The Reagan Diaries

by Ronald Reagan

  Tuesday, October 4

  [Visit from President Karl Carstens of West Germany.]

  After our meeting the day began to resemble yesterday. I met with the Am. Bus. Conf.

  Then saw Ed Rowny off to Geneva in a Rose garden ceremony. Secretary Hodel came in to present a copy of the annual energy report required by Cong. A Cab. Council meeting on the problem of phone rates now that the F.C.C. has broken up the Bell system. Pretty soon the discussion was based totally on pol. considerations. I finally reminded everyone we came here to do what was right not what was politically expedient. That’s the way it’s going to be. Then a taping session for 6 dif. affairs. Up to exercise & get into black tie for the Carstens state dinner. I left out a Cong. meeting. A large group of Dem. & Repub. Reps. & Sen’s. in the Roosevelt room on the issue of the arms reduction talks. There is still that question of my sincerity about the talks. I guess I got carried away & did a speech on how I really feel. Chalk up another 1st in my experience in Wash. They came to their feet in a standing ovation.

  Wednesday, October 5

  GOP leadership to start the day. They have a slightly different set of priorities than I do on what they should be trying to pass before recess but we agree on some of the most important items.

  [Visit from Oklahoma City patrolman hurt in accident while escorting the president; ceremony for Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI); interviewed by AP board of directors; spoke to Department of Labor employees regarding Job Partnership Training Act; desk work. Thursday, October 6: presented medals to two heroic young people; interviewed by TV executives; lunch with Vice President Bush; interviewed by Washington Times columnist Donald Lambro; economic briefing; personnel meeting, noted, “Bill Smith has a man he wants desperately & we have another candidate. I think I’ll have to defer to Bill”; gave medal to aircraft designer Kelly Johnson; military ceremonies; report from Commission on Small and Minority Business; barbecue for Congress members, entertainment by the Oakridge Boys. Friday, October 7: flew to Louisville, Kentucky; spoke to National Federation of Republican Women; two fund-raisers for congressional candidate and former baseball pitcher Jim Bunning; returned to W.H., met by Mrs. Reagan, Ron, and Doria; went to Camp David.]

  Saturday, October 8–Sunday, October 9

  Rode both afternoons. The weather was magnificent. The usual movies at night. On Sun. Ron & Doria left by car to fly back to N.Y. We stayed on because Mon. was Columbus Day. Sun. evening Jim Watt called from Calif. & tendered his resignation as Sec. of Interior. I accepted with real regret. He’s done a fine job. True he has an unfortunate way of putting his foot in his mouth but he’s really the victim of a 2½ year lynching. He knows he no longer can be effective with Congress so he’s being a bigger man than his detractors.

  Monday, October 10

  Columbus Day. In the morning at Camp D. I ran the tape of the movie ABC is running on the air Nov. 20. It’s called “The Day After.” It has Lawrence, Kansas wiped out in a nuclear war with Russia. It is powerfully done—all $7 mil. worth. It’s very effective & left me greatly depressed. So far they haven’t sold any of the 25 spot ads scheduled & I can see why. Whether it will be of help to the “anti nukes” or not, I can’t say. My own reaction was one of our having to do all we can to have a deterrent & to see there is never a nuclear war.

  Back to W.H.

  Tuesday, October 11

  Congress in recess for the week—it about seems as if you can feel it in the air.

  [Mrs. Reagan in NYC for appearance on Good Morning America; NSC briefing; met Ambassador to the Vatican Bill Wilson, in U.S. for funeral of Cardinal Cooke.]

  Foreign Minister Wu (P.R.C.) in for a visit. Everyone felt he probably wouldn’t raise the Taiwan question. That’s the 1st thing he did raise. I repeated our position & we went on from there. All in all a rather pleasant visit—no strain.

  After an issues lunch came upstairs to Study & caught up on necessary reading—secret reports on Chinese nuclear capability, defense study on possible cooperation from Israelis if Soviets attacked Middle East. A few other items I could never made much headway with in the Oval office.

  [Attended World Series in Baltimore.]

  Wednesday, October 12

  NSC & more on the Arms negotiations. Rumor has it the Soviets may take a walk in a last effort to sway public opinion in Europe. Some on our side want us to come up with an additional proposal. That is lousy negotiating strategy. It’s time for the Soviets to come up with a proposal of their own. We can’t keep changing our proposals every time they say “nyet.”

  [Columbus Day lunch at Italian Embassy.]

  Geo. S. & I met in office after lunch. Israel is facing real ec. problems & is talking of switching it’s money to U.S. Dollars.

  [Taped message for Time magazine’s sixtieth birthday; received autographed baseball bat from Tommy Lasorda.]

  Now I’m up in my study waiting for Nancy to come home from N.Y.

  Thursday, October 13

  N.S.C.—report on South Korea. Pres. Chun is resisting pressure by his people to take some military action against N.K. in retaliation for the bombing in Burma believed to have been done by N.K. terrorists. It killed 16 people, many of them high S. K. govt. officials & Cabinet members. Pres. Chun is following the right course.

  We had our 1st Budget overview—an optimistic sum up of what we’ve accomplished so far in savings. Figured in real dollars we have reduced domestic spending 10% over the 4 years ending with ’84.

  Good lunch with George Bush. We talked of some personnel problems.

  Sen. Laxalt came by—I agreed to formation of campaign committee which technically makes me a candidate.

  [Announced federal partnership with schools, pairing departments and offices with specific schools; ambassadorial formalities; received award from Hugh O’Brien’s youth foundation; appeared before meeting of Evangelist Christian Women; made surprise announcement of Bill Clark as new secretary of Interior, noted, “Bill I think just finally got caught up with the 18 hour days and 7 day a week routine at N.S.C.”]

  Friday, October 14

  Met with George S. & Bud MacFarlane re Lebanon. It really is a nest of adders & we have some tough decisions to make.

  Jim Baker wants to take the NSC post. I was willing but then found great division & resistance in certain quarters. I finally decided that to ignore this & go ahead anyway would leave me with a permanent problem. Mike D. was going to move up to Jim’s job. When I put everything on hold, Jim took it well but Mike was pretty upset. It was an unhappy day all around.

  [Signed proclamation for World Food Day; National Security Planning Group (NSPG) meeting on Lebanon—no decisions, just a listing of the problems; interview with religious writer; left for Camp David; commented, “Not a pleasant evening what with all the hassle over the NSC spot.”]

  Saturday, October 15–Sunday, October 16

  Friday evening I called Pat O’ Brien in St. Johns hospital in S. M., Calif. He’s just had a prostate removal. He sounded fine & told me a joke—Irish of course. On Sat. I called his widow Heloise. He had died suddenly of a massive heart attack.

  The weekend weather was magnificent. We rode Saturday afternoon. The phone was busy. I’m being lobbied on behalf of Jeanne Kirkpatrick for the NSC job. I fear there would be bad chemistry with Geo. S. & State. I lean toward Bud MacFarlane. Some lobbying is going on for Brent Scowcroft. I’ll have to decide tomorrow. Jeanne wants out of the U.N. & I don’t want to lose her to the admin. She may have her heart set on Bills job. I’m going to try & find something else & then ask Jim Baker if he’d like the U.N. job.

  I spent some of my time picking up acorns—a big bag of them. I’m going to give them to the squirrels outside the Oval office.

  Monday, October 17

  N.S.C.—mostly about how to announce appointment of Bud MacFarlane as Nat. Security Advisor.

  Sen. Laxalt & the basic campaign committee came in for letter signing which makes me a candidate in the eyes of the Elec. Commission.
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  Cab. meeting was on legis. having to do with reforms in tax structure mainly on women’s issues such as tax credits & deductions for child care centers etc.

  Lunch with Geo. Will. I think we are straightened out on some differences about taxes & the Soviets. We parted on very good terms.

  Jeanne Kirkpatrick came in. We talked for an hour. She has wanted to come back to Wash. from the U.N. for some time & hoped she would be given Bill’s job. I offered her a position as Counselor to the Pres. on International Policy. I couldn’t convince her it was a job where she’d have a real voice in determining policy. Finally left it with me not accepting her “no” & her promise to think about it during the 2 months or more she’ll still be Ambas. at the U.N.

  [Photo session; announced appointment of Bud McFarlane as National Security Advisor; phoned parents of Marine killed in Beirut; videotapings; dinner with Maureen and friend. Tuesday, October 18: morning briefing on negotiations over auto quotas in upcoming Japan trip; National Security Planning Group (NSPG) meeting on Lebanon; lunch with editors of ethnic papers; rehearsal for press conference.]

  Wednesday, October 19

  Discussion about a successor to Bud MacFarlane in Beirut. It won’t be a problem we have several good choices. Presented Presidential awards to selected Math & Science tchrs. from all over Am.

  Jim Watt came by. He’s in good spirits. He knew that in carrying out my policies his days would be numbered. Actually he thought he would have had to leave sooner than he did. He gave me a report on his stewardship & it reveals the hypocrisy of the Environmental lynch mob. I don’t think the Dept. of Interior or our Nat. Parks & wild lands have ever been in better shape.

  [Greeted business leaders volunteering in bond sale campaign.]

  After lunch went to the Air & Space Museum to celebrate the “Nasa” 25th birthday. Saw a film on the “Shuttle” in a process called “IMAX.” It is the most spectacular thing of it’s kind I’ve ever seen.

  [Two-hour briefing for press conference, then staged the conference.]

  Thursday, October 20

  P.M. Craxi of Italy for a lengthy meeting & lunch. He’s a different kind of Italian official. He’s socialist but totally anti-communist. He’s been very supportive of us & firm on the Pershing II deployment in Europe. A Cabinet Council meeting on 2 subjects—no decision. One was whether to sell Alaska oil to Japan. It would put a hole in our relations with the maritime industry & union. The other issue was the issue raised by the F.C.C. as to whether the TV networks should be allowed to own syndicated rights to programs. I believe it would amount to a monopoly by the networks.

  [Presented the National Security Medal to Richard Helms; send-off for Olympic Ski Team.]

  Friday, October 21

  A Budget overview meeting. We’ve actually achieved more savings in domestic spending than we’re given credit for. We’ve only been given about 50% of the spending cuts though that we’ve asked for.

  [Met with business leaders regarding natural gas price deregulation; interview with David Hartman for Good Morning America.]

  Henry Kissinger & the Commission on Central Am. came by. It’s amazing how much consensus there is now that they’ve been there, that what we’re doing is right & Nicaragua is the real villain.

  I taped my Sat. radio bit & we left for Augusta, Ga. We all stayed in the Eisenhower cottage at Augusta Country Club—home of the Masters golf tourney. There were the Shultzs, the Don Regans & the Nick Bradys. We turned out to be a fun group. Dinner at the Club then home to bed. About 4 A.M. or so I was awakened by Bud McFarlane. I joined him & George S. in the living room. We were on the phone with Wash. about the Grenada situation. I’ve OK’d an outright invasion in response to a request by 6 other Caribbean nations including Jamaica & Barbados. They will all supply some forces so it will be a multinational invasion. Finally back to bed for a short while & then up for golf. I was better than at Andrews but still not good. I guess you have to play more than 4 times in almost 3 yrs.

  We reached the 16th hole & suddenly were stopped. A man with a gun was holding hostages in the golf shop demanding to talk to me. I got on the car phone & tried 5 times to talk to him but he always hung up on me. David F. was a hostage but talked his way out on the grounds that he could get the message to me. Lanny Wiles remained a hostage for almost 2 hours before he made a break & got away. One by one the hostages got away one way or another. The gunman was taken into custody. Meanwhile we had taken a back road & reached Eisenhower cottage.

  And so to bed—after a pleasant dinner.

  Saturday, October 22–Sunday, October 23

  About 2:30 in the morning awakened again: This time with the tragic news that more than 100 Marines in Beirut had been killed by a car bomb driven by a suicide driver who drove the truck right into the H.Q. building & blew up with it. All our plans changed—we arranged to depart the cottage at 6:30 A.M. & go back to Wash. Of course by this time it was Sun. Oct. 23. I’ve spent the day in meetings on this & Grenada. We’re going to go on with the invasion. Tonite our men are staging a landing to gather intelligence. If everything is OK, tomorrow night is D Day—well actually it will be early morning Tues. Meanwhile Gen. Kelley (Marines) is leaving for Lebanon. We all believe Iranians did this bombing just as they did with our embassy last April.

  Monday, October 24

  This was really a Monday. Opened with NSC brf. on Lebanon & Grenada. Lebanon gets worse as the death toll climbs. More bodies are found & more critically wounded die. Ambas. Hartman (Russia) came by. He confirms what I believe: the Soviets won’t really negotiate on arms reductions until we deploy the Pershing II’s & go forward with MX. He also confirms that Andropov is very much out of sight these days.

  Phoned Tip & Howard Baker to express hope they’d stay firm on keeping the Marines in Lebanon—both said yes.

  [Lunch with regional radio and television news editors.]

  The Pres. of Togo visited. He’s anti-communist & pro West. A meeting with the Joint Chiefs—they outlined the final details for our move on Grenada scheduled for 9 P.M. take off. No evidence of any moves by Cuba.

  Jack Anderson came by with some ideas about ed. & the lack of history in our schools. Also an idea to give people a chance to sound off about legitimate beefs with govt. We’re looking his ideas over.

  So far not even a tiny leak about the Grenada move.

  [Photo sessions.]

  Then at 8 P.M., Tip, Jim Wright, Bob Byrd, Howard Baker, Bob Michel & all our gang met upstairs in the W.H. & we told them of the Grenada operation that would take place in the next several hours. We gave them the complete briefing. In the middle of the meeting Margaret Thatcher called. She’s upset & doesn’t think we should do it. I couldn’t tell her it had started. This was one secret we really managed to keep.

  Tuesday, October 25

  At 7:30 A.M. without breakfast, met with Mrs. P.M. Charles of Dominica who came up there to join me in telling the press. Then a meeting with the cabinet room full of Congressmen. We gave them the briefing with the fact that around 5:30 A.M. our forces had landed on Grenada at 2 points & had both airports secure. Went from there to the press room—told them & presented P.M. Charles who was magnificent. We both then joined the Cabinet & told them. We are taking some casualtys but the operation is successful.

  Met with Lt. Gen. Ershad, Pres. of the Council of Ministers of Bangladesh. He’s quite a man & is taking that poverty stricken land out of statism & into the world of free enterprise. I liked him & his ministers.

  An NSC meeting on trade matters with Japan—preparing me for our trip. Japan is still holding stubbornly to trade practices that are unfair. I’ll have to really lean on P.M. Nakasone.

  Yousuf Karsh brought me his book on his photographs. In the Red Room a meeting with Paul Laxalt, Dick Lugar & Bob Packwood. Bob has evidently regretted his attack on me & wants to start obeying the 11th Commandment. I’m all for that.

  Wednesday, October 26

  NSC meeting with Cap who is off to Canad
a for the NATO ministers meeting. He’s presenting a plan for our further reduction of nuclear tactical weapons in Europe. We’ve already taken out about 1000 without it ever being noticed.

  [Greeted winners of the New York City Marathon, including a competitor born with only one leg; meeting with Senators Paul Laxalt (R-NV) and Strom Thurmond (R-SC) on administration’s crime legislation; spoke to Jewish Coalition of Republicans.]

  Taping session for the events I’ve cancelled because of Grenada. Speaking of that it looks like the mission is almost accomplished—a few hotspots left but we’ve taken 100’s of Cubans prisoner. The Marines, the A.F. & the Army & Navy planned beautifully & executed even better. We have 6 killed, 8 missing, & 33 wounded at last count. George B. is back from Lebanon—stopped by to report on that tragic scene. Morale of the Marines is high. I’m re writing a speech for Nat. TV tomorrow night.

  Thursday, October 27

  N.S.C.—naturally on Grenada. Success seems to shine on us & I thank the Lord for it. He has really held us in the hollow of his hand. We cleared the schedule so I could work on the speech. I’d managed to get about half of it done last nite by staying up til 1 o’clock.

  [Meeting with Governor Bob Orr (R-IN) bringing proposals on gas deregulation bill; visit from Prime Minister John Compton of Saint Lucia, in Washington at W.H. request to speak to the press regarding Grenada; Shultz reported that the other multinational-force nations remained committed to staying in Lebanon.]

  Everything is going well in Grenada. We’re mopping up. We discovered a Cuban base, barracks, H.Q., Warehouse full of weapons. They were really going to move in & take over. The speech must have hit a few nerves. I did my best to explain what our Marines were doing in Beirut & then explained Grenada. ABC polled 250 people before the speech, the majority were against us. They polled the same people right after the speech & there had been a complete turn around. 1000’s of phone calls & wires from all over the country flooded us more than on any speech or issue since we’ve been here—10 to 1 in our favor.