Diary Entry - 12/11/1984
Key Facts
President Reagan meets with President Seyni Kountche of the Republic of Niger.
The President and First Lady host a Christmas Party for Members of Congress.
President Reagan learns that the Iranians stormed a hi-jacked plane and rescued hostages, 2 killed Americans among them.
Charles Douglas Home of the London Times dropped by to give me a book they’ve published of a series of essays (one by me) they’ve carried in the Times.
Pres. Kountche of Niger visited. He’s an impressive man who believes in individual rights & free enterprise. He is among the Quadaffi targets in Africa. He did not come begging.
We have confirmed the Iranian storming of the hi-jacked plane & the rescue of the hostages. Our 2 citizens are on their way home so I can say I’m suspicious of Iran & I suspect the rescue was staged in complicity with the terrorists.
Jeanne Kirkpatrick came by to give me her letter of resignation. We’ll keep it quiet until after the inaugural & she’ll leave no earlier than March 1st. Four years of the U.N. is longer than any of her predecessors have taken. We want to keep her in the admin. she’s done a brilliant job at the U.N. We talked about her successor & found her ideas & mine were in tune. I’m looking at several things for her but didn’t mention what they were until I’ve sorted them out.
Tonite the Congress Ball here at the residence. We drop in—start the dancing—then mingle—always edging toward the elevator. It was a great party—about 500 present. This had always been a tradition but Muffy Brandon when she was here—shut it off in our 1st year. Rex S. brought it to our attention & properly so.
