White House Diaries

Thursday, April 24, 1986

View the President's Schedule

Get away day for Nancy. She’s on her way to Phoenix to see her mother then she’ll meet me in L.A. tomorrow. From there it’s Honolulu, Guam, Bali & Tokyo. She’ll leave me for a few days to go to Kuala Lumpur & Bangkok on the drug program.

A meeting this morning with Bob Dole & the Sen’s. who voted with us on the “Fast Track” negotiations for the Canada free trade zone. Last evening I got the call that one vote had switched—Sen. Matsunaga (Dem.) who made it a 10-10 tie which is a win. Within 10 min’s. I was on the phone to P.M. Mulroney. So today I had the 10 right Sens. Dem. & Repub. in to thank them. We spend most of our time trying to persuade the squeaky wheels. It was a good idea to do an in person thank you.

Another Tokyo summit briefing—I think I’ve been told more than I need to know. It’s certainly more than I can remember.

Then after lunch a straight ec. session on our own Ec. & where it’s going. It’s going reasonably well—especially with the Yen & Mark climbing in value compared to our $.

A photo—well I should say 10 photos with 10 Japanese reporters who have a written interview for their papers.

Over to E.O.B. to thank several hundred volunteers. Here in the Exec. branch we have 500 or more volunteers who work full time taking calls, opening & taking care of mail. I get a half mil. letters a month. Then upstairs to pack & to tie up loose ends. I leave for L.A. at 9 A.M. tomorrow.

I phoned Colleen who I learned was nervous about Cameron & Ashley what with Khadafy threatening my family. I think I gave her some reassurance.