Diary Entry - 05/10/1983

Back to the routine. N.S.C. meeting to settle some matters about the START talks. We’re going to emphasize “warheads” as a negotiation base not launchers or missiles. Over to C. of C. for a closed circuit T.V. program including Mac Baldridge in Paris & meetings of small businessmen & w. [women] in 42 locations. Everything went well. The problem of the Big 4—the press stories that a feud exists between them (partly true) is intolerable. Tomorrow I’m telling them they must get together, lay everything out on the table & heal their wounds. They have to restore trust in each other. The big split is between Jim B. on one side & Ed M. & B.C. on the other. Lately the leaks have been aimed at Bill & I think they come from the 2nd echelon in Jim’s department. Later in day I called the young Sec. of Cong. Don [Bill] Young, Fla. He had told me of her dying mother—to whom I’d written. She died 4 weeks later. Beverly (his Sec.) wrote me the nicest letter. I felt I had to call her—glad I did. Tonite dinner W.H. with the 19 R. Sens. who are up for election in ’84. It was a pleasant evening even if a few of them have strayed from the party path.