White House Diaries

Monday, May 19, 1986

View the President's Schedule

A brief meeting with Foreign Minister Raimond of France. He’ll hold working meetings with George S. & others while here. We had met in Tokyo. My scheduled meeting with Jewish leaders re the arms sale to Saudi Arabia was called off. One of the leaders died of a heart attack & the others are attending the funeral.

In the Rose Garden a signing of a proclamation on trade week, then presentation of E&E star awards to about 20 businesses. It was a beautiful day. We issued a statement critical of S. Africa for sending armed forces into 3 neighbor ing countries. I have sympathy & understanding for the complexity of S. Africas problem but there is no justification for acts of this kind. An issues briefing lunch—1st in some time. Bill Wilson came in—suggested resignation from his Ambassadorial Post (The Vatican). I was relieved & told him so. The Capitol Hill Lynch mob has been gearing up to go after him as they have so many others. He has made some mistakes—trying to stay on Board of Penzoil, visiting a high official of Libya etc. I didn’t want to see him smeared by the little gang that has done this to so many in my admin.

Another bill signing—this time S-49 the McClure-Volkmer bill that undoes so much of the 1968 Gun law which was a lemon.

Then Congressional photo time—including one bringing in a young couple & their little baby girl. Sen. Orrin Hatch had brought to my attention a few months back the case of a baby needing a liver transplant. We were able to do it—last minute—baby in a coma. And here she was a beautiful little girl. Rep. Strang brought in a tiny saddle—made by a Col. saddle maker as a souvenir to hang in our tack room. Days end.