White House Diaries

Wednesday, January 11, 1989

View the President's Schedule

To the Dr. at 9:30 A.M.—bandage changed. A much smaller one & the splint—made of piano wire on back of hand & finger. Then to the office by 10:10. Ken told me the Justice Dept. will file a motion today to quash the subpoenas for Geo. & me in the North Case.

Nancy Risque has ordered “Council on Environmental Control” to kill a proposal re the greenhouse effort. It would have made practically everything illegal. I’m to call Trent Lott this afternoon.

N.S.C.—Libyans have agreed to return the body of American flyer they’ve been holding since 1986.

Greeks & Turks are working out a compromise re a Turkish Port the Greeks thought should be under some kind of international control.

A very hush, hush problem [. . .]

Then some free time at desk in study while Oval was rearranged for press coverage of my presenting Natan Scharansky Gold Medals for himself & his wife. Congress ordered a special medal for their work in behalf of human rights. His wife Avital is in Israel where they are now citizens. He did 9 yrs. in Soviet prisons for helping others. His Mother, Brother & female Cousin were with him also Sec. Shultz, V.P. Bush & Mrs. Gilman wife of Congressman who sponsored legislation on medals in Congress.

Then into Roosevelt room for meeting & photo with Ec. Commission on our budget. Lunch in Study. Then photos with departing Chief of uniformed S.S. & his family & his replacement & family.

Regular meeting Geo. S. reporting on Chemical Warfare meeting in Europe. Things are looking pretty good. Also spoke of easing some sanctions on Libya because they are hurting some Americans worse than they are hurting Quadafi. Then into Cabinet Room for official photo with Cabinet. They presented me with my cabinet chair. They bought it for me—$1200.

Back to Roosevelt room to receive leather bound report of the Export Now Commission—these are private volunteers who worked to increase Am. exports. They led 8000 businesses into exporting products for 1st time.

Then in Oval O. received printed report—1st copy of W.H. publication of the Reagan Admin. record—what we promised & what we delivered.

Some desk time—phoned Trent Lott who has a candidate for position having to do with sport & commercial fishing in Mississippi. Over to Dr. to check on a little bleeding in my hand. Nothing serious. Shower, dress, dinner & at 9 P.M. farewell T.V. address in Oval O. to the people. It was well received. Our exec. office staff stayed on & listened to the speech in the Roosevelt Room. They had a buffet. I dropped in for a few minutes after the speech. They kept the party going for quite awhile. Then upstairs & bed.