Political Commentator Interview
Political Commentator Interview
Tana George
HIS145
September 12, 2012
Ginny Mayer
Political Commentator Interview
COMMENTATOR: Mr. President, would you please address your involvement in the Iran Contra affair?
REAGAN: Let's start with the part that is the most controversial. A few months ago I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart and my best intentions still tell me that's true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not. As the Tower board reported, what began as a strategic opening to Iran deteriorated, in its implementation, into trading arms for hostages. This runs counter to my own beliefs, to administration policy, and to the original strategy we had in mind. There are reasons why it happened, but no excuses. It was a mistake. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/reagan-iran-contra/ COMMENTATOR: Why was the signing of the Social Security Amendments of 1983 so important to the elders of our country?
REAGAN: This bill demonstrates for all time our nation's ironclad commitment to Social Security. It assures the elderly that America will always keep the promises made in troubled times a half a century ago. It assures those who are still working that they, too, have a pact with the future. From this day forward, they have one pledge that they will get their fair share of benefits when they retire. http://www.ssa.gov/history/reaganstmts.html#1983 COMMENTATOR: How would you explain the process of figuring out how much the defense budget should be?
REAGAN: What seems to have been lost in all this debate is the simple truth of how a defense budget is arrived at. It isn't done by deciding to spend a certain number of dollars. Those loud voices that are occasionally heard charging that the Government is trying to solve a security problem by throwing money at it are nothing more than noise based on ignorance. We start by considering what must be done
Tana George
HIS145
September 12, 2012
Ginny Mayer
Political Commentator Interview
COMMENTATOR: Mr. President, would you please address your involvement in the Iran Contra affair?
REAGAN: Let's start with the part that is the most controversial. A few months ago I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart and my best intentions still tell me that's true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not. As the Tower board reported, what began as a strategic opening to Iran deteriorated, in its implementation, into trading arms for hostages. This runs counter to my own beliefs, to administration policy, and to the original strategy we had in mind. There are reasons why it happened, but no excuses. It was a mistake. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/reagan-iran-contra/ COMMENTATOR: Why was the signing of the Social Security Amendments of 1983 so important to the elders of our country?
REAGAN: This bill demonstrates for all time our nation's ironclad commitment to Social Security. It assures the elderly that America will always keep the promises made in troubled times a half a century ago. It assures those who are still working that they, too, have a pact with the future. From this day forward, they have one pledge that they will get their fair share of benefits when they retire. http://www.ssa.gov/history/reaganstmts.html#1983 COMMENTATOR: How would you explain the process of figuring out how much the defense budget should be?
REAGAN: What seems to have been lost in all this debate is the simple truth of how a defense budget is arrived at. It isn't done by deciding to spend a certain number of dollars. Those loud voices that are occasionally heard charging that the Government is trying to solve a security problem by throwing money at it are nothing more than noise based on ignorance. We start by considering what must be done