European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 6, 1981, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A Poilu Moon zone a Day in the Oval office up signing proclamation asking americans to give thanks that a hostages Are by Andrew Mollison Cox news service it is at the White and the Sun has been up for 40 the president of the United states is one minute later at an hour when his a reduces president used to finish his Reading and Start the first staff meeting of the Day president Rea Gan wakes Reagan and his wife Nancy often have breakfast in but on this Balmy with the temperature soaring rapidly toward an unseasonably High 63 the reagans Cross the second floor Hau to the family breakfast breakfast is served with practice discretion by the permanent White House the reagans brought up to believe it is impolite to read at the table the menu freshly squeezed Orange soft boiled eggs and whole wheat Toast with each has a cup of decaffeinated Coffee with a Large Dollop of skim like his Early morning Shower and is quickly reagans morning habits were set when he was an actor snatching a bite to eat before the chauffeur driven commute to an Early Call at the these of there is no he can take an elevator Down to the walk 100 Yards Down corridors past the situation room to the West where he and his top staff members wearing a custom tailored Brown White shirt and striped he walks up the Steps to the first floor shortly after he pauses six Steps from the top to show his secret service escorts a color photograph of himself on his Southern California its really that it really he and then strides unlike he often stops and chats with secretarial he is in the Oval office by reagans official work Day has it could not be called a typical work there is no such thing for a the next Day will be dominated by greetings for the returned hostages and a reception for the foreign diplomatic two Days after that much of his time will be taken up with preparations for a 4 press on no Public functions were sched these Are some highlights from what he did that in the Oval Reagan has 10 minutes to review his daily and read excerpts from the Days National he Calls in his top staff members Edwin Counselor James chief of staff Bakers Michael and press Secretary James they Tell him Congress has passed a Resolution declaring thursday a Day of thanksgiving for the hos and Reagan agrees to add a signing ceremony to his schedule at 10 Meese and Baker remain behind to hear Richard the National Security who has come up from the basement to Brief Reagan on foreign developments As reported by the state depart ment and Pentagon and summarized in six to eight pages by Allens the briefing Reagan confers with various staff and at one Point pops through a Side door into Deavers which once served As Carters private one More he reads the Resolution and thinks Over his 10 a group of sound and writing Media people plunges into the Oval when the official stenographer is ready to record reagans words on her portable tape the president enters the Oval he sits Down behind the plaque on his desk which there is no limit to what a Man can do or where he can go if he Doest mind who gets the after signing the head Libs a few such As this reminds us that greater glory has a Man than to Lay Down his life for most of the comments will reappear the next Day in his formal which will be drafted by Kenneth who is standing at the rear of the reporting crowd during this with Only one verbal slip this Resolution pays strength to the tribute of America the session Joes Reagan smiles in and the press people Reagan handles some phone Calls and including approval of the hiring of four More members of his White House 11 flanked on his right by Allen and Secretary of state Alexander and on his left by defense Secretary Caspar Meese and Bak sits in the Cabinet vice president George Bush and seven other staff members sit on the other Side of the while being they talk about sundays football Reagan tells Haig that he once met win Ning Oakland raiders quarterback Jim he wonders whether the blindness of plunk its parents gave him the guts to bring the team that was supposed to finish last through the super after the reporters Weinberger and Gary sick Brief Reagan on the condition of the leaving in the words of one a Little his writer is asked to include the theme of never again in reagans speech for the next around Reagan returns to the Oval decides against returning to the family quarters for lunch from the White House Navy stewards february 1981 bring him a snack up from the White House which has just received permission to repaint its Galley the next weekend while Reagan is at Camp while he works in the West with an occasional glance out the window to watch Progress on construction of the stage for the hostage Nancy Reagan in the East Wing is watching Prepa rations for the reception that is to follow the Cere she approves a menu that includes seven kinds of Finger ranging from roast beef to Peanut butter and and 10 ranging from delicate buttercream slices to strawberries covered with chocolate As Well As Ginger coca cola and Orange at what is listed on his schedule As a meeting with National Security Council Reagan takes his usual scat in the Cabinet with his Back to the window which overlooks the Rose Gar Bush takes his usual seat on the opposite around them is an array of no chatter this and everything is hidden during the on minute photo Opportunity except a White note pad and Pewter plate in front of each reporters notice that David chairman of the joint chiefs of is not since he is a statutory member of the National Security reporters wonder if this is a sign that Reagan will accept conservative advice to dump the press staff professes 3 in the Oval Reagan begins hours of meetings with senators and one or two at a these unlike the formal meetings which Carter arc at one Point in each foreign affairs committee members learn that Reagan wants to Cut foreign transportation committee members that he wants to Cut transit and so they get no but by when Reagan announces his proposed budget few members will be Able to say they had not been personally the staff reassembles in the Oval office to suggest and get reagans approval for the next Days exactly nine hours after he entered the West Reagan leaves for the some staff members will work until 9 or but Reagan insists that an executive who regularly works longer than nine hours a Day is not properly in the family dining overlooking Pennsylvania the reagans Dine on pork Zucchini with tomatoes and a salad of Roma me for with their decaffeinated they have Raspberry sherbet and after Reagan reads until he feels soon he goes to the stars and stripes Page 13