White House Diaries

Wednesday, September 21, 1988

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Ken D. not on hand for 1st meeting—due in at noon—the Jewish Holiday. Bea conducted meeting. I learned Nick Brady will be off to Europe for meetings having to do with World bank & International Monetary Fund. Jim Wright sounded off on a supposed C.I.A. operation in Nicaragua—this is a grave violation of policy regarding intelligence operations. Our Repub. Reps. are after him. Some talk about my speeches to come in Texas—tomorrow.

N.S.C.—Well it didn’t do me any good to be for Dame Nita Barrow for top spot at U.N. The Argentine Foreign Minister won. I had to rule on an agreement between us & U.S.S.R. having to do with Basic science. I gave it a go ahead but with a couple of changes to prevent it involving Applied science.

We’ll talk tomorrow & Fri. on Warheads on missiles but feel Krasnoyarsk Radar should come down 1st.

Our man Murphy in Lebanon persuaded Syria to withdraw their candidate for Pres. of Lebanon. But then they came up with a substitute—so there is still friction.

The proposed (by the Soviets) Human Rt’s. Conf. in Moscow. I feel we should insist Soviets clear up their lack of Human Rt’s. first—then we say yes to a conference & after we’ve taken it up with our allies. Geo. S. would like to tell Shevardnadze that we agree on a conf. if U.S.S.R. meets some requirements.

Met in Roosevelt Rm. with Presidents Council on Integrity & Efficiency—purpose to present annual award to the one who has been most successful in our goal. These were my “Junkyard dogs”—the Inspector Generals.

Then a meeting with Joint Chiefs of Staff. They gave me a report on how much the Dem. budget cuts have hurt our military. A.F. alone has had to cut back 20,000 men among other things.

The V.P. & I had lunch together on the Patio. He’s prepping for the 1st debate.

Met with leaders of the Bankruptcy Judges. They gave me a giant gavel.

Geo. S. came in to talk about coming meetings with Shevardnadze. Then Howard Baker briefly—says Joy is better.

Then an old team mate Tubby Muller & wife came by. He was Left Guard at Eureka when I was R. Guard.

Then I went for more than an hour and a half in the dentist chair—the final session on my root canal problem. Back to the office—signed off on Basic Science proposal & upstairs—exercise, shower, pack for tomorrow.