White House Diaries

Friday, May 1, 1987

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Started day by having the Nakasones including their daughter for breakfast—a pleasant hour. Then he went up to meet Cong. & I went to the office. Usual staff meeting had to do with the budget & the games the Dems. are playing trying to play off cuts in the defense budget for a tax increase. Then there was the oil problem & again their desire for a tariff on imported oil. Some discussion on my upcoming speech to the Nat. Publishers Assn. Sunday in N.Y. The subject is going to be Central Am. N.S.C. brought an announcement that the Bank of Japan had publicly repudiated P.M. Nakasone on his proposal that they lower int. rates—something we’d asked him to do in our trade negotiations. Then we got into S.D.I. and Sen. Levins amendment which would really cripple & eventually close down the project. And a lot of discussion of short range nuc. missiles. Soviets have proposed eliminating them but our N.A.T.O. Allies aren’t too happy about that. We’re waiting for their decision.

Then at 11 A.M. Yasu was back for our final meeting in the Cabinet room. Things have gone well. We finished off with departure statements to the press in the Rose Garden.

After lunch—went over to E.O.B. & addressed the annual meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council—A.L.E.C.

Met with George S. and again the subject was largely the short range nuc. missiles. Then a short meeting with Suzanne Massie—reporting on her last Soviet visit. Finally a taping session—well 1st a short go round with Howard, Ken & Frank on decision I must make about help to the Oil industry. We have 11 states that are really hurting.

End of day.