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11/20/80
President-elect Reagan arrives at the White House to receive a job briefing
from President Carter, who later reveals that Reagan asked few questions and
took no notes, asking instead for a copy of Carter's presentation.
1/21/81
At his first Cabinet meeting, President Reagan is asked if he intends to issue
an expected Executive Order on cost-cutting. He shrugs. Then, noticing Budget
Director David Stockman nodding emphatically, he adds, "I have a smiling
fellow at the end of the table who tells me we do." (see 11/10/81) Richard
Allen, on his first day as National Security Adviser, receives $1,000 and a
pair of Seiko watches from Japanese journalists as a tip for arranging an interview
with Nancy Reagan. (see 11/13/81)
2/2/81
At his hearing to become Undersecretary of State, Reagan associate William Clark
answers no to all of the following: "Are you familiar with the struggles
within the British Labour Party?" "Do you know which European nations
don't want U.S. nuclear weapons on their soil?" "Can you name the
prime minister of South Africa?" "Can you name the prime minister
of Zimbabwe?" All of the above questions were being addressed in the daily
news at the time. Despite his lack of knowledge in current events, he is confirmed.
2/5/81
James Watt is asked at a Congressional hearing if he agrees that natural resources
must be preserved for future generations. "Yes" he says, then adds
"I do not know how many future generations we can count on before the Lord
returns." (see 12/14/81)
2/18/81
President Reagan warns a joint session of Congress that the national debt is
approaching $1 trillion. "A trillion dollars," he explains, "would
be a stack of $1,000 bills 67 miles high." (see 10/23/81)
3/18/81
The Gallup Poll: Reagan Approval Rating Trails Earlier Presidents - The Washington
Post
5/11/81
Ed Meese, White House counselor with Cabinet rank, calls the American Civil
Liberties Union a "criminals' lobby."
5/21/81
White House Seeks Eased Bribery Act. Says 1977 Law Inhibits Business Abroad
By U.S. Corporations - The New York Times The U.S. casts one of only three votes
against a World Health Organization ethics code preventing the sale of American
infant formulas to Third World countries, where their use with contaminated
water has killed thousands of babies.
6/16/81
At his third press conference, President Reagan responds to the following:
· The Israeli attack on Iraq - "I can't answer that"
· Israels' refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty - "Well,
I haven't given very much thought to that particular question there"
· Pakistan's refusal to sign the treaty - "I won't answer the last
part of that question"
· Israeli threats against Lebanon - "Well, this is going to be one,
I'm afraid, that I can't answer now"
· The tactics of political action committees - "I don't really know
how to answer that."
When faced with skepticism about his administration's grasp of foreign affairs,
the President declares "I'm satisfied that we do have a foreign policy."
6/29/81
"I regard voting as the most sacred right of free men and women" -
President Reagan, although he refuses to commit to supporting an extension of
the Voting Rights Act.
6/30/81
"We love your adherence to democratic principle, and to the democratic
processes." - George Bush, toasting newly re-inaugurated President Ferdinand
Marcos, whose fondness for democracy is less celebrated by those who know him
better.
7/23/81
"Heck, no. I'm going to leave this to you experts. I'm not going to get
involved in details." President Reagan declining Treasury Secretary Donald
Regan's invitation to join the negotiation session at which his tax-cut bill
is being shaped.
8/6/81
White House Seeks To Loosen Standards Under Clean Air Act - The Washington Post
9/15/81
President Reagan says he is "as committed today as on the first day I took
office to balancing the budget." (see 10/23/81)
10/19/81
California state senator John Schmitz tells a TV interviewer that if Reagan's
policies fail, "the best we could probably hope for is a military coup
or something like that." He explains that he is talking about "a good
military coup, not a bad military coup."
10/23/81
The national debt hits $1 trillion.
11/10/81
Atlantic Monthly publishes William Greider's article "The Education of
David Stockman", in which the Budget Director: · Admits "None
of us really understands what's going on with all these numbers" ·
Acknowledges that supply-side economics "was always a Trojan horse to bring
down the top rate" · Says of the Reagan tax bill "Do you realize
the greed that came to the forefront? The hogs were really feeding." President
Reagan is unaware of the article until brought to his attention at his fifth
press conference by Leslie Stahl.
11/13/81
The Justice Department begins investigating a $1,000 payment given to National
Security Adviser Richard Allen for arranging an interview with Nancy Reagan.
"I didn't accept it, I received it," says Allen. "It would have
been an embarrassment" to the Japanese to have returned the money. Asked
if Allen will stay on the job, President Reagan says, "On the basis of
what I know, yes." Nancy Reagan is said to be furious that she has been
dragged into the story. (see 1/4/82)
11/23/81
President Reagan vetoes a stopgap spending bill, thus forcing the federal government
- for the first time in history - to temporarily shut down. Says House Speaker
Tip O'Neill, "He knows less about the budget than any president in my lifetime.
He can't even carry on a conversation about the budget. It's an absolute and
utter disgrace."
11/27/81
In an interview with Barbara Walters, President Reagan describes his academic
record: "I never knew anything above Cs."
11/30/81
President Reagan tells a $2,500 per ticket GOP fund-raiser in Cincinnati about
a letter from a blind supporter. "He wrote in Braille," the President
says, "to tell me that if cutting his pension would help get this country
back on its feet, he'd like to have me cut his pension." The identity of
this generous fellow is never revealed.
12/14/81
"Mr. Reagan has the White House, I have Arlington." - James Watt justifying
his decision to hold two private cocktail parties at Arlington Cemetery's Lee
Mansion at the taxpayer's expense.
12/17/81
When asked at his sixth press conference if he agrees with his Justice Department's
efforts to overturn the Webber ruling, which allows unions and management to
enter into voluntary affirmative action agreements, President Reagan says he
"can't bring to mind as to what it pertains to and what it calls for."
When a reporter explains it to him, he says he supports the decision. White
House aides later say he thinks it should be overturned.
12/20/81
Reagan Officials Seek To Ease Rules On Nursing Homes. Proposals Include Repeal
Of Regulations On Sanitation, Safety And Contagion - The New York Times
12/22/81
President Reagan claims, during a PBS interview, that New Deal proponents actually
"espoused" fascism. Roosevelt biographer Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.,
calls this "a gross distortion of history." (see 12/23/81)
12/23/81
Asked to comment on his wife's higher-than-usual disapproval rating, President
Reagan says, "I just heard earlier today - and maybe Larry can tell me
if this is true - I just heard that some poll or something has revealed that
she's the most popular woman in the world." White House spokesman Larry
Speakes says he has seen no such poll. (see 2/24/82)
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