| Reagan addresses Congress about Central America | ||
|---|---|---|
| This clip is not available for streaming at this time. Please contact WPA. | Tape Master: | 10000 |
| Catalog #: | 459753 | |
| Clip Number: | 459753-1 | |
| Orginal Film: | 91-0565 | |
| Timecode: | ||
| Location: | Capital Building | |
| Year Shot: | 1983 (Actual Year) | |
| Audio: | Yes | |
| Color: | Yes | |
| Headings: | GOVERNMENT: Address to Congress, State of the Union | |
| Description: | (20:48:08) WETA logo, followed by PBS funding credit (20:48:22) Title screen over image of capital, shot switches to Coverage host PAUL DUKE who introduces RONALD REAGAN's address to the Congress (20:48:57) Shot of House Chamber which is filled with members of Congress (20:49:25) Reagan appears in the chamber and walks down the center aisle to the front speaking platform, Reagan is greeted by a standing ovation and shakes various hands, Duke continues to voice over commentary, NANCY REAGAN is shown in the gallery (20:51:24) Speaker of the House TIP O'NEIL after much gavel grinding finally gets Congress' attention and introduces the president (20:51:30) Reagan thanks the crowd for their applause, goes in to explaning his concern over political activities in Central America, namely Nicaragua and El Salvador, and how they could constitute a security threat to the U.S. (20:54:00) Reagan talks about the strategic importance of the Carribean waters for trade routes and as far as Cuba serving as a military base for the Soviets, Reagan brings up the Nazi patrols of the Carribean and Central America (20:55:50) Reagan speaks of the guerilla fighters in El Salvador and how after the U.S. helped bring about their defeat El Salvador has benifitted from American enforced democracy (21:02:35) Reagan turns to Nicaragua, the defiant Sandinista government there and why the U.S. supports the groups fighting to overthrow it, he contrasts it to El Salvador where the government there is fighting off the imposition of another autocratic Marxist regime, Reagan says that Nicaragua contributes to the effort to overthrow the El Salvadorian government - for this he receives ecstatic applause (21:07:19) Reagan states the American mission in Nicaragua, explains how Nicaragua is a dangerous force in Central America as the headquarters for international communist insurrectionary forces (21:11:13) Reagan quotes a President TRUMAN statement that it is the obligation of America to help out stuggling democracies against tyranny, Reagan then passionately states that the U.S. cannot just sit back and watch foreign democracies get trampled - another standing ovation (21:15:05) Reagan mentions that BREZHNEV has been talking about putting nuclear missles in the western hemisphere and that Nicaragua volunteered itself as a possible missle base, Reagan goes on to say that he is not calling for another Vietnam and that no American troops need be sent down to Central America - another Standing ovation, Reagan says however it is necessary to work against communist threats in the area in order to show the world that we are a serious world power (21:17:45) Reagan asks the Congress for their support in fighting for Democracy in Central America, Reagan outlines his plan: support democracy, economic growth, secuity assistance, dialogue and negotiations (21:22:45) Reagan announces that he will appoint a special peace ambassador to Central America, Reagan says he is asking Congress for prompt financial support in his Central American missions, Reagan says that the $600 million he is asking for his Central America missions in 1984 amounts to less than 1/10th of what Americans spend in one year on coin-operated video games (21:24:38) Reagan concludes his address with a summary of why Central America should be the focus of American attention and activities, Standing ovation Reagan shakes hand with many Congressman as he leaves the auditorium, Correspondent Duke sums up the address in a voice over (21:28:09) In the studio Duke gives a more detailed summary of Reagan's address, his motivations for giving it, and Congress' feelings toward American activities in Central America (21:31:40) Senator CHRISTOPHER DODD from a room in the Capital gives the Democratic response, long shot of Dodd at podium with cameraman waiting for cue to air, Dodd start his statement listing the points of agreement between the Democrats and Reagan regarding Central America, he says, however, that Reagan is pushing too much for military support in the area (21:34:14) Dodd makes the Vietnam comparison, saying that we know as little about Central America as we did about Vietnam, Dodd goes on to give a general description of the Central American people, mainly concentrating on the fact that the bulk of them are dirt poor and that the countries are in the control of the wealthy few, he goes on to say that military intervention is an endless unfruitful activity, Dodd then lists financial statistics about money Reagan has poured into his Central American efforts (21:37:50) Dodd describes the corruption of the El Salvadorian government and the effect of the conflict on that country (21:39:10) Dodd outlines the Democratic plan for dealing with Central America - diplomacy and negotiation, Dodd concludes that the light of liberty needs to shine on Central America in the form of diplomacy and not military intervention (21:43:54) Back to correspondent Duke sums up Dodd's statement (21:44:55) Duke concludes coverage (21:45:27) WETA logo followed by PBS funding credit | |
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