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White House Diaries
December
04
1984
December 04, 1984
Tuesday, December 4, 1984
A visit by Pres. Lusinchi of Venezuela—a bright cold day with a formal ceremony on the S. Lawn. Almost a diplomatic Faux Pas. I slipped into my topcoat. When time came for my opening remarks I took my notes out of my pocket & horror of horrors it was a speech welcoming “His Royal Highness” the Duke of Luxemburg. I couldn’t imagine how they could have given me the wrong speech. I started to ad lib & then remembered I’d worn my top coat last on the day of the Grand Duke’s arrival. Today’s speech was in my suit coat pocket. I made a switch & got away with it pretty well. In the afternoon Pearl Bailey & others of the Am. Lung Assn. came by to present me with the first page of Christmas seals. She’s a wonderful lady & a long time friend. She had a scarf for Nancy made up of a silk reproduction of the sheet of stamps. Then she unveiled a robe for me made out of 8 of those scarves.
A long arduous Budget Core meeting—this time on Defense. No final decision but I know we can squeeze some out so as to make our claim of a freeze valid. We’re up to $33 Bil. of the 45 we need.
Then I took Marine 1 to Walter Reed hospital to visit Sen. John Stennis whose left leg was amputated at the hip (cancer). He seems fine.
Tonite the state dinner for the Pres. of V. [Venezuela]. Andy Williams is entertaining. It was as usual a nice, warm occasion. Pres. Lusinchi was carried away by the fact that I told him & the others about the speech mixup.
