Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Digital Library Collections This is a PDF of a folder from our textual collections. Collection: Fuller, Craig: Files Folder Title: Assassination Attempt on Pres. 03/31/1981 [2 of 2] Box: OA 8978 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 t Nation Business as Usual-Almost A powerful troika takes charge, while Haig overdoes it-once more The first reactions European allies. Altogether, the week's better at the higher levels in such mo­ were shock, horror, official activity appeared to justify the ments. Heightened tension acts as a mag­ sickness at the thought phrase that Reagan's aides were using nifier; every word, and sentence, becomes that the nation had to while the President was still in the recov- an act of international significance and go through it all once ery room: "Business as usual." is rocketed around the globe where it is ex­ more. Then almost instantly came anxiety Well, almost. The day-to-day opera­ amined and weighed." -not' only for the wounded President but tions of the Government will continue Even long-run policy formulation will f', for the country itself. As citizens all over about the way they would if the Presi­ not suffer badly during the next month the U.S. and indeed around the world dent were in the White House-as in fact or so while Reagan is convalescing. Rea­ waited for the medical bulletins, questions he might be this week, if his recovery pro­ son: the Administration decided from the formed: Did, and would, the U.S. still have ceeds on course. start to make the economic program of a functioning Government? Could deci­ TIME Contributing Editor Hugh Si­ spending and tax cuts its top priority, and sions still be made, necessary actions be dey, who has been reporting on Wash­ that program is well advanced. Says one taken, while a President in office little ington for 24 years, notes that calm pre­ White House aide: "There are peaks and more than two months, barely enough vailed during Dwight Eisenhower's valleys in decision making. If this had time to get his hands on the levers of pow­ several hospitalizations, Richard Nixon's happened on Feb. 10, we would have been er, recovered from the attempt on his life? phlebitis, and even in the far graver cri­ in a totally different situation. Now, for Fortunately, the answer came before sis of the Kennedy assassination. Says the time being, the economic decisions are the worries had time to blossom. It was a Sidey: "We have sometimes overplayed already made." resounding yes. the difficulty of running the Government. In the worst hours of uncertainty and National trauma we have had. But the till, no nation as heavily dependent confusion, while Ronald Reagan was un­ postal clerk still comes to work, the sol­ on presidential lc;adership as the U.S. conscious in surgery, the nuclear button diers still drill. If anything, they are a lit­ S can shrug off the Wounding of its was right where it should be, in the hands tle more diligent in their duties, realizing Chief Executive as if nothing had hap­ of Vice President George Bush. On his that the country needs a special effort. pened. Already last week, some decisions flight back from Texas to Washington, Men and women also tend to cooperate were slipping: the Administration put off Bush was accompanied by a mil­ announcement of a package of mea­ itary aide carrying the Vice Pres­ sures designed to help the U.S. auto ident's version of the "football"-an industry meet foreign competition. unremarkable black leather case Though aides publicly asserted that containing top-secret signal codes Reagan would confer late this and military target information. ' month with Mexican President Jose Reagan, once he shook off the ef­ Lopez Portillo as scheduled, they fects of anesthesia, ,resumed some 1 conceded in private that the session of his duties. The fri.orning after the might be called off. shooting, wlfh a tube still in his nose Meanwhile, there are sure to be and a needle dripping intravenous shifts in the balance of forces with­ solution into his arm, the President in the -Administration, some with signed a bill canceling an increase. , lasting consequences. Even in an in dairy price supports that other­ Administration officially dedicated wise would have gone into effect the to Cabinet Government, the White next day. The only sign of stress: House staff had been increasing its I his signature was a trifle shakier influence before the shots rang out. ir than usual. The so-called troika at the top con­ With Reagan's approval, Bush sists of Presidential Counsellor presided over two Cabinet meet­ Edwin Meese, Chief of Staff James ings, carefully taking his accus­ Baker\ and Deputy Chief Michael tomed seat and leaving the Pres­ Deaver, Reagan's closest personal ident's chair empty to symbolize the aide. Within half an hour of the temporary nature of his enhanced shooting, the troika set up a kind authority. The Vice President also of command post at the hospital, conferred with Netherlands Pre­ and once the President was recu­ mier Andreas van Agt and Polish o.;c._ .. perating funneled briefing papers to Deputy Premier Mieczyslaw Jagiel­ him (greatly condensed to avoid ski, who had come to Washington taxing his strength). to see Reagan. For at least the rest of The Senate passed, 88 to 10, a Reagan's hospitalization and the budget resolution cutting spending early period of his convalescence, for fiscal 1982 by $36.9 billion: that the troika's power will be greater was roughly $2.8 billion more than . t,~ than ever. They will decide who Reagan had requested. At week's l - ~- sees the President, which decisions end Secretary of State Alexander I ,. _'\ · --·~ are referred to him and which are Haig took off, on schedule. for a trip _ ., · . .· postponed or settled at lower lev­ to the Middle East, and Secretary of : _ · --- - - els. They will also be the primary Defense Caspar Weinberger left for Bush at White House reception for Netherlands Premier communicators of Reagan's words defense consultations with Western In a moment ofshock, he carried the 'football. ·· and wishes to the rest of the 22 TIME, APRIL 13, 1981 Government and the outside world. was continuing to operate. Said one White be hampered in making an aggressive The three, who breakfast together at· House staffer: "Al Haig is too strong a case against those cuts that they contend 7:30 each morning, have worked out a player to let go." Reagan himself sum­ hurt the poor. Says one liberal: "You could smooth division of duties and interests moned Haig to his hospital bed and gave never get anyone to go after him person­ that should enable them to maintain their the Secretary letters' to hand carry to the ally, because he's a nice guy. But now it influence when matters settle down. leaders of Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia and will be difficult even to voice anything Meese, who likes to lug home a bulging Jordan. Nonetheless, Haig left on his against the program. That would be vis­ briefcase, concentrates on developing pol­ Middle East trip an uncertam figure, wor­ cerally resented by a lot of people." icy positions; Baker, who scorns paper­ ried about having unnamed enemies in Nonetheless, the Democrats will try. work, keeps a sharp eye on political af­ the White House who were out to get him. House Budget Committee Chairman fairs; Deaver is the devoted guardian and Whether he can recover authority over James Jones will unveil this week a bud­ shaper of Reagan's . schedule. Says one foreign policy is yet to be seen. get proposal that would slash spending aide who has watched them closely: "No On the domestic front, the most ob­ $4 billion more than the Administration's • one can put himself in the President's vious immediate effect of the assassina­ plan, but with a very different set of pri­ shoes, when it comes to personal and tion attempt, and the courage with which orities. Jones and the Democratic lead­ many political considerations, the way the President withstood it, was a power­ ership would cut $4 billion out of planned Deaver can. No one can put himself in ful surge in Reagan's popularity. A quick defense spending and $1.5 billion out of the President's mind, when it comes to dif­ Washington Post/ ABC News poll the day energy outlays, for example, while restor­ ficult policy questions, the way Meese can. after the shooting found 73% approving ing $7 billion of cuts that Reagan wants And no one can understand the intersec­ the way the President is handling his job, in such programs as Medicaid, food tion of the White House and the bureau­ up eleven percentage points from just the stamps and child nutrition. On the tax cracy, the bridge between intention and week before. side, the Democrats reject Reagan's three­ action, better than Baker." year, across-the-board slash in income tax Vice President Bush, too, seems sure hether that tide of public sym­ ·rates in favor of a much narrower one­ to gain in clout because of the calm man­ pathy and admiration will win ad­ year reduction. The Administration's ner in which he filled in for the President W ditional votes for Reagan's spend­ ability to counter this effort may be ham­ at Cabinet meetings and ceremonial func­ ing and tax cuts, especially in the pered by the enforced scrapping of Rea­ tions.