White House Diaries

Thursday, May 23, 1985

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Always there is trouble—for hours yesterday Bud M. was on the hill trying to persuade Sam Nunn & a few of his fellow Demos.—namely Bob Byrd to change Sams bill to limit production to 12 instead of 21 MX missiles in the coming year. No go! Finally this morning I phoned Sam & offered a compromise—he didn’t say yes or no—only that he’d talk to Bob Byrd. As the day went on Bob dug in his heels. By this afternoon we got an agreement with Sam that flanked Bob in a way. Sam is usually with us on defense matters but on the MX his big gripe is the basing mode. He just doesn’t want to put them in existing silos. Even our best mil. experts have said that’s where they should go.

A couple of interesting phone calls one to a 5th grade girl who won in an essay & picture contest & the other to 2 8th grade girls who also won. The 2 different schools were also listening in to the calls. Their essays were on their idea of most serious problem confronting me. It was nuclear war.

Dick Wirthlin’s poll figures were interesting & holding up well—except for the Nicaragua issue. We have to do a job of education with the people—they just dont understand it. Lunch in the East Room to award a dozen Medals of Freedom—friends Jimmy Stewart & Frank Sinatra were among the recipients.

Russell Long (Sen.) came by regarding tax reform. He was concerned that we might be reducing the incentive for E.S.O.P.S.—Businesses offering stock ownership to employees. We worked something out to his satisfaction because on this one I’m on his side.

A long schedule of what we call Admin. time. First the Nat. Arthritis Foundation’s Poster girl. Then a high school basketball player, winner of Nat. award—he is about 7 ft. tall. The Multiple Sclerosis Mother & Father of the year. Photo for Marino de Medici—Italian reporter. Bob Nesen came by—he’s stepping down as Ambas. to Australia. And finally an interview with Mollie Dickinson for a book she’s doing with Jim Brady. Oops—2 visitors Geo. & Vera Ward. Geo. was my first agent in Hollywood 48 yrs. ago. He left that business to become a Christian Science Practitioner.