White House Diaries

Friday, September 21, 1984

View the President's Schedule

A meeting with the Japanese Minister of Finance. I hinted strongly they can do even more to bring the “Yen” up closer to our $ in value. Saw our new Ambas. off to the M.B.F.R. talks in Vienna. Then Nancy & I went to the East Room for a signing ceremony of the “Nat. Drug Abuse, Ed. & Prevention Week” proclamation. We also gave awards to several people who’ve done great volunteer work. Then a fruitful meeting with our Ambas. to the Soviet U. Art Hartman a very good man. Dick Wirthlin came by with new figures on the campaign. They continue to stand firm. George S., Bud & I had our usual Fri. meeting—Israel not Russia the subject this time. Met with the dozen Airmen & Women of the year—A.F. all enlisted personnel. A taping session then a meeting with Bill Smith re a problem in that the State dept. has been doing it’s own litigation—a job that should belong to Justice. Al Haig started that.

I phoned the parents of our 2 service men who were killed in the suicide bombing of our embassy annex in Beirut. The mother of one was sobbing but in part because the press had been after her to tell them it was terrible & that her son shouldn’t have been there. She refused because her son she said was proud to be there and believed in what he was doing.

Tonite Nancy & I went to the home of my pen-pal at his invitation for dinner at 5:30—they are then going to the Michael Jackson concert. Rudy is 7, his mother is a nurse & his father is a photographer (free lance). It was fun—a tiny apartment in an all black (they are) neighborhood—we really had a good time.