White House Diaries

Thursday, September 29, 1988

View the President's Schedule

First meeting discussion of “Legal Services” & how some in Cong. are blocking the reforms we believe are needed.

Then the drug bill. We’re pressing Sen. to bring it up—both sides have amendments to offer.

Jim Wright says they’ll wait til Tues. to take up override or sustain of my veto of the Textile bill.

Tomorrow looks like a busy day in Chi.

N.S.C.—P.M. Seaga of Jamaica will be in Wash. Mon. for medical check up. We should try to arrange a meeting.

We’re talking to David Rockefeller about heading up a drive to get private program of disaster help for Jamaica.

Geo. S. in N.Y. has already talked to French about a conf. on Chemical Warfare. They approve.

It’s beginning to look as if we can close out the C.S.C.E. conf. in Vienna & move on.

The Ziemans will be in town next week.

[. . .]

Carlucci has suggested we should break the secrecy on the Stealth fighter & announce it next week. We have more than 50 now & we should put them into our regular air force program. Took a farewell photo with Marian Dicks of N.S.C. Then desk time & some bill signing til 11:45. Then it was a Rose Garden ceremony—handing out 30 C. Flag Crystals to org’s. & businesses who have been outstanding in private sector programs.

Lunch then Margaret Heckler (Ambas. to Ireland) came in & presented me with 2 silver medals commemorating 2000 yrs. of Ireland & 950 yrs. of Christ Church.

A briefing for Mitterand meeting. He arrived. We had the usual 1 on 1 then a walk around the Rose Garden & into the Cabinet Rm. for Plenary meeting. Things went very well.

Jane Erkenbeck brought her brother & sister in law in for a meeting & then it was upstairs & into Black tie for Mitterand meeting. At 6:45 guests began arriving at the Yellow Oval room. Then at 7 P.M. Nancy & I went downstairs to meet the Mitterands & bring them up. It was a very nice evening. About 32 of us all told—in the upstairs dining room for dinner. After coffee—Peggy Lee sang for us & a good time was had by all.