Diary Entry - 08/22/1984
Key Facts
President Reagan placed a phone call to former President, Gerald R. Ford.
The President and First Lady watch televised coverage of the 1984 Republican Convention with Vice President and Mrs. Bush in their suite.
President Reagan is officially declared the Presidential candidate for the Republican Party.
Depart for Convention in Dallas. Still working on acceptance speech—it’s too long. And I didn’t get it much shorter but there were 81 interruptions for applause & demonstrations so it ran 51 min’s.
Upon arrival in Dallas I had a meeting with Jerry Ford. He gave a fine speech Tues. & most supportive of me. Has pledged to go all out in the campaign. A little later there was a rally in the Hotel Atrium. It was jammed & all around the balconys up 14 floors were ringed with people. George B. & I spoke & were very well received. Then Tom Landry, Danny White (QB) of the Cowboys & one time great Roger Staubach presented us each with D. Cowboys jerseys—number 84.
We had an early dinner—Nancy went to the convention hall where there was a tribute to her and the running of a film. George B. & I watched the proceedings on T.V. At the end she turned her back on the crowd to look up at the screen behind her and there was George & me (live T.V.). She waved & I waved back. Then came the nomination speeches. Mine was preceded by an 18 min.film which was very effective. When the Roll of States was called Nancy & Barbara joined me & George. At the end of the vote we met the committee which came to officially declare us as nominees.
