Diary Entry - 03/22/1982
Key Facts
The US space shuttle Columbia is launched into orbit on mission STS-3, the third orbital flight of the reusable vehicle.
A busy Mon.—one of those pile-up days but finally cleared the debris away by late afternoon. Addressed farm paper editors. Met with Dem. & Repub. chairmen of committees on farm problems. I share their concern about the farmer’s plight but was surprised at how many of them had no concept of where grain sales could affect the world situation with the Soviets. I suggested that yes we could negotiate a long term grain contract with the Soviets but shouldn’t we get some concessions re Latin Am., Afghanistan etc. The Soviets are, after all, in deep ec. trouble & need our help desperately. Met with Paul Laxalt’s Comm. on Federalism. Some want perfection before we start. Norman Podhoretz sent me his book on “Why We Were In Vietnam” personally inscribed: He wrote “To Pres. RR—Who always knew and still knows why we were in Vietnam and why it was indeed ‘a noble cause.’ ”
