White House Diaries

Thursday, November 10, 1988

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Regular meeting only with the V.P. present after a long absence. Talk of transition & early staff & cabinet meetings. All appointees are asked to resign but to agree to stay until replacements are in place.

Told my radio cast will be about Veterans day which is tomorrow. A. B. Culvahouse came in. There is a disagreement between the Attorney General & Sec. of Transportation. Burnley wants testing for drugs in travel industry. Dick T. objects & claims it violates the Const. On the Oliver North case—“Walsh” says Cong. could deny the President the right to order any covert operations.

N.S.C.—Today Defense announces existence of Stealth Fighter planes. We’ve had 50 in the desert operating only at night. Now they are going to be operational.

Pres. Carter sent a note that anything to do with his former pilot now in an Iranian jail is called off.

Canada is presenting a problem. P.M.’s opponent Turner looks like he’s going to be the winner.

Our Sec. of the A.F. is resigning to take a position with an aircraft firm. Sec. Shultz wants us to deny a visa for Arafat. [. . .] Our one open channel to Irans govt. brought a message of Congratulations to Geo. B.

Then desk time—P.D.B. & signed a stack of bills. At 11:45 an Org. called “Beyond War Foundation” came by & gave me their Award for my efforts to maintain peace. They’ve also given one to Gorbachev.

Over to the East room with Nancy to have a luncheon for all the living recipients of the Medal of Freedom. First time that has ever been done.

Back to the office—then a cabinet meeting to hear Joe Wright on the budget for ’90. We must present one by Jan. 9.

After that we swore Joe in as new Dir. of O.M.B. Usual meeting with Bill Webster, dir. of C.I.A. He reported on new satellites we have— [. . .]

Then a surprise for one of our people who had received the P.O.W. medal for W.W.II. His family joined in the surprise. We formally read the citation & I pinned his medal on.

Upstairs—exercise—shower. Dinner—Merme here. After dinner Dick Davis, Patty & Geoff arrived. At 8:30 I phoned Yasu Nakasone—returning his call. Just congratulations. Early to bed.