Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Digital Library Collections This is a PDF of a folder from our textual collections. Collection: Deaver, Michael: Files Folder Title: Personal Notes H-M [Late 1983– May 1985 HAU-HH] Box: 29 To see more digitized collections visit: https://reaganlibrary.gov/archives/digital-library To see all Ronald Reagan Presidential Library inventories visit: https://reaganlibrary.gov/document-collection Contact a reference archivist at: [email protected] Citation Guidelines: https://reaganlibrary.gov/citing National Archives Catalogue: https://catalog.archives.gov/ THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON Rita Hauser Stroock and Stroock and Lavan Seven Hanover Square New York, New York 10004 L AW O FFICES OF - C~Ji:' IIJKW:E'IAL STROOCK & STROOCK & LAVAN SEV EN HANOV ER S QUARE , NEW YOR K , N .Y . 10004 RANDUM RE : DATE August 27, 1984 yNA ro : Michael Deaver FROM: Rita E. Hauser 1. The President's speech was the highlight of the Convention and set the campaign themes quite well. One issue, however, poses the prospect of real danger to the campaign. Th is is the issue of religion and politics, the sub j e c t he tackled at ;the big prayer breakfast. His approach will be disto.rted by his more f ervent supporters on the Right, and give rise to fear , which will be exploited, in the conununity at large For example , see the attached N.Y. Times editorial and the 5 minutes CBS news gave the su5ject on Saturday night. I r eceived multiple calls over the weekend from Jewish people in my capacity· as Chair of the National Executive of the American Jewish Committee. AJC, and other major Jewish groups, will issue s t ate­ ments this week condemni ng, or in AJC r s case, hoping that religi on will not be permitted to intrude into politics. I am told the main-line Protestant groups will also issue statements. And the debate has already begun among Catholics, wit h much. admira tion for Cuomo' s position among more educated Catholi cs. This issue, if not rephrased, can reach up to bite the President . It touches the deepest fears of many, e speci ally of Jews, who see the Moral Majority and the Evangelical Christians as intolerant of diversity , a group seeking to impose social a nd religious views on others . 2. I flew back with Max Rabb, and we caught up on things. Max thought you'd enjoy reading the attached article in· the current "American Lawyer" about our law firm. It relates how Max recruited me to the firm. To: Michael Deaver August 27, 1984 From: Rita E. Hauser Page 2 3. The piece on you in Time was first-rate. It was warm and generous, which. is h.ow I think the elect­ orate likes to see their leaders. Please call me for anyth.ing I can do. I am listed as a surrogate speaker but, to date, none of us has been given any assignments. ( 22 + THE NEW YORK TIMES, SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 1984 ARTHVR OCHS SULZBERGER, Publisher A. M. ROSENTHAL,• Executive Editor SEYMOUR TOPPING, MCJ1148in8 Edilor ARTIIUR GELB, Dq>~ MCJ1148in8 Editor JAMES L. GREENFIELD, Aui'atant MCJ1148in8 Edilor LOUIS SILVERSTEIN, Auiatant MCJ1148in8 Edilor MAX. FRANKEL. EditxJrial• PQ(Je Editor JACK ROSENTHAL, Dq>~• Editorial PQ(/e Editor Founded in 1851 CHARLOTTE CURTIS, AMOCiate Editor TOM WICKER, AMOCiate Editor ADOLPH S. OCHS, Pu/Ju.Mr 1896-1935 . · ARTHUR HAYS SULZBERGER, PublWae 1935-1961 JOHN D. POMFRET, E.-:. V.P., <hMralMWUJ6er ORVIl. E. DRYFOOS, PublWtu 1961-1963 LANCE R. PRIMIS, Sr. V.P., Advertiai118 J. A. RIGGS JR., Sr. V.P., Operationa HOW ARD BISHOW, V.P.,Employtt RelatioM RUSSELL T. LEWIS, V.P., Circulation JOHN M. <iBRIE?i, V.P., Controlkr ELISE J . ROSS, V.P., S:ymma The President's Sin President Reagan's prayer breakfast speech in inseparable." The genius of the Founding Fathers Dallas was a self-righteous assault on those who dis­ was to keep the debate civilized, and all faiths free, ' agree with his dangerous, divisive mixing o,f reli­ by demanding state neutrality. , gion and politics. Not content to debate the merits of There are faiths in this country that would difficult issues like school prayer and abortion, he brand Mr. Reagan a sinner and bar him from office professed to know the hearts and minds of his oppo­ for having failed once to hold a marriage together. nents, ·and he found them evil. Mr. Reagan has As he says, it is their a~solute right to hold that con­ exceeded the bounds of tolerable debate. viction. But do they have a right to impose it on He began innocently enough with the truism every marriage and every faith? So too with abor­ that faith and religion figure prominently in Amer­ tion, and school prayer, and conducting business on ican political history. But before he was through, he Sunday, or Saturday, or Friday. Why cannot so dis­ was claiming God for only his side and proclaiming tinguished a beneficiary of the tolerance of America the "real truth" that his adversaries are "intoler­ repay other faiths in kind? ant" of religion and care only for the state. Since his earliest days in politics, Mr. Reagan • has sought to exploit the fervor of some religious The President is right to say that children sects and their leaders. The Rev. Jerry Falwell is would learn greater tolerance if they "studied to­ only reaping his earthly reward when he is allowed gether all the many religions in our country." In- · a television pulpit to laud the Republican Party for deed, the Supreme Court has welcomed such social · its commitment "to the liberation of the unborn" study as opposed to govemment-:Sponsored prayer and its standard-bearers as "God's instruments in in public schools. It hardly follows that if children rebuilding America." prayed together - to different deities - they would But never has Mr. Reagan been so intrusive or "understand what they have in common." so heedless of the rights of others to have their reli­ What a misguided way for a party leader to key­ gious and political dissent construed in good faith. note an "ecumenical" prayer breakfast. What an Apparently New York's Governor Cuomo may not odd way to celebrate a campaign of political out­ claim to be religious if he differs with an Archbishop reach. What an abuse of high office for a President about lay politics. Clerics used to be treated defer­ to so insult the motives of citizens protected by the entially, the President scolded, "and a politician Bill of Rights of the Constitution he is sworn to who spoke to or of them with a lack of respect would uphold. t not long survive in the political arena." Mr. Reagan's trespass into the moral realm The President's speech was a studied misread­ was a blatant attempt to divide Americans. And . ing of the sense in which "politics and morality are that, in the civic, secular sense of the word, is a sin. partners that Stroock needed a b1 ness development committee. : i AVY·HITTERS by Jill Abramson one was formed in 1983. In fact, has just finished drafting a five -y business plan. " I thought there 1 to be a change in the culture of fir m." she says, referring Stroock 's extremely low-key pro! Her push to organi ze a nd forma the business development proc "was a real battle," according to ' Pushing Hard At source close to the firm. who ad "Stroock can still be a dinos firm ." Alvin Hellerstein. who he the litigation practice with Moerd explai ns ... A lot of us felt that b ness would grow organicall y if Stroock& Stroock provided quality legal service Hellerstein now thinks that Haus1 "sense that we should be more ar n 1972 Charles Moerdler, a partner ulate about the firm's capabilities at New York's Stroock & Stroock form a business development c• I& Lavan. was trying to lure Rita mittee" is correct. Hauser. a friend and fe ll ow GOP ac­ Rita Hauser is a driving force Hauser's clout at Stroock is tivist. to his firm . He was having result of her success as a rainmal trouble convincing "the elders." a behind the firm's efforts to modernize. A giant Rolodex-actually. thm group of senior partners. then in their them- bulging wit h names of lsr< sixties. who ruled the firm . that "She is a human buzz saw," says one French. Lebanese. Iranian. Hauser was worth a lateral partner­ South American clients. domin< ship offer. Despite her credentials. executive committee member. the ent ra nce to her corn er off which included 12 years in practice. a (Hauser is nuent in French and Sr close relationship with then-Presi­ ish. ) Her development as a m•uor dent Richard Ni xon. a fo ur-year stint ent producer at Stroock is enhan at the United Nations, and a sturd y "she has bigger ball s than al l of yo u "category" (semiretired) partners. by the high prnlile Hauser keeps' base of in ternational clients. the el­ put together. .. Hauser. 50. has become one of the side the firm . ders were skeptical. Stroock had Twelve years later. it is laughable firm 's leading rainmakers and a driv­ She is a savvy Republican part ~ never had a woman partner or a siz­ lo anyone at Stroock that there were ing force behind Stroock's efforts 10 sider. As a member of the Counci able international practice. The sen­ ever doubts about Hauser's aggres­ modernize it s somewhat musty im­ Foreign Relations.