Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President

Thirteen Days

THIRTEEN DAYS After four wars, despite vast human efforts, the Holy Land does not yet enjoy the blessings of peace. Conscious of the grave issues which face us, we place our trust in the God of our fathers, from whom we seek wisdom and guidance. As we meet here at Camp David we ask people of all faiths to pray with us that peace and justice may result from these deliberations. JOINT STATEMENT ISSUED AT CAMP DAVID, SEPTEMBER 6, 1978 It was an especially beautiful evening in one of the loveliest places on earth. We were staying for a few days of rest in the Brinkerhoff Lodge on the edge of Jackson Lake in Wyoming. The Grand Tetons rose into the clear sky across the water—some of our newest and most unweathered mountains, the sharp peaks a breathtaking spectacle. Earlier in the day, I had been fly fishing for cutthroat trout in the nearby Snake River. Then, late in the afternoon, Amy and I had picked wild huckleberries in a grove of quaking aspen near the cabin, and we all enjoyed a delicious berry pie for supper. Although it was not cold, Rosalynn and I built a small fire just to watch the flames in the open fireplace. All in all, August 29 had been one of those special days I would not forget. But at its close my thoughts were not on the cutthroat trout, the delicious food, or the beauties of nature. It was late at night, and I was very tired. I was studying a thick volume, written especially for me, about two men—Menachem Begin and Anwar el-Sadat. In a few days, on September 5, I would welcome them to Camp David. I was already familiar with the issues we would be discussing, because we had debated them privately and through the news media for months—without success. Ours would be a new approach, perhaps unprecedented in 326 history. Three leaders of nations would be isolated from the outside world. An intensely personal effort would be required of us. I had to understand these men! I was poring over psychological analyses of two of the protagonists which had been prepared by a team of experts within our intelligence community. This team could write definitive biographies of any important world leader, using information derived from a detailed scrutiny of events, public statements, writings, known medical histories, and interviews with personal acquaintances of the leaders under study. I wanted to know all about Begin and Sadat. What had made them national leaders? What was the root of their ambition? What were their most important goals in life? What events during past years had helped to shape their characters? What were their religious beliefs? Family relations? State of their health? Political beliefs and constraints? Relations with other leaders? Likely reaction to intense pressure in a time of crisis? Strengths and weaknesses ? Commitments to political constituencies? Attitudes toward me and the United States? Whom did they really trust? What was their attitude toward one another? I was certain they were preparing for our summit conference in a similar manner. From time to time I paused to consider the negotiating strategy I would follow at Camp David; I made careful detailed notes. These few quiet evenings away from Washington were an ideal time for me to concentrate almost exclusively on a single major challenge—peace in the Middle East. During the coming days at Camp David, my studies at the foot of the Grand Tetons were to pay rich dividends. Now, Washington was calling me back home. The natural-gas legislation and my entire effort for a coherent national energy policy were in serious trouble. Both the Vice President and the leaders of Congress thought we would lose this crucial legislative fight unless I returned early to Washington. Fritz suggested that the abbreviation of my vacation would demonstrate the importance we attached to the energy proposals. Deciding that we could not risk a defeat, I returned to the White House. To break the congressional deadlock over the natural-gas bill, I decided to contact every member, as we had on the Panama Canal treaties. Soon we began to make some progress. Except for energy, I shifted as many of my responsibilities as possible to the Vice President and other members of my administration, so that during the remaining THIRTEEN DAYS 327 few days I could concentrate on...