Diary Entry - 08/12/1986
Key Facts
President Reagan participates in a tour of the livestock holding pens at the Illinois State Fair Grounds.
President Reagan participates in the Junior Livestock awards ceremony and presents each Grand Champion with a Blue Ribbon.
9 A.M. off for Springfield Ill. & Chi. First stop the St. Fair. It was a very satisfying trip. We flew into Springfield & a 10 min. drive to the Fairgrounds. Gov. Thompson & Jane met us—also Judy Kochler (cand. for Sen.). First stop was awarding blue ribbons to 4 kids for their prize steer, sheep, pig, & chickens. Then I spoke briefly to several hundred 4H & Fut. Farmers young people. Then out to address the grand stand crowd on the farm situation. The grand stand was jammed & so was the race track—could have been 25,000. They tell me I out drew Willie Nelson.
Back to A.F.1 with the Thompsons & Judy & on to Chi. well exactly it was Rosemont right by O’Hare Airport.
This was a fund raiser for the Gov.—at least 5,000 at $250 a head—around $1 mil. 2. It was very successful—I plugged the whole ticket. Then in another ball room I did a hand shake reception for a few hundred people. This was for Judy. Went to a hotel room for a few hours of down time and an early dinner then to a nat. press conf. The local media was on one side of the aisle & the Wash. press on the other. I took turns taking Q’s from each side of the aisle. Then it was back to A.F.1 and back to Wash.—got home at 10:45.
