Diary Entry - 01/28/1987
Key Facts
President Reagan meets with Secretary of State George Shultz to discuss the Anti Ballistic Missile treaty and the Strategic Defense Initiative.
President Reagan participates in a live television broadcast to N.A.S.A. stations on the anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy.
Report on phone calls last night—more than 2000 & 85% favorable. The press however is taking a different & more cynical posture.
No word yet on whether Terry Waite is a hostage. He hasn’t been seen in 8 days since he went into a house alone to discuss hostages. We are going ahead with planning mil. targets & trying to get a better intelligence set up on Lebanon.
Noon & upstairs for lunch. Back over to office for 2 P.M. meeting with George S. Most of discussion was what our position should be on A.B.M. treaty and S.D.I. I said I believe that we were correct in a broad interpretation of treaty which would leave our development of S.D.I. within the terms of A.B.M. I asked George to look into some $1⁄2 mil. proposals regarding the embassy residence in Rome for Ambas. to Vatican. It would easily be a half mil. wasted. We should sell the house. He’ll look into it. Dr. Smith & wife came in to say goodbye—they’re going back to Calif. Then I did a live T.V. broadcast to all the N.A.S.A. stations—anniversary of Challenger tragedy.
A taping session & upstairs.
