White House Diaries

Wednesday, September 7, 1988

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Breaking me in gently they set starting time at 10 A.M. A lovely day—temp. around 70°. Started with the usual staff meeting. Talk about confrontations in Cong. re various legislative matters. Truth is the Dem’s. are playing outright politics with their approach to bills. The idea is to keep us from getting a bill that will help in the election or to pass one I’ll have to veto & then alienate some voters. Typical of this are amendments they’re talking about in the drug omnibus bill.

Canada Free Trade should clear the Sen. in the next couple of weeks. Tomorrow is date set for our destruction of our 1st nuc. weapon under I.N.F. Treaty.

N.S.C.—Colin took us in to see the whole new lighting plan in the Roosevelt room. It actually makes the room look bigger. New lighting in Oval office is a big improvement.

Our Ambas. in Burma has ordered some family dependents to leave Burma because of rioting etc.

China has gone into business with long missiles launching satellites into space commercially. Some interest in our own country about using Chinese launchers. Contra funding on agenda again. Bob Byrd has a bill calling for $27 mil. non lethal aid but no provision for weapons. It isn’t good enough.

Next a meeting in Cab. room with Repub. Cong. leadership. A good session on much of the same problems we’d first been discussing. Al Symms brought up Yellowstone fire & said we are not doing all we could to control it. I’ve told Ken to look into that—we must make every effort to put that fire out.

Lunch in the patio then a short but pleasant meeting with a Polish couple. He is top aid (press wise) of Lech Walesa & Solidarity. They think very much like us & are chafing under the Soviet control.

Then meeting with Geo. Shultz—mostly a report on the Middle East situation. Both sides are at fault.

A haircut, a sneeze shot & found out I’m up about 4 lbs. That has to be muscle, these last 3 weeks have been hard work. There is no sign of increased flab.

Some phone calls—to Bill Buckley & Al Schwabacher. Maureen here for dinner. A sleepless night. I miss Mommie.