Free Trade and Foreign Affairs: 1981-85
Jan 25: First second term Cabinet meeting today. Treasury team is preparing for a possible mini-recession in time for the '82 elections.
Jan 27: The SDP split from the Labour Party in reaction to teetering on the border between Webb socialism and academic Marxism. Margaret should have it easy for the next while.
Feb 10: NSC session today, nothing of import. Not as exciting as the previous term, but maybe that's a blessing in disguise.
Feb 23: Attempted police/military coup in Spain foiled by the King. Apparently the General is spiritually present for those officers.
Mar 6: Walter Cronkite signed off for the last time tonight. I want to give him some sort of award or recognition, but haven't figured out what yet.
Mar 27: Going to address the AFL-CIO on the 30th on my economic policies. Archie and Trudeau will be there.
Mar 30-
COX, MANKIEWICZ IN CRIT CONDITION FOLLOWING ASS'N ATTEMPT ON PRES KENNEDY.
Mar 30: The speech went well, but as we were leaving the hotel I heard gunshots and screams, Archie and Frank were hit, and a bullet ricocheted off the window as I got in the limo. Frank got a round in the right leg and another in the shoulder, while Archie got one in the chest.
Apr 2: Doctors advised to let Frank retire, and Archie will come back by fall after he recovers. It was quite hard for both of us, but I accepted his retirement.
Apr 10: The hunger striker Bobby Sands won a by-election in Northern Ireland. He'll die in all likelihood before they seat him. Margaret's policy is correct, even if she's catching hell for it.
Apr 12: Brixton riot in South London. Margaret had to send in 1000 police to suppress the riots. She's absolutely adamant about not injecting urban dev. money into the area. Sees it as a crime problem.
Apr 26- French presidential election.
First round: Valery Giscard D'Estaing (UDF, inc.) 30%
Francois Mitterand (PS) 26%
Apr 26: Hope Giscard wins rather than Mitterrand. He'll turn the country into Jim Callaghan's UK circa winter '79 and bankrupt it.
May 5: Bobby Sands died in the UK today, Margaret is catching hell and the kitchen sink from many Irish MP's. She's right about not negotiating with terrorists, which is what he is, a homicidal terrorist. No more, no less.
May 10- Second round, French presidential election
Valery Giscard D'Estaing (UDF, inc) 53.3%
Francois Mitterrand (PS) 46.7%
Incumbent President: Valery Giscard D'Estaing
May 13: ASS'N ATTEMPT ON POPE, CRIT CONDITION.
May 14: The doctors performed a miracle and saved His Holiness. Went to a special thanksgiving mass today.
June 4: Begin said that something major would happen in the next few days. I hope he's not just doing it to secure re-election.
June 7: The Osirak reactor was destroyed by the IAF yesterday. Refused comment at the press briefing, but I'm quite happy that Saddam doesn't have nukes, even if I can't say so publicly.
June 17: Marcos won another "election" with 93% of the vote. It was a straw man created by him. Appears to be no alternatives anyhow.
June 30- Israeli legislative elections
Likud: 50 seats
Alignment: 45 seats
Incumbent PM: Menachem Begin
July 3: Another NSC and Cabinet meeting, another race riot in the UK. Margaret really should do something, if only to keep the lid on it.
July 17-
ISRAELI AF BOMBS BEIRUT APTS, 300 CIV CASUALTIES.
White House Press Conference, July 18, 1981
President Kennedy: After consulting the Secretaries of State and Defense, this Administration has imposed a temporary embargo on aircraft sales to the Israeli Air Force. Mass civilian casualties are unacceptable and we hereby condemn such acts.
Question: Mr. President, how long will the embargo last?
President Kennedy: Between 15 and 18 months. Next question...
July 22: Abe called, said the Jewish comm. was split, but we're getting a backlash anyways. Mass civilian casualties are intolerable when on a "precision" strike.
July 25: We've begun free-trade negotiations with the Canadians. Interestingly enough, Simon Reisman (their lead) negotiated the Auto Pact in the LBJ era.
July 29: Lady Spencer wed Prince Charles today. Now Margaret tells me the riots have stopped. Nothing like a royal wedding to get your mind off things.
Aug. 3, 1981- W.H. Press Conference
President Kennedy: "We have received word of labor unrest among the air traffic controllers union. I will not tolerate an illegal strike by a profession which is entrusted with the lives of millions of Americans. Therefore, I am ordering the Labor Department to negotiate with the union and the FAA in order to ensure passenger safety. If negotiations fail, we will derecognize the union and they will be replaced by military controllers until they drop the loaded gun pointed at their fellow citizens"
Aug. 14- COMPROMISE REACHED, UNION BACKS DOWN IN EXCHANGE FOR SHORTER HOURS, NEW EQUIPMENT
Aug 31: A terrorist bomb exploded in W. Germany, injuring 20.
Sept 15: Another Cabinet meeting today. Inflation is down to 3% and UE is stuck at 4.2%. That's as much as we can do till everyone starts buying again.
Oct 6: ASS'N ATTEMPT ON SADAT, 15 KILLED, PRES LIGHTLY WOUNDED.
Oct 7: Emerg NSC meeting re Sadat attempt. Zbig said it was Islamist fanatics. They'd been doing a crackdown on army cells, but missed one.
Oct 28: Relatively calm these past few weeks. No major initiatives planned for the near future. I've set a small group to plan our '82 campaign. We're starting to regain some union support. Victor Reuther told me that there'll be some long-term damage with skilled workers, but making it up with unskilled support. The GOP supported us, so nowhere to turn.
Dec 10: Spain joined NATO today. Quite a U-turn for Gonzalez, but we need all the help we can get vis-a-vis the Sovs.
Dec 27: Wonderful Xmas with family.
Jan 8, 1982: Cabinet meeting today, NSC at 2 pm. Nothing interesting in the least.
Jan 13: Air Florida 90 crashed today, and a Metro train derailed in DC. Two tragedies on the same day.
Feb 3: Reports of a massacre by Assad's forces of the Brotherhood in Syria.
Feb 20: Held a White House dinner in honor of Walter Cronkite. Was a great evening full of fun & relaxation.
Mar 10: Signed an E.O. placing a ban on Libyan oil imports re support of terrorism.
Mar 19: The Argies have landed on South Georgia. This might mean war, and we're closely monitoring the situation.
Mar 26: Attended the groundbreaking for the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial today. Quite moving & inspiring.
Apr 2-
ARGENTINIANS INVADE FALKLANDS
Apr 2: Well they've finally done it. Margaret says that she will fight a war to retake them.
Apr 5: The Fleet left for Falklands today.
Apr 12: The Brits announced a 200 mile Exclusion Zone. Any ship entering is a RN target.
White House Press conference, Apr. 14, 1982
President Kennedy: We are in solidarity and sympathy with the British people in this conflict.
Apr 25: Israel began their Sinai pullback. Hope another war won't start.
May 1: Addressed the opening of the World's Fair in Knoxville. The last one I went to was Montreal in '67.
May 2: The Brits sank the Belgrano with 323 dead.
WH Press Conference, May 6, 1982
"I am delighted to announce that Prime Minister Mulroney and I have reached agreement on the draft treaty. The Canada-US Free Trade Agreement, hereby known as CAFTA, will be sent to Congress shortly for ratification."
May 12: Another attempt on His Holiness failed. What is it with all these assassination attempts?
Have the asylums worldwide been unlocked?
May 25: The Brits are winning this war, and we're giving them some intel help on the side.
June 6-
ISRAEL INVADES LEBANON, DESTINATION BEIRUT.
June 7: Spoke to Begin today about the invasion. He says it's just to root out PLO, but why so many conventional forces. I hope he's not just starting a war for the "flag-rally" effect after he's cancelled Saturday airline travel.
I think he's living in an ideological tunnel, and by the time he realizes it, he'll be destroyed politically.
June 14-
ALL OVER, ARGENTINA SURRENDERS.
June 15: Phoned Margaret with congratulations, going to address Parliament next week.
June 20: Addressed Parliament, talked about common values, heritage, etc. Afterwards a formal state dinner with Margaret & Denis.
June 30-
EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT RATIFIED
July 4: Great day again. The ERA was supported by the GOP and was long overdue. Double gain for us.
July 9: An intruder got into the Queen's bedroom. Fortunately Her Maj. was unharmed. Margaret should really upgrade security at govt. and royal buildings.
Aug 4: The SC condemned the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
We abstained, because I see no reason for large-scale military ops in that country. We're not sending troops over there. No Vietnams on my watch.
Sept 14: Gemayel was assassinated today. Now Lebanon will be down the tubes for a lot longer. They'll probably end up under Assad's jackboot.
Oct 1: Schmidt was replaced by Helmut Kohl today.
Oct 18: Another Cabinet and NSC meeting. Called Margaret today.
Nov 2- House elections
Democratic: 232 (-15)
Republican: 203
Senate elections
Republican: 63 seats (-1)
Democratic: 37 seats
OK midterm results. Soon we'll have to get wound up again.
Nov 3: The Dow hit an all-time high today, surging 4%.
Nov 12: Andropov will succeed Brezhnev. Don't think he'll last long.
Nov 28: Sent a US delegation to the global free-trade talks in Geneva. I'm thinking of something closer to home in the interim.
Dec 15: Year-end Cabinet & NSC meeting today. The new year will hopefully be more exciting than this one.
Dec 28: Now the last two years will be on energy independence, then have to leave...
Jan 19, 1983: They caught a Nazi war criminal in Bolivia. Thank G-d more of these evil men will be brought to justice for their evil deeds.
Feb 5: Another Cabinet/NSC meeting today. Nothing special again.
Feb 15: Malcolm Fraser is on his way to defeat in Australia, impossible to get a fourth term as PM.
Feb 25: Congressional report criticizing Japanese interment in WWII. Agree completely.
Mar 5: I was right, Bob Hawke is now PM.
Mar 20: Little legislation being passed these days. Getting quite boring, even though the economy is beginning to take off.
Apr 10: Wonderful Easter as usual. Hoping to visit Japan in the summer.
Apr 25: A schoolgirl got invited to SU re letter on nuke war. Margaret's going to score a smashing victory against those Fabians and Marxists known as today's Labor Party.
May 17: Henry mediated an Israeli-Lebanese agreement where the Israelis pull their troops out of Lebanon. Looks like the end for Begin, he'll just choose the date of resignation.
May 28: Margaret made a quick pit-stop at the G8 Summit in Williamsburg today. Wonder why she's so frenetic when I've seen the Xmas-like polls.
June 9- UK general election
Conservative: 407 seats
Labour: 200 seats
Alliance: 25 seats
Incumbent Prime Minister: Margaret Thatcher (Tory)
June 25: Enroute to Japan today.
June 26: It's a beautiful country to visit, had productive talks with the PM.
July 20: Poles announced end of martial law. Good riddance.
July 27- Indian federal election
Congress- 379 seats
Incumbent Prime Minister: Sanjay Gandhi (Congress)
Aug 5: Spoke to Pres. Marcos today. Apparently Aquino wants to return to the Philippines. Marcos said that he would try, but couldn't guarantee his safety. Said he was "a very controversial character" but that he could stand again in next year's parliamentary elections.
Aug 18: Another horrible hurricane in TX with billions in damage. Declared it a disaster zone and sent Nat Guard troops to help out.
Aug 21: Aquino's plane was diverted to Clark re weather. Something tells me Marcos had planned a very unpleasant surprise in Manila.
Sept 1- KOREAN AIR 007 SHOT DOWN BY SOVIET FIGHTER
White House Press Conference, Sept. 2, 1983
President Kennedy: We unequivocally condemn this unprovoked attack on an unarmed airliner and the loss of 269 innocent lives.
Sept 24: Another airline crash yesterday. What's going on?
Oct 7: Margaret announced plans to abolish the GLC. And I thought she was decentralizing.
Oct 12: Ex Japan PM convicted of taking a $2 million bribe from Lockheed. And I thought we got the bottom of the barrel on the Rackets Cmte.
Canadian federal election, Oct. 15, 1983
Progressive Conservative: 173 seats
Liberal: 85 seats
NDP: 24 seats
Incumbent Prime Minister: Brian Mulroney (PC)
Oct 30: Signed a law creating Martin Luther King Day as a federal holiday the third Monday of January annually. Gave a pen to Coretta King.
Nov 25: Great birthday again.
Dec 18: PIRA bomb in Harrods' during Xmas shopping. The evil terrorists.
Jan. 3, 1984- BUSH, PERCY ANNOUNCE CANDIDACIES
Jan. 8: VP HOLLINGS ANNOUNCES RUN, DEM FIELD CLEARED
Feb. 13: Don't think Andropov will last six months...
Feb. 20- Iowa caucus (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 54%
CHARLES PERCY: 46%
Feb. 28- New Hampshire primary (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 53%
CHARLES PERCY: 47%
Mar. 6- Vermont (R)
CHARLES PERCY: 56%
GEORGE BUSH: 44%
Mar. 10- Wyoming (R)
CHARLES PERCY: 53%
GEORGE BUSH: 47%
Mar. 13- Alabama (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 67%
CHARLES PERCY: 33%
Florida (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 65%
CHARLES PERCY: 35%
Georgia (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 63%
CHARLES PERCY: 37%
Massachusetts (R)
CHARLES PERCY: 54%
GEORGE BUSH: 46%
Rhode Island (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 53%
CHARLES PERCY: 47%
Mar. 19: I still believe that George Bush will be the GOP nominee. The library is coming along nicely and should be inaugurated by 1987.
Mar. 20- Illinois (R)
CHARLES PERCY: 100% (ONLY NAME ON BALLOT)
Mar. 27- Connecticut (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 56%
CHARLES PERCY: 44%
Apr. 3- New York (R)
CHARLES PERCY: 55%
GEORGE BUSH: 45%
Wisconsin (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 57%
CHARLES PERCY: 43%
Apr. 10- Pennsylvania (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 59%
CHARLES PERCY: 41%
May 1- D.C. (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 100% (ONLY NAME ON BALLOT)
Tennessee (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 66%
CHARLES PERCY: 34%
May 5- Louisiana (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 68%
CHARLES PERCY: 32%
May 8- Indiana (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 54%
CHARLES PERCY: 46%
Maryland (R)
CHARLES PERCY: 53%
GEORGE BUSH: 47%
North Carolina (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 65%
CHARLES PERCY: 35%
Ohio (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 60%
CHARLES PERCY: 40%
May 15- Idaho (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 62%
CHARLES PERCY: 38%
Nebraska (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 57%
CHARLES PERCY: 43%
June 5- Super Tuesday
California (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 52%
CHARLES PERCY: 48%
Montana (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 60%
CHARLES PERCY: 40%
New Jersey (R)
CHARLES PERCY: 55%
GEORGE BUSH: 45%
New Mexico (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 62%
CHARLES PERCY: 38%
South Dakota (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 63%
CHARLES PERCY: 37%
West Virginia (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 65%
CHARLES PERCY: 35%
June 12- North Dakota (R)
GEORGE BUSH: 80% (only name on ballot)
BUSH PRESUMPTIVE GOP NOMINEE
June 28: Started working on my valedictory address to the party I've served for over thirty years.
July 16, 1984- Democratic Convention, San Francisco
1st ballot
Ernest Hollings: 3570
"We have received word of the vice-presidential nomination, which has been accepted by the Senator from Michigan, Carl Levin..."
Vice-Presidential balloting
Carl Levin: 3570
"Fellow Democrats, this is the last time I will address you as President. What we have accomplished is substantial, and if Fritz Hollings is elected President in November, we will continue on this path. I thank you for allowing me to serve you over the past little while, and perhaps in the future. Good luck and God Bless."
-President Robert Kennedy's 1984 convention speech
Aug. 20, 1984- Republican Convention, Dallas
1st ballot
George H.W. Bush- 1850
Charles Percy- 658
"For the vice-presidential nomination, Senator Bush has made an astounding choice. The first in the history of this country, the junior Senator from Kansas, Nancy Kassebaum!"
Vice-Presidential balloting
Nancy Kassebaum: 2020
Charles Percy: 218
Sept. 4- AQUINO, WIFE KILLED IN MANILA CAR CRASH, MARCOS OFFERS CONDOLENCES
Sept 26: Margaret agreed to hand over Hong Kong to the Chinese in '97, in exchange for a century-long guarantee of capitalism.
Oct 12- IRA BOMB TORY CONFERENCE AT BRIGHTON, THATCHER UNHARMED, 2 KILLED.
Oct 13: A minister's wife and Stevas are dead. Margaret was very lucky that she delayed using the facilities, otherwise she'd be crippled or killed.
Oct. 31- "This is BBC Breaking News. Indian Prime Minister Sanjay Gandhi has been assassinated in Delhi by a Muslim fanatic allegedly from Kashmir. As we speak, his brother Rajiv is being sworn in as Prime Minister."
"Update: Prime Minister Gandhi has dissolved Parliament for a Jan. 2 election"
Nov. 1- PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY- POLLING DATA
BUSH/KASSEBAUM: 53%
HOLLINGS/LEVIN: 47%
ECV PROJECTIONS
DEMOCRATIC: 277
REPUBLICAN: 261
MOE: 2.5%
Nov. 6, 1984- Election Day, 90% turnout
(R): George H.W. Bush/ Nancy Kassebaum: 277 ECV, 53.6%
(D): Ernest Hollings/ Carl Levin: 261 ECV, 45.4%
Incumbent President: Robert F. Kennedy (D)
President-elect: George H.W. Bush (R)
House elections
Democratic: 227 seats
Republican: 208 seats
NY-18
(D) Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: 60.7%
Senate elections
Republican: 63 seats (no change)
Democratic: 37 seats
Incumbent Majority Leader: Bob Dole (R-KS)
Dec 3: A nuke plant meltdown in India. First Rajiv Gandhi deals with brother's death, completely inexperienced and hardly qualified and race riots, now a nuke disaster. Talk about a rough first few weeks. Margaret privatized British Telecom today.
"I am hereby calling the Batasan back into session on the tenth of January. Thereupon, I will appoint an Economic Advisory Council to refloat our economy"- President Ferdinand Marcos, Dec. 10, 1984
Jan. 2, 1985- Indian federal election
Congress: 401 seats
Incumbent Prime Minister: Rajiv Gandhi (Congress)
Jan. 10: "Imelda will succeed me. Period. But you will be indispensable"- President Ferdinand Marcos to NBI Director Bobby Ong- private correspondence
Jan. 16- "I have relieved General Ramos of his command and sent him to Pampanga. Enrile has resigned as Minister of Defence."- Malacanang press conference
Jan. 18- "Of course it was a summary execution. Fortunately it was away from those hens, as you would with any traitor"- President Marcos to President Kennedy, on the execution of Col. Gregorio Honasan
Jan. 20- President George Bush is inaugurated as the 39th President of the United States.