White House Diaries

Wednesday, June 24, 1987

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A busy staff time with discussion about putting together a citizens committee to rouse up a public cry about budget reform.

Then discussion of a commission 11 members on advising us about AIDS. We’re going ahead with this. Then it was re the extradition of Hamadei from Germany. They are going to try him for the murder of our sailor.

N.S.C.—Began with Hamadei. His mother was on T.V. very bitter that he wouldn’t be tried here & saying we hadn’t done enough. (Let me correct this—it was Stethem’s mother—not Hamadie’s) Anyway I phoned her and I think I straightened things out. She was quite emotional & crying bitterly throughout our talk. It seems some of our lower level bureaucrats in the Justice Dept. had been sounding off about us. When the cat’s away the mice—rats will play. Ed M. is in Europe. Then we had a report on S. Korea. Pres. Chun has met with leaders of the opposition but no real settlement or agreement was reached.

Then Culvahouse came in—another report on the hearings. I’m embarrassed by how many times I have to say “I dont remember.” Then a N.S.C. meeting in Cab. room—it was report time on our security measures at our Nuclear installations. I must say they are so thorough & well planned you cant see how any threat of theft or sabotage could be successful.

After lunch a photo by request of Chris Wallace of him & his family. Then over to E.O.B. to address about 250 students who are on their way to Europe—part of an exchange program. I addressed them for about 15 min’s. Then visited Anne Higgens mail dept.—manned totally by volunteers—mainly elderly people. I greeted one in particular—John Martin—77 yrs. of age who has signed 252,000 W.H. birthday cards.

That did it—upstairs for the rest of day. Waiting to learn when I can call Lew Wasserman who went in for colon operation today.