White House Diaries

Thursday, July 30, 1987

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Well its tomorrow & yes I have to have another carcinoma removed but now it will be tomorrow Fri. afternoon at Bethesda late afternoon so there’ll be no Camp D. this week.

Now to start the day—good news—Cong. sent me a temporary 8 day extension of the Debt Ceiling so we wont be in default tomorrow. It’s confirmed Shultz & Shevardnadze will meet here on September 15 through 17. New subject, Jo Ann Gasper fired by Bowen (he really had to) has been hired by Bennet for Dept. of Ed. I’m glad—Bowen had no choice but she is a good person. I’m glad Bill Bennet had a place for her.

A glimmer of hope on Nicaragua—it’s possible the Dem. leadership on the hill will push as their own, legislation almost identical with our own proposal. Let em take the bow—we’ll get what we want.

N.S.C.—We’re talking about funding for Contras on a 2 yr. basis at $180 mil. a year. Also touched on Persian Gulf—there is a plan to use Kuwaiti tugs towing a cable between them to bring mines to the surface.

At 10 A.M. Dr. Graham came by with an answer to an earlier Q. I had about relative quality of U.S.S.R. & U.S. space procedures. Some articles have had them out ahead. That isn’t true—they have nothing yet to equal our Saturn rocket for ability to put heavy loads into space.

At 11:45 A.M. went over to E.O.B. and addressed about 200 of the Right to Life people. I was able to tell them of strong plans to curb Abortion on Demand that we are putting in place by changes in regulation & some changes we are seeking thru legislation. They were really excited.

After Lunch Gary Shuster came by—he’s leaving to go to work for Drew Lewis. Then a meeting with 45 Latin American students here on a student aid program. They are from El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama & Belize. They’ve been in Wis. & Iowa & are now going home.

Met the Multiple Sclerosis Mother & Father of the year ’86 & the same for ’87. All were in wheel chairs. Some departure photos, a brief stop at the Dr’s. for details on tomorrow. Then upstairs to wait for Nancy to come home from a Camp appearance in Maine. And here she is—Mermie is here for dinner—she is slimmer.