Diary Entry - 09/12/1986
Key Facts
President Reagan meets with several of his advisors to discuss emerging budget trends in the national security program.
President Reagan participates in a ceremony to honor principles from exemplary elementary schools from across the Nation.
The usual staff meetings. We’ve adopted a new policy for meetings anymore—only principals participate—we have to stop this d--n leaking. After a brief meeting with Bob Tuttle to OK appointments an N.S.P.G. meeting re Daniloff. We have agreed to turn Zakharov over to the Soviet Ambas. pending trial & they will deliver Daniloff to our Ambas. This does not mean a trade—this we will not do. Their man is a spy caught red handed & Daniloff is a hostage. After lunch I spoke to 272 principals of elementary schools in the Rose Garden. They were picked as the top in our Nation. I was able to open by announcing that Daniloff was in the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. They cheered the news.
Then Geo. S. came in for his regular Fri. meeting. We touched on 2 or 3 matters—including S. Africa.
Dennis Le Blanc brought in 2 officials of the Telephone Pioneers. They brought me an old wall type phone that is older than I am. I remember as a small boy seeing them in rural America. The pioneers are 75 yrs. old. They are volunteers (all phone co. employees) doing good & charitable work. Their vol. services amount to 300,000 40 hr. work weeks a year.
Then photos with departing Ambas’s. A photo with 2 Philippine reporters—both young ladies representing 2 Manilla papers.
Then off to Camp D. Where it is cool but bright & beautiful. Called Dick Nixon re the Daniloff matter—he approves what we are doing.
