White House Diaries

Tuesday, September 22, 1987

View the President's Schedule

An early morning call; our Navy has boarded & seized the Iranian ship. Three of the Iranians were dead, 2 missing, 4 wounded & 26 taken prisoner. This was subject of our brief staff meeting. Then we discussed Pres. Arias of Costa Rica who was going to meet with me prior to addressing the House of Rep’s. That continued for the few minutes of N.S.C. meeting then he arrived. He admitted to being concerned that Sandinistas would try to cheat & agreed the Contras should be supported. Then he went up to Cong. & reversed himself.

Then a very disturbing meeting with Jim Miller, O.M.B., Will Ball, Cap Weinberger, Jim Baker & of course our staff. The subject was the bill to extend the debt ceiling which expires tomorrow. They have loaded that simple bill with a cut in defense so great we’d have to kick 400,000 out of the service. I’d have to agree to bil’s. of $ in new taxes & on & on. Jim Baker says if I veto we could conceivably have a world crisis financially because we’d be defaulting on $24 Bil. worth of bonds. I have to come up with a decision on—do I sign or do I veto. Everything in me cries out to veto.

Then a meeting with a group of Conservative leaders who through Paul Weyrich had appealed for a meeting with me at intervals to discuss issues. They’ve been off on a belief that I’m violating my conservative principles. It went fairly well & I believe we should meet fairly regularly.

Lunch & a long stretch of desk work. Then a photo with the editor of the Swedish Conservative paper Svenska Dagbladet. They have had an interview. A haircut, then upstairs to the farewell for Bill Henkel who is returning after 5 yrs. to Merrill-Lynch. The Congressional Picnic was rained out & postponed til tomorrow.