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White House Diaries
January
28
1986
January 28, 1986
Tuesday, January 28, 1986
A day we’ll remember for the rest of our lives. Started off with a staff meeting & then a session with the Cong. leadership of both parties. Had a go around with Tip—think I came out pretty good. Then Sen. Murkowski brought in a family of 4 just recently united here in Am. An American husband, his Vietnamese wife & their 2 children who had been held in Vietnam.
Then I was getting a briefing for a meeting I was to have with network anchors—an advance on the St. of the Union address scheduled for tonight. In came Poindexter & the V.P. with the news the shuttle Challenger had blown up on takeoff. We all then headed for a T.V. & saw the explosion re-played. From then on there was only subject—the death of the 6 crew & 1 passenger—Mrs. McAuliffe the teacher who had won the right to make the flight. There is no way to describe our shock & horror. We cancelled—I should say postponed the St. of the Union address til next week. Cong. closed down for the day. Nancys brother Dick, Patty & son Geoff were already on their way here for the speech also Maureen was here. Well they’ll all be back next week.
