(4 of 5)
Reagan also milked, until the final hours, a letter setting out his assurances to Senators on conditions of the AWACS sale. The letter mainly implied what had already been stated publicly: that the deal would not proceed if the Saudis did not support the Middle East peace process and that Americans would have a role in operating the planes "well into the 1990s." The document originated at a meeting in early October at Virginia Republican John Warner's house, attended by Georgia Democrat Sam Nunn and top White House aides. Wavering Senators were allowed to amend the letter to make sure that their particular concerns were addressed. "The object is to let a lot of Senators get their fingerprints on it," said a top White House official. Said Oregon Republican Robert Packwood, a leader of the opposition: "It allowed the vote changers a graceful way out." By the time it was delivered to Majority Leader Baker on the morning of the vote, the letter had helped many Senators, including Gorton, Democrat James Exon of Nevada and Republican Frank Murkowski of Alaska, find a convenient means of justifying their decision to support the sale.
Montana's Melcher was won over partly because of another letter, from Ambassador to Japan Mike Mansfield, an old mentor who had preceded Melcher in his Senate seat. The day before the vote, Administration lobbyists called Melcher off the Senate floor to read him Mansfield's statement. Melcher cited it when he announced his decision that evening.
Not all of the lobbying was successful. A prime target for both sides was uncommitted Liberal Democrat Patrick Leahy of Vermont. He sought refuge from the pressure in the Senate gym one day, only to receive a call in the steam room from a colleague supporting the sale. Escaping to the swimming pool, he found another Senator, who splashed alongside urging him to vote against it. Said Leahy: "He was keeping up with me and giving me a running commentary." At the White House, Reagan plied Leahy with 45 minutes' worth of jelly beans and talk about his hobby, photography. The Senator told Reagan that he would go home to Ver mont and consider his vote. "When you're walking those fields and looking over those beautiful mountains, think of my face up there in the sky looking down on you," the President said. Replied Leahy: "I'll have to go to the Capitol physician first to get my arm put back in the socket." Vermont offered little escape. At Sunday Mass, an usher passing the collection bas ket leaned over and whispered, "Vote against AWACS." Leahy finally did.