opening the door to refugees from totalitarianism but this is more complicated. These are just people who believe they can have a better life here. They are in fact illegal aliens. We’ll have to deport them but it’s a long & complicated business due to our own laws.

  Had the Wilsons & Smiths to dinner & showed a movie in the “family theatre”—“The Black Stallion.”

  Sunday, March 1

  [Aw
akened by false fire alarm.]

  Church at 11—Nat. Presbyterian—very nice.

  Took our 1st walk on W.H. grounds—saw the pool, dog runs & tennis court.

  [Monday, March 2: addressed local government officials; new poll indicates support for budget cuts.]

  Tuesday, March 3

  [Meetings with economist Arthur Burns regarding China, and with President Ford on economy; message from Pope John Paul II expressing general greetings; VFW reception for Senator Laxalt (R-NV); dinner party.]

  During day I did a 1 hr. interview with Walter Cronkite—his last for CBS. He spent the 1st 20 min’s. on El Salvador. He didn’t throw any slow balls but the reaction was favorable. Because of our dinner we couldn’t watch the show but I was treated to another W.H. service. They taped the program & played it back to us later in the evening.

  Wednesday, March 4

  Our wedding anniversary. 29 years of more happiness than any man could rightly deserve. Nancy came down to the office & we met the Easter Seal girl for 1981 Colleen Finn, a charming 6 yr. old in a wheelchair.

  [Met with freshmen Republican congressmen.]

  A Pakistani plane was hijacked and landed in Kabul. The Russians are holding it & 3 or 6 of the passengers are American. We haven’t been able to learn which figure is right but we’re going to let the Soviets know we won’t put up with their games.

  Tonite—a dinner party (old friends from home) at the Jockey Club. I’m really looking forward to it.

  Home—a wonderful evening—Alfred & Betts, Smiths, Wicks, Lee A. & Ted G.

  [ Thursday, March 5: breakfast with conservative Democratic congressmen; photo session with children afflicted with cystic fibrosis; meeting with Louisiana congressmen; lunch with Vice President Bush; cabinet meeting; taped video appearances for various groups. Friday, March 6: met with governors regarding automobile industry problems; press conference; went to Camp David. Saturday, March 7: responded to news of the execution of a church worker in Bolivia.]

  Sunday, March 8

  [Returned to Washington; dinner party.]

  During the day watched 2 panel shows, Issues & Answers & Face the Nation. On one the Soviet Consul proved I was right when I said Communists reserved the right to lie. On the other Walter Heller proved ecs is the dismal science. He was against our ec. program but had nothing to say about 3 decades or more of his ec. principles had led to the disastrous situation we are in.

  Monday, March 9

  [Interviewed by Frank Reynolds, termed “objective and he’s also a Gentleman of great integrity”; met with West German foreign minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher.]

  Had meeting with Jewish Repub. leaders. They were concerned about sale of F-15’s to Saudi Arabia. I think we made it alright when I told them we had discussed the matter with the Israeli foreign minister and that we were going to increase help to Israel.

  Meeting in situation room—approved some covert operations. I believe we are getting back on track with a proper approach to “intelligence” under Bill Casey.

  Tuesday, March 10

  Off to Canada with Sec’s of State, Commerce, Treasury & Special trade rep. Bill Brock.

  [Formal arrival ceremony at airport.]

  It was a warm welcome with Canadians lining the streets cheering & clapping. Quartered at Rideau house which is truly a magnificent old mansion—except that Nancy & I were in separate rooms—1st time in our marriage.

  Went to Parliament hill to meet P.M. Trudeau. Discovered I liked him. Our meetings were very successful. We have some problems to be worked out having to do with fishing, energy & environment but I believe we’ve convinced them we really want to find answers.

  [Gala evening and dinner.]

  Wednesday, March 11

  Met with Consv. leader Joe Clark—then to Parliament for speech which was very well received. Sandy Vanocur called it best summit he’s ever covered.

  Stopped by American Embassy to speak to staff there then on to the airport.

  In a large hangar faced honor guard while band played the Nat. Anthems of both countries. Somehow the Star Spangled Banner when you hear it in another country brings a tear to the eye. As we turned to leave the band played Auld Lang Syne—then we were really undone.

  [ Thursday, March 12: breakfast with Republican congressmen; lunch with Bush; visited Senator Dole in hospital; reception for National Newspaper Association; received set of bronzes from businessman and former ambassador Walter Annenberg.]

  Friday, March 13

  Nancy off to N.Y. I’m to join her there. The Rev. Jesse Jackson announces he’s staging a march on Wash. Mon. demanding help for Atlanta in this 19 month tragedy of the murders of black children which has so far numbered 20 with 1 missing. Atlanta has a financial problem due to $100,000 a month overtime for police. What Jesse apparently doesn’t know is that we’ve already given Atlanta about $1 mil. and have roughly 40 F.B.I. agents in there on the case. Today I went to the press briefing room and read a statement detailing this & then announced we were giving another $1½ million. & that V.P. G. Bush was going personally to Atlanta.

  Finished calling a number of St. Dept. Professionals appointing them to Ambassadorial posts—no Pres. has ever done this personally before. I’m enjoying doing some of the things I’m then told Pres’s. haven’t done before.

  Flew into LaGuardia then helicoptered around the lower tip of Manhattan and landed on a heli-pad on the lower west side. The usual lengthy motorcade with police closing off intersections and taking us traffic free through town. One thing was unusual and very humbling; the streets were lined with people as if for a parade all the way to the Waldorf. They cheered & clapped and I wore my arms out waving back to them.

  I keep thinking this can’t continue and yet their warmth & affection seems so genuine I get a lump in my throat. I pray constantly that I won’t let them down.

  Saturday, March 14–Sunday, March 15

  Met with the editorial board of the Daily News. It was a good & friendly meeting concerned mainly with our ec. program.

  Then went to lunch in Little Italy with Sen. D’Amato & Cong. Molinari & their wives. It was a wonderful experience—again the streets were jammed. Met with Mayor Koch later and ironed out some misunderstandings about our program. That night saw “Sugar Babies.” Again a great reception from the people in the theatre & from the cast when we went backstage to see Mickey R. and Ann Miller.

  At the final curtain Mickey asked the audience to stay in place until we exited. As we went up the aisle the audience began singing “America the Beautiful.” We went to supper with Alfred & Betts, Claudette Colbert, Jerry Z. the Cowles etc. & all in all had a wonderful time.

  Sunday—went to the Met for the Joffrey Ballet. Ron was flown in from the road company for the performance. I think I held my breath until he finished but he was good. Flew back to Wash.

  Monday, March 16

  Jerry Lewis came to the Oval office with the M.D. poster girl—a beautiful child who I learned would probably die before the next year ends. What a terrible disease. Jerry has for 29 years worked to raise more than $400 mil. for research of M.D.

  Paul Laxalt came by & played Santa Claus with gifts he’d received for me—including the most beautiful western belt buckle I’ve ever seen. He had a letter from an Irishman in Nev. who complained because he didn’t think I knew the R.W. Service poem “The Shooting of Dan McGrew.” We put in a call to Nevada and after I convinced him I really was who I said I was I recited the poem to him. He’s a Dem. who I think may now turn Repub.

  [Appearance at convention of general contractors. Mrs. Reagan had lunch with Mrs. Sadat; president met with congressmen. Wednesday, March 18: saw teacher who once taught Reagan children; breakfast with freshmen senators; met Jewish woman and the Dutch citizen who saved her from the Nazis.]

  Thursday, March 19

  The auto task force met with Cabinet—still some disagreement about any quotas on Japanese imports. Some even with regard to a Japanese voluntary cutback. The
V.P. summed it up nicely. He said we’re all for free enterprise but would any of us find fault if Japan announced without any request from us that they were going to reduce their export of autos to America?

  There was no dissent. I told them I’d heard enough I would make a decision. Privately I told Al Haig to call Amb. Mike Mansfield and have Mike advise “Ito” before his visit that we were threatened by a bill in Cong. to set a quota. An announcement by Japan of a voluntary cutback could head that off. We’ll see what happens.

  Al then told me he felt he was being undercut by other agencies etc. I worry that he has something of a complex about this. Anyway I’ve arranged that he & I meet privately 3x a week.

  Kennedy Center in the evening for “Little Foxes” starring Liz Taylor. She was darn good—so was the show.

  Friday, March 20

  [Meetings with Senator Jacob Javits (R-NY) and with former Japanese prime minister Takeo Fukuda.]

  Forgot to say in yesterday’s account that I met with Chai the Amb. P.R. of China. With him a man from Beijing. The Amb. got on the Taiwan subject—promised peaceful resolution of the problem, then made it plain he didn’t feel we should sell weapons to Taiwan. I made it just as plain that we had an obligation we would fulfill. No harm done.

  [Met with state legislators; swearing-in ceremony for Lee Annenberg as chief of protocol; spoke at Conservative Dinner.]

  Saturday, March 21

  Quiet day at home until 5:10. Then a reception for the entertainers who performed later at Ford Theatre.

  Stopped by Georgetown Club a roast being given by press to Jim Brady. Jim is well liked & deservedly so.

  On to Ford Theatre for 2 hour benefit for support of the theatre. Our 1st visit—there is a definite feeling when you see the flag draped Presidential Box where Booth shot Lincoln.