Diary Entry - 07/23/1986

Off for Texas, Fla. & S. Car.—1st events in Texas a big rally for Gov. Bill Clements running for Gov. Again at the Dallas Apparel Mart. We were met at the Naval airbase by Ernest Angelo & his wife, Fran & Eddie Chiles & Capt. Hunt the exec. officer of the base. They couldn’t have squeezed another person into the Apparel Mart—8000 plus band etc. My speech was extremely well received. Then we motored to the Loews Anatole Hotel. There I did a receiving line & photos with about 250 people—the major donors.

Then into a dining room where I spoke to same people plus a few hundred more. Again it was well received. Then back to the airport & on our way to Miami. Sen. Paula Hawkins met us at the airport—she had just gotten in from Wash. after voting for the confirmation of Judge Manion.—We made it by one vote. By now it’s after 6 P.M. We motored to the Hotel Inter-Continental—Jeb Bush met us & we went to the Lobby where I spoke to several thousand very enthusiastic Repubs. We were on a kind of Mezzanine with part of the crowd & looking down on the rest in the main floor lobby. Then it was another handshake & picture opp. for more than 100 donors. Then into another room where I addressed this group even though they had heard my 1st speech piped into them. Then it was upstairs to a suite newly refurbished at a cost of $150,000 for me. From now on it will be rented for $4000 a night. A late dinner & bed.