White House Diaries

Friday, July 4, 1986

View the President's Schedule

Left Pocantico at 8 A.M. Landed Marine 1 on Stern of battleship Iowa. We sailed slowly down the river and bay passing warships of 30 odd countries & several of our own warships who fired 21 gun salutes & of course on all sides were the 40,000 private boats loaded with people. Then we landed on Governors Island for the parade of Tall ships in company of Pres. M. & Madame M. Shortly after noon Nancy & Mrs. M. went to a luncheon at one of the Admirals home on the island. Pres. M. & I joined cabinet members of mine & several of his ministers at a working lunch. Pres. M. is going back to a meeting with Gen. Sec. Gorbachev. Our meeting had to do with East-West relations. I tried to give the Pres. all the info I could about our dealings with the Gen. Sec. on arms reductions so that he would know our side if he was subjected to any propaganda. It was a good meeting although Pres. M. can be very unpredictable.

Then picked up Nancy & returned to Pocantico. A few hours rest. Dinner with the Davis’s and then back on Marine 1 & a landing on the carrier J.F. Kennedy. A U.S.O. show was in progress. Then we participated in a ceremony of 25 sailors who are re-enlisting plus one who has become a Warrant Officer—his name is John Reagan.

Then I made a brief 4th of July speech to the Nation & called for the fireworks display to begin. It was the greatest display (40,000 shells) in our history. We were most warmly cheered by the 5000 crew members of the U.S.S. J.F.K. Back to Pocantico for the night.