White House Diaries

Wednesday, July 6, 1988

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First meeting—Ken D. & B. Oglesby. Talked about U.S.A. Today poll showing great support for action taken in shooting down plane. Dems. in House talking about an increase in minimum wage but only $4.35 not the original $4.55.

Ken is trying to set up a lunch meeting tomorrow with Geo. B. and the others—Paul Laxalt, Georges campaign people, Stu Spencer etc. to talk campaign strategy.

A. B. Culvahouse came in briefly to report on Ed Meese situation & the McKay report. Then we did a little talking about possible replacements for him. N.S.C.—An argument between State & Treasury over Soviet exports to us of Tea & Chocolate. Our law prohibits American import of products produced by convicts or slave labor. It seems Tea & Chocolate are made in Prison labor camps in Soviet U. I’ve asked to see the evidence.

[. . .]

Then some talk about the Iran plane shoot down. There is a Question as to whether plane wasn’t actually inside the Commercial Aircraft Corridor. Some desk time—then Ed M. came in briefly to make some suggestions on his replacement & an offer to help. An interesting successor he suggested was Sec. of Interior Don Hodel.

Then a double N.S.P.G. meeting—50 min’s. on changing our charge that Krasnoyarsk Radar in Russia was a violation of A.B.M. treaty to a term in treaty making it a material act outside the treaty which would call for some action on our part. Good arguments for both positions & now it’s up to me to decide. For 1st time in Defense Dept. that I can recall—Chiefs of staff were on opposite side from Sec. Carlucci. Second meeting was a 10 min. C.I.A. presentation of [. . .] action to rid Panama of Noriega [. . .] Then lunch—signed a bunch of pictures & upstairs. Tonite dinner with Paul & Carol Laxalt & Merme & Dennis then over to Kennedy Center to see Les Miserables. It was like something I’ve never seen before, a fascinating new idea in theatre.