Diary Entry - 09/30/1983

The usual staff & N.S.C. meetings. On N.S.C. it seems there was a breakdown in communication and an issue came in for decisions by me that had not included the legis. section in it’s meeting regarding options. Naturally I should have some input as to what the situation might be when it went to the Congress. I dont know if this was accident or a little “turf ” battle. Pres. of ABC T.V. news brought Peter Jennings in to see me. We had never met. Major part of day was spent with Pres. Mubarak of Egypt. We covered a lot of territory. He has some real ec. problems. We’re trying to help with that as well as the modernization of his military. He’s really turned off on the Soviets. I think we have a solid friendship going there. Later Jerry Carmen brought former N.H. Gov. Mel Thompson in for a brief visit. We were pretty close as Gov’s. together. Now he’s convinced I’ve abandoned my conservative principles. We discussed a few points then he left me with a lengthy letter listing my sins. I’ll reply of course but not sure I can convince him. I’m afraid he gets some of his ideas from the Howie Phillips crowd. Dick Wirthlin came by with the tracking surveys. I’m up on job rating, the ec. etc. But on foreign policy—Lebanon I’m way down. The people just dont know why we’re there. There is a deeply buried isolationist sentiment in our land. Decision was reached today to postpone the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia trip—probably til Spring & just do Japan & Korea in Nov. Congress was supposed to go home in Oct. but now they are staying thru Nov. There’s no way I could be gone for 3 weeks now. I’ve written Marcos explaining & Mike D. is going out there on the weekend to meet them all personally & explain.