White House Diaries

Tuesday, July 5, 1988

View the President's Schedule

A 10 A.M. day. We of course discussed the Gulf plane tragedy & press coverage. Tomorrow expecting a House vote on plant closing. Judge McKay has submitted his findings on Ed Meese to Ed. & to the 3 judge panel. Nothing in it charges crime or calls for indictment. Ed is busy reviewing their study on drug policy.

N.S.C.—Colin brought in an amazing personality. He’s Wm. Harrington, 93 1⁄2 yrs. old—a former Sgt. Major in the 9th & 10th Cavalry. These were the 2 black Cavalry regiments. He really is an amazing man with a great personality. Then we got down to business. We’re sending request to Cong. to allow us to sell Kuwait 40 F-18’s. Saudis are buying arms, $30 Bil. from the U.K.

Max Kampelman & Elliott Abrams came in & reported on George S’s. trip to Central Am. We can have some optimism about the results.

Later in morning Ken Khachigian came in & we talked about my convention speech. Then a 90 yr. old lady was brought in. She had gotten an invitation to attend last weeks Repub. Leaders conference. They hadn’t included the card that called on her to contribute $2500 so she couldn’t get in. She doesn’t even have enough money to get home until her Soc. Security check comes. Thank Heaven our people found out about her & brought her in for a visit, & they’re arranging to get her back to Calif.

Lunch & some desk time then over to E.O.B. to address Conservative Pol. leaders. More desk time then received 7 new Ambassadors & their families.

Then over to Map room & taped an interview for a program on Presidential Inaugural process.

Then Geo. Bush & I met at Walter Reed hospital to visit Pres. Duarte of El Salvadore. Just before we left I got a call from Ed Meese telling me about the report & now that he’s cleared he wants to resign effective in early August. While we were at the hospital he held a press conf. & announced he was stepping down.

After we met with Duarte—George & I dropped in on the Commanding officer’s room—he is (we’re told) a terminal Cancer of the liver case. End of day.