The press is obsessed with the Daniloff affair & determined to paint all of us as caving in to the Soviets which they of course say is the worst way to deal with them. The simple truth is we’ve offered no deal and are playing hard ball all the way.
Today I met with Pres. Aquino of the Philippines. She & I met 1st in the Oval office while our teams were in the Cabinet Room where we were supposed to join them. I’d been told she was really up tight about seeing me possibly because of my friendship with Marcos. We had all agreed that we wanted to assure her of our support for what she’s doing. In our private meeting I took up the subject of her problem with the communists & related my experience with them in Hollywood 1946. She really relaxed & we ended up spending the whole hour in the Oval O. & finally went into the Cabinet Room only to get everyone moving to the W.H. for lunch. Lunch was a lot of fun for everyone & I think she has gone home reassured & very happy.
Chief Justice Burger came by with his regular report on the Commission he heads planning for the 200th Birthday of the Constitution. It was his 79th Birthday & we had a cake for him. Then it was an interview with Edmund Morris who is doing my biography. A sad note then a farewell party for Jack Svahn. He’s been with us since 1968 in Sacramento. With 2 children approaching college time he has to get out in the private sector & make some money. He’s really been great & we’ll miss him.
Then an N.S.C. meeting getting ready for the Soviet Foreign Ministers visit & how we treat the Daniloff problem with him. We’ve notified the Soviet U. we’re sending 25 of their U.N. staff home—all are K.G.B. agents.