White House Diaries

Monday, September 29, 1986

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Didn’t sleep at all well last night—I need my roommate. Into the office for a brief meeting before taking off for some politicking. George S. has won the day. Mr. & Mrs. Daniloff will be on their way home before the morning is over. That will be announced. Then tomorrow George will announce that Zakharov will be found guilty & sent to Russia on probation so long as he never returns to the U.S. and Orlov & his wife will be freed to leave Soviet Union in one week. Then I’ll announce a meeting with Gorbachev in Iceland October 10, 11, & 12.

So happily we take off for Kansas City MO to do a rally for Kit Bond (former Governor) now cand. for Senate. It was supposed to be an outdoor rally at the airport but a down pour of rain changed that to a rally in a hangar. About 2,000 people. I led off with the Daniloff announcement which was received with great cheers. Speech went well Kit is very happy and then we did a receiving line & individual photos with about 100 top donors & on to Sioux Fall S. Dakota for a Jim Abdnor rally. This one was in an arena—about 9,000 people. Here I did the donor hand shakes before the rally. There were about 9,000 jamming the place to the roof & here again my pitch for Jim was well received. He nor any others of the Cong. could be there because of the votes back in Wash. The weather was warm & sunny. Got word the House voted to override my veto of the S. Africa sanctions bill—I expected that.

There was a hostile demonstration outside the arena by the Farmers Union. Two leaders had publicly challenged me to meet them & hear their story. I agreed & they rode out to the airport in the limo with Don R. & me. To blame us for the farm problems is a little ridiculous. We will provide more money for farmers $26 Bil. this year than Carter provided in all his 4 yrs. put together. By the time we reached the airport they were on our side.

So back to Wash. & my room mate.