White House Diaries

Thursday, November 17, 1983

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N.S.C. Surprise call from France—they were going ahead without us & bombing our other target in Lebanon. They took it out completely. Lunched with V.P. Got a call on secure phone—Bill Casey wanted me to call Ted Stevens chairing a conf. comm. Demos. trying to kill off covert aid in Nicaragua. I told Stevens to fight to the death. Got word late in day he’d stood his ground & we won. Newly elected Pres. of Nat. Council of Catholic Bishops came by. We agreed on Tuition Tax credits & will try again. Also agreed on abortion etc. I didn’t bring up nuclear weapons so meeting ended pleasantly. Had swearing in of Susan Philips as Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission—1st woman to ever hold that position. Cab. Council on Human Resources. Had a slide presentation of how govt. redistribution of earnings programs etc. have undermined the family. This must be reversed. It’s what we came here to do. Personnel time—some new appointments—a fine group. The leaders of the org. to research & find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease plus Rita Hayworth’s daughter Yasmin presented me with a plaque for helping to publicize their cause. Little 9 yr. old Heather Ross came by with her family. She’s a nice little girl who wrote to me about my job. I replied & told her if she was ever in Wash. I’d like to see her—well she’s in Wash. to visit her aunt. Met 85 year old Frederick Von Hayek—the great economist, a pupil of Von Mises. I’ve read his works & quoted him for years. Loyal Meek editor of Phoenix Gazette dropped in. He’s been most supportive. Was a friend of Nancys father. Did some tapings. Then upstairs called—George Fayani—Japanese American in Seattle whose son was killed in Grenada.