White House Diaries

Monday, February 1, 1988

View the President's Schedule

Back to the routine. Naturally we talked about the game. Then sadly some further reports on the latest attack on Ed Meese (The Israeli—pipe line deal).

Word came the Vote on Judge Kennedy for Supreme Ct. will now be on Wed. The I.N.F. treaty hearings seem to be doing well. I think I’m getting a Housing Bill for signing Fri.

N.S.C.—Frank Carlucci & Gen. Odom have recommended I appoint Gerald R. Young as Deputy Dir. of Nat. Security—I said yes. Word has come from Soviets—Gorby mis spoke when he claimed Soviets have a way of identifying number of nuclear missiles ships & subs are carrying. There aint no such device. Roy Brewer—called Kathy to tell her Sandinistas freed our citizen Denby in return for his pledge that he would come up here & attack Contra Aid. He’s told our people whole deal including that they are holding his plane until he does. Well some Americans have pd. him the cost of the plane & he’ll tell the truth publicly. It will be interesting to see if press will carry it.

Now we’re hearing that Marcos—claiming he’s dying wants Aquino to let him come home to Philippines. We’re trying to find out state of his health because we know he has continued to use phone trying to organize a coup. Habib had his meeting with Hussein.

A little timing session of part of tomorrow nights speech then an Issues Lunch in Roosevelt Rm. At 1:45 picked up Nancy & we went to Sheraton hotel for Nat. Religious Broadcasters Convention—4000 of them. We were warmly greeted. Nancy received a plaque for her work with Foster Grand Parents. Then I addressed them—had to stick to script—teleprompter didn’t work.

Back at W.H.—desk work. Then my brothers friends the Phelps & Havers from Ky. came by for pictures. We’ve arranged for them to see the Opera at Kennedy Center using our box, a tour of the W.H. & then the city.

Finally a meeting with Frank Carlucci on what we’ll have to do to our military to meet the budget cuts imposed by Cong. It’s a d--n disgrace—some 16 ships laid up, several air wings gone & 50,000 men left out of the service. That did the day—upstairs.—Whoops! Should have reported the day began with my pinning Maple Leaves (Major) on one of our nurses who received a promotion from Capt.