Diary Entry - 09/19/1985
Key Facts
President Reagan greets the President of the People's Republic of Mozambique Samora Moises Machel.
The Mexico City area is struck by the first of two devastating quakes (8.1) that officially claim 9,500 lives.
A busy one—a State visitor—Pres. Machel of Mozambique. Turned out to be quite a guy and I believe he really intends to be “non-alligned” instead of a Soviet patsy. We got along fine.
Cabinet meeting dealt with bi-lingual ed., per diem pay for travel, Aircraft safety & Synthetic fuels. This last one is unfinished & we have a split on it. The ed. one is a problem I believe should be solved by getting Uncle Sam out of it & turning it back to the states.
N.Y. Times did a photo session for a cover pic. on the N.Y. Times mag. After a personnel session I dropped by a meeting with the 1st delegation of Nat. Peoples Cong. of the Peoples Repub. China to ever visit the U.S. Then a series of photos, an interview with Pat Robertson (T.V.) and a taping session.
The day wasn’t over. Don R. & I met upstairs with Bob Dole & Bob Michel. The subject was “tax reform.” We believe the Demos are playing games. They want to pass a bill but too late for the Sen. to act on it this year. Then their ’86 issue can be Demos. passed tax reform in the House but Repub. Sen. didn’t. I wasn’t finished when they left—back downstairs for a session on my hearing aid. It seems the co. has a new improved model they want me to try.
Evening news brought word of a gigantic earthquake that caused incalucable damage in Mexico. First T.V. shots were horrible.
Rev. Weir (former kidnap victim) all over T.V. His wife also suggesting we had nothing to do with his rescue.
