2

STATES IS HERE, BUT BECAUSE SO MANY OF HIS SUCCESSORS ARE
HERE AS WELL.

INDEED I HAVE HEARD IT SAID THAT I HAVE THE
QUALITIES TO BE PRESIDENT. I HAVE SAID IT MYSELF --
THAT IS PROBABLY WHERE I HEARD IT.

BUT DO NOT PANIC, HOWARD, I REALIZE THAT I OWE
MY PROMINENT STATION TONIGHT TO THE FACT THAT I AM
THE ONLY PERSON IN THIS ROOM SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITED BY
THE CONSTITUTION FROM SERVING AS PRESIDENT. IT IS NOT
TRUE, HOWEVER, THAT THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL HELMS AMENDMENT.

WHILE I AM ON THE SUBJECT OF SENATOR HELMS -- AND
THOSE OF US WHO SPEAK WITH AN ACCENT OWE IT TO EACH OTHER
TO KEEP THE PUBLIC ATTENTION FOCUSSED ON EACH OTHER --
I WAS GLAD THAT THIS OCCASION ENABLED ME TO CLEAR THE
AIR ABOUT A POSSIBLE MISUNDERSTANDING. SENATOR HELMS
HAS INTRODUCED AN AMENDMENT ELIMINATING THE TRAVEL FUNDS
OF THE BI-PARTISAN COMMISSION FOR CENTRAL AMERICA
~~CALIFORNIA~~. I ASKED HIM WHETHER HE OBJECTED TO OUR

A-1

FOR THE WORST CONSEQUENCE. AND HE CANNOT ESCAPE
HIS DILEMMAS BY HIDING BEHIND PUBLIC OPINION. THE
PUBLIC DOES NOT FORGIVE DISASTERS EVEN IF THEY RESULT FROM
CARRYING OUT ITS OWN ASSUMED PREFERENCES. IN SHORT,
COMMENTATORS -- AND EVEN SENATORS -- CAN USE ERASERS;
PRESIDENTS WRITE IN INDELIBLE INK.

OUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN FORTUNATE THAT FOR THE PAST
THREE YEARS IT HAS BEEN LED BY A PRESIDENT WHO SEEMS TO
THRIVE ON THESE COMPLEXITIES. HE IS NOT FAZED BY THE
FACT THAT THE ISSUES ON HIS DESK ARE ALL BALANCED CLOSE
TO FIFTY-FIFTY. ON THE CONTRARY, HE SEEMS TO BE HAVING
A WHALE OF A TIME WHILE HE IS CHARTING OUR COURSE. HE
SHOWS US THAT ONLY THOSE WHO RELISH THE FUTURE CAN SHAPE
IT.

THE GOOD MEN AND WOMEN OF THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY --
EXEMPLIFIED BY LEADERS OF THE CALIBER OF HOWARD BAKER --
CAN HELP A PRESIDENT DEAL WITH THE VEXING PROBLEMS OF

A-2

THE MODERN WORLD. THEY CAN GIVE HIM THE BENEFIT OF THEIR EXPERT OPINIONS, ADIVSE HIM ON THE TENOR OF THEIR CONSTITUENCIES, HELP FASHION A LEGISLATIVE CONSENSUS TO TRANSLATE THE PUBLIC WILL INTO PUBLIC LAW, AND OFFER THE MORAL, POLITICAL AND PERSONAL SUPPORT THAT THE PRESIDENCY REQUIRES. YET AT THE END OF ALL THESE DELIBERATIONS THERE WILL BE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ON VIRTUALLY EVERY ISSUE EVEN AMONG THE PRESIDENT'S MOST FAITHFUL ASSOCIATES. THE EASY PROBLEMS DO NOT REACH THE OVAL OFFICE. THE ISSUES BEFORE PRESIDENT ARE THOSE WHERE THE PROS AND CONS SEEM EVENLY, PERHAPS AGONIZINGLY DIVIDED.

AND PRESIDENT REAGAN HAS NOT BEEN AFRAID TO FACE THESE DECISIONS. HE HAS TOLD US AND THE WORLD THAT CONCILIATION IS A VIRTUE ONLY IN THE STRONG; THAT PEACE MUST BE BASED ON JUSTICE NOT ABDICATION. HE HAS STRIVEN WITH ALL HIS HEART FOR A WORLD IN WHICH THE JUST CAN BE SECURE AND THE GENTLE CAN BE FREE. AND HE WILL BRING

September 27, 1983

MR. PRESIDENT, MRS. REAGAN, SENATOR BAKER, FRIENDS,

MY NAME IS HENRY KISSINGER, AND SINCE DOLLY PARTON

AND WAYNE NEWTON WERE UNAVAILABLE THIS EVENING, I HAVE

BEEN ASKED TO SERVE AS YOUR MASTER OF CEREMONIES.

PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE. FIRST, BECAUSE I HAVE

DIFFICULTY LOOKING HUMBLE FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME.

BUT ABOVE ALL, BECAUSE OUT OF RESPECT FOR SENATOR HELMS.

IT IS, AFTER ALL, NOT EASY TO APPLAUD AND SHRUG YOUR

SHOULDERS AT THE SAME TIME.

AS A BOY GROWING UP IN A FAR-AWAY PLACE, I NEVER
DREAMED I WOULD ONE DAY STAND IN SUCH COMPANY. FOR ONE
THING, A REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE
WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO CONTEMPLATE. AND THERE WAS THE
ADDITIONAL PROBLEM OF HOW I WOULD GET HERE FROM KRYPTON.

SO IT IS A SPECIAL HONOR FOR ME TO JOIN YOU

TONIGHT -- NOT ONLY BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED

2

WHILE I AM ON THE SUBJECT OF SENATOR HELMS -- AND
THOSE OF US WHO SPEAK WITH AN ACCENT OWE IT TO EACH OTHER
TO KEEP THE PUBLIC ATTENTION FOCUSSED ON OURSELVES --
I WAS GLAD THAT THIS OCCASION ENABLED ME TO CLEAR THE
AIR ABOUT A POSSIBLE MISUNDERSTANDING. SENATOR HELMS HAS
INTRODUCED AN AMENDMENT ELIMINATING THE TRAVEL FUNDS OF THE
BI-PARTISAN COMMISSION FOR CENTRAL AMERICA IN CALIFORNIA.
I ASKED HIM WHETHER HE OBJECTED TO OUR GOING TO CENTRAL
AMERICA. "NO", HE REPLIED, "I DON'T OBJECT TO YOUR
GOING. WHAT BOTHERS ME IS THAT YOU ARE COMING BACK."

3

BUT LET ME RETURN TO THE HEAD TABLE. HOWARD BAKER

IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN OUR NATIONAL LIFE. THE PRESIDENT

KNOWS HOW TO GET HOWARD'S SUPPORT. WHEN THE OCCASION

DEMANDS, HE OFFERS HIS SUPPORT FOR THE TENNESSEE TOMBIGBEE

AS YOU KNOW THE TOMBIGBEE PROJECT IS A WATERWAY

PROJECT THAT WILL CONNECT NASHVILLE TENNESSEE WITH THE

ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS. IT IS HOWARD'S WAY OF

REPLACING THE PANAMA CANAL.

STILL THE FACT THAT SENATOR BAKER IS SITTING HERE

SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN TO MEAN THAT HE IS ANY CLOSER TO

THE WHITE HOUSE THAN THE REST OF YOU. TRUE, HE DOES

HAVE HIS OWN "ONE PERCENT PLAN." BUT IT'S THE SAME

PLAN -- AND THE SAME PERCENTAGE -- TO WHICH HE ADHERED

ALL TOO FAITHFULLY IN THE 1980 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES.

NANCY REAGAN IS ALSO AT THE HEAD TABLE AND LET'S

FACE IT SHE MIGHT WELL BE PRESIDENT BEFORE HOWARD BAKER.

4

OF ONE THING I AM SURE TED WELCH IS HERE AND HE
MUST NOT BE PRESIDENT UNLESS YOU WANT ALL THE WEALTH IN
THE COUNTRY REDISTRIBUTED. HE BELIEVES THE FREE ENTERPRISE
SYSTEM WAS CREATED SOLELY AS AN AID TO HIS FUND-RAISING
DRIVES.

STILL, IF HE SHOULD NOT BE PRESIDENT, TED WELCH
SHOULD ALWAYS BE CONSULTED ON MATTERS OF FUND-RAISING
POLICY, FOR IN THESE MATTERS HE IS AN AUTHENTIC GENIUS.

WHO ELSE, FOR EXAMPLE, COULD HAVE GOTTEN JIM BAKER,
ED MEESE, MIKE DEAVER AND BILL CLARK TO SIT IN THE
SAME ROOM AND PAY $1,000 FOR THE PRIVILEGE?

AS THEY WERE GOING INTO THE ROOM I HEARD JIM BAKER
SAY TO BILL CLARK, "I AM BEHIND YOU." AND BILL
REPLIED, "THAT IS THE MOST FRIGHTENING THING I
HEARD ALL NIGHT."

WHO ELSE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT TO CHARGE DOUBLE FOR

5

A SEAT AT BILL CASEY'S TABLE, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT

MR. CASEY WOULD TALK ABOUT THE STOCK MARKET?

AND

SUPPLY AN INTERPRETER FOR WHAT BILL WAS SAYING?

WHO ELSE WOULD HAVE FULFILLED MY LIFE'S DREAM BY
PLACING ME, FOR ONCE, TO THE RIGHT OF THE REAGANS?

YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT I BEGAN MY REMARKS
BY ASKING TO HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE. IT IS NOT A REQUEST
YOU WILL HEAR WHEN THE COMMISSION ON CENTRAL AMERICA
ISSUES ITS REPORT EARLY NEXT YEAR, NOR WHEN I
INTRODUCE THE GENTLEMAN WHO PLANS TO INTRODUCE IN
TURN VIRTUALLY EVERYONE IN THE ROOM.

HE IS THE SENIOR SENATOR FROM INDIANA. HE IS
CHAIRMAN OF THE FOREIGN RELATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON
FOREIGN AFFAIRS. HE IS ONE OF THE MOST CREATIVE AND
INDUSTRIOUS PUBLIC SERVANTS IN THIS CITY.

MORE TO THE POINT OF THIS EVENING, HE IS CHAIRMAN
OF THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL COMMITTEE. PLEASE
DO NOT HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE FOR SENATOR RICHARD LUGAR.

-A-

THANK YOU SENATOR LUGAR.

I ALWAYS WONDERED HOW TO MAKE MULTIPLE INTRODUCTIONS ENTERTAINING. THANKS TO SENATOR LUGAR, IT REMAINS A MYSTERY.

THE ORDER OF THIS PROGRAM HAS ALL BUT PRECLUDED ME FROM MAKING MANY SERIOUS REMARKS. THIS WAS, I SUSPECT, INTENTIONAL.

BUT I DO WISH TO SAY A SERIOUS WORD ABOUT THE GENTLEMAN ON MY LEFT.

NO ONE KNOWS BETTER THE WEIGHT A CHIEF EXECUTIVE CARRIES ON HIS SHOULDERS THAN THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED A PRESIDENT. THE OBSERVER NEEDS TO CONCENTRATE ON ONLY ONE PROBLEM AT A TIME; A PRESIDENT HAS A MYRIAD BEFORE HIM ALWAYS. THE COMMENTATOR CAN AFFORD THE BEST GUESS; THE PRESIDENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WORST CONSEQUENCE. AND HE CANNOT ESCAPE HIS DILEMMAS BY HIDING BEHIND PUBLIC OPINION. THE PUBLIC DOES NOT FORGIVE DISASTERS EVEN

September 27, 1983

BUT ABOVE ALL, OUT OF RESPECT FOR SENATOR HELMS.

SHOULDERS AT THE SAME TIME.

KRYPTON.

2

WHILE I AM ON THE SUBJECT OF SENATOR HELMS -- AND
THOSE OF US WHO SPEAK WITH AN ACCENT OWE IT TO EACH OTHER
TO KEEP THE PUBLIC ATTENTION FOCUSSED ON EACH OTHER --
I WAS GLAD THAT THIS OCCASION ENABLED ME TO CLEAR THE
AIR ABOUT A POSSIBLE MISUNDERSTANDING. SENATOR HELMS
HAS INTRODUCED AN AMENDMENT TO THE SENATE ELIMINATING THE
TRAVEL FUNDS OF THE BI-PARTISAN COMMISSION FOR CENTRAL
AMERICA. I ASKED HIM WHETHER HE OBJECTED TO OUR

3

BUT LET ME RETURN TO THE HEAD TABLE. HOWARD BAKER IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN OUR NATIONAL LIFE. HOW ELSE CAN ONE DESCRIBE THE AUTHOR OF THE TOMBIGBEE CANAL? AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, THE TOMBIGBEE IS A WATERWAY PROJECT THAT WILL CONNECT NASHVILLE TENNESSEE WITH THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS. IT IS HOWARD'S WAY OF REPLACING THE PANAMA CANAL.

STILL THE FACT THAT SENATOR BAKER IS SITTING HERE SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN TO MEAN THAT HE IS ANY CLOSER TO THE WHITE HOUSE THAN THE REST OF YOU. TRUE, HE DOES HAVE HIS OWN "ONE PERCENT PLAN". BUT IT'S THE SAME PLAN -- AND THE SAME PERCENTAGE -- TO WHICH HE ADHERED

~~SO ALL TOO FAITHFULLY IN THE 1980 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES.~~

4

AS THEY WERE GOING INTO THE ROOM I HEARD JIM BAKER SAY TO BILL CLARK, "I AM RIGHT BEHIND YOU." AND BILL REPLIED, "THAT IS THE MOST FRIGHTENING THING I HAVE HEARD ALL WEEK."

5

WHO ELSE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT TO CHARGE DOUBLE FOR
A SEAT AT BILL CASEY'S TABLE, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING
THAT MR. CASEY WOULD TALK ABOUT THE STOCK MARKET? WHO
ELSE WOULD HAVE BEEN THOUGHTFUL ENOUGH TO SUPPLY AN
INTERPRETER FOR WHAT BILL WAS SAYING?

YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT I BEGAN MY REMARKS
BY ASKING YOU TO HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE. IT IS NOT A REQUEST
YOU WILL HEAR WHEN THE COMMISSION ON CENTRAL AMERICA
ISSUES ITS REPORT EARLY NEXT YEAR, NOR WHEN I
INTRODUCE THE GENTLEMAN WHO PLANS TO INTRODUCE IN
TURN VIRTUALLY EVERYONE IN THE ROOM.

6

-A-

THANK YOU SENATOR LUGAR.

BUT I DO WISH TO MAKE TWO SERIOUS POINTS. FIRST, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING PERMITTED TO PARTICIPATE IN HONORING ONE OF THE GREAT PUBLIC SERVANTS I HAVE KNOWN, A TRUE STATESMAN AND MAN OF WISDOM, SENATOR HOWARD BAKER.

LET ME NOW SAY A WORD ABOUT ONE MAIN SPEAKER, THE GENTLEMAN ON MY LEFT. NO ONE KNOWS BETTER THE WEIGHT A CHIEF EXECUTIVE CARRIES ON HIS SHOULDERS THAN THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED A PRESIDENT. AND THEY APPREICATE THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE OF THE OCCUPANT OF THE OVAL OFFICE. THE OUTSIDE OBSERVER NEEDS TO CONCENTRATE ON ONLY ONE PROBLEM AT A TIME; A PRESIDENT HAS A MYRIAD BEFORE HIM ALWAYS. THE COMMENTATOR CAN AFFORD THE BEST GUESS; THE PRESIDENT IS RESPONSIBLE

A-1

OUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN FORTUNATE THAT FOR THE PAST
THREE YEARS IT HAS BEEN LED BY A PRESIDENT WHO SEEMS TO
THRIVE ON THESE COMPLEXITIES. HE IS NOT FAZED BY THE
FACT THAT THE ISSUES ON HIS DESK ARE ALL BALANCED CLOSE
TO FIFTY-FIFTY. ON THE CONTRARY, HE SEEMS TO BE HAVING
A WHALE OF A TIME WHILE HE IS CHARTING OUR COURSE. HIS
CALM AND CONFIDENCE INSPIRED HOPE AND OPTIMISM. IT SYMBOLIZED
THAT OUR CHALLENGES ARE MANAGEABLE. HIS GRACE UNDER PRESSURE
SHOWS US THAT ONLY THOSE WHO RELISH THE FUTURE CAN SHAPE
IT.

A-2

THE MODERN WORLD. THEY CAN GIVE HIM THE BENEFIT OF THEIR EXPERT OPINIONS, ADVISE HIM ON THE TENOR OF THEIR CONSTITUENCIES, HELP FASHION A LEGISLATIVE CONSENSUS TO TRANSLATE THE PUBLIC WILL INTO PUBLIC LAW, AND OFFER THE MORAL, POLITICAL AND PERSONAL SUPPORT THAT THE PRESIDENCY REQUIRES. YET AT THE END OF ALL THESE DELIBERATIONS THERE WILL BE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ON VIRTUALLY EVERY ISSUE EVEN AMONG THE PRESIDENT'S MOST FAITHFUL ASSOCIATES. THE EASY PROBLEMS DO NOT REACH THE OVAL OFFICE. THE ISSUES BEFORE PRESIDENTS ARE THOSE WHERE THE PROS AND CONS SEEM EVENLY, PERHAPS AGONIZINGLY DIVIDED.

AND PRESIDENT REAGAN HAS NOT BEEN AFRAID TO FACE THESE DECISIONS. HE HAS REVERSED THE DOWNTURN IN OUR ECONOMY. INTERNATIONALLY HE HAS CAPTURED THE STRIVING FOR PEACE. BUT HE HAS BEEN UNAFRAID TO FACE ITS CHALLENGES. HE HAS TOLD US AND THE WORLD THAT CONCILIATION IS A VIRTUE ONLY IN THE STORNG; THAT PEACE MUST BE BASED ON JUSTICE NOT ABDICATION. HE HAS STRIVEN WITH ALL HIS HEART FOR A WORLD IN WHICH THE JUST CAN BE SECURE AND THE GENTLE CAN BE FREE. AND HE WILL BRING