White House Diaries

Tuesday, October 23, 1984

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Off to K.C. for debate Number 2—on Foreign Policy. The consensus seems to be that I won although some want to call it a tie. A rally before the debate was a little like the Homecoming bonfire before the big game. I felt fine—certainly different than I felt in Louisville.

The next morning we parted company—Nancy off on a campaign trip by herself & me off to Calif. Ron & Doria had surprised me by showing up in K.C. for the debate. I was quite touched. They rode A.F.1 back to Calif. with us. My 1st stop in Calif. was at Palmdale for the view of a B.1.B. bomber. Some 10,000 U.A.W. members in a giant hangar & as enthused as the G.O.P convention. Then onto San Diego for an open air rally. Again a great turnout of young people. Next an airport rally at Medford Oregon 18,000 people. We went on to Portland Oregon for overnight. The day was a great one & there were more to follow. Tues. morning the rally was at Portland U. A small group of hecklers gave me a chance for a little repartee which went over big with the students & others. We left immediately for Seattle & another giant rally. Then on to Columbus Ohio for the night. Wed. morning a brief talk to a local broadcasters convention. Then to Ohio St. U. for a giant rally. The O.S.U. students were on fire. Another small heckler group only added to the fun. By this time I was so in love with young America I was all choked up. For lunch we went to the Teke house (T.K.E.), my fraternity. These have been the greatest four days I can remember. Mondale dug up a letter I wrote to Nixon in 1960 and has tried to say I likened him to Marx & Hitler. Now the press is after me because of a little band of clerics who charge that I’m basing my policies on the expectation of Armageddon. Mr. Mondale is desperate.

On to Wash. & a ceremony with some of the medical students we rescued on Grenada & some of the mil. who did it. Nancy is due home any minute.