Diary Entry - 03/05/1985
Key Facts
President Reagan meets with Republican Members of Congress to discuss the MX missile program.
President Reagan meets with Prime Minister of the Italian Republic Bettino Craxi.
Another Congressional breakfast—did about 20 mins. of Q&A. Almost all were on MX. I think I did some good and maybe we’re going to pull this out.
Most of day taken up with P.M. Craxi of Italy who is also Pres. of the European Community. We really have no differences. Italy has been staunch in it’s support including the I.N.F. deployment We discussed what more we can do about the Middle East. We have a fine working arrangement on drugs & terrorism.
Pat Brown—former Gov. of Calif. I defeated in ’66 came in. He’s now 80 and there were no vestiges of the bitterness he used to feel & display. This was day for receiving Ambas’s. About 6 of them including one from New Zealand. That could have been a little touchy but it wasn’t. Then over to the W.H. for another quiet cocktail do with 5 of our Congress people—more MX. Well only 3 showed up. One of them Arlen Specter is holding out—his reason, that MX is vulnerable if put in Minute Man silos. All in all though I think we did some good. Nancy is in N.Y. for a dinner for Princess Margaret. It’s lonesome here.
