Lawmakers - Oct 29, 1981 - Selling AWACS to Saudi Arabia and Reagan's influence on Congress
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Title sequence
Paul Duke in studio introduces program: Foreign Policy victory for Reagan - allowed to sell AWACS radar planes to Saudi Arabia, result of personal intervention by Reagan.
Senator Howell Heflin (D - Alabama) speaking to press in office. Sometimes I wonder whether or not I m going to have to have an arm transplant, it s been twisted one way, twisted the other.
Senator William Armstrong (R - Colorado) walking in hallway with TV crew. Armstrong announcing that he will vote for the sale. I am convinced after the study I have given it, that the peace process is enhanced by the sale, and therefore I shall vote against the resolution of disapproval and in support of the President s initiative to sell the equipment and in support of the peace process.
Senator Patrick Leahy (D - Vermont), I would hope that the President would realize he has a badly botches package. It was one put together without the kind of bi-partisan consideration that should go into any major foreign policy issue.
Graphic of AWACS plane (like a Jumbo Jet with a large antenna disc on stalk on top of fuselage) with tally of votes on sale.
Senator Howell Heflin (D - Alabama) addressing press, If they want to talk to me, I ve told them pretty well my position, but I think it would in effect be a slap in the face of our Chief Executive for me to refuse to listen to him and to talk to him as I would do.
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Senator Roger Jepson (R - Iowa).
Senator James Exon (D - Nebraska), I think the President is a good salesman. But I ve been a salesman all my life also. I know a good salesman when I see one. I know sales pitches, so I don t think the sales part had any basic effect on me.
Graphic of AWACS plane, tally of changed vote count.
Paul Duke in studio, discussion with Linda Wertheimer of the parade of Senators to White House as part of Reagan plan to woo allies on the sale, Reagan s power in head-to-head meetings with Senators.
Linda Wertheimer reports on decision of Senator Howard Baker (R - Tennessee) to negotiate the deal for Reagan.
Senator Slade Gorton (R - Washington) addressing press, I would have to characterize my support as marginal. There s no question about that. I think most support for this proposition is marginal.
Shot of a letter from Reagan to Howard Baker designed to convince Senator Gorton to approve sale.
Senator William Cohen (R - Maine), addressing press, that Israel is in a classic no-win situation. That if the sale were defeated - if they won in that sense - they still lost. My assessment of this country s mood and this country s attitude would be that if the sale is rejected and things start to dissolve in the Middle East, then they are going to point the finger at Israel and say if only they hadn t objected to this sale, if only they had not tried to intervene, this wouldn t have happened
DO NOT USE Still photos of Sen. BOB PACKWOOD (R-OR), Still of Sen. HOWARD BAKER, stills of other Senators, WERTHEIMER v.o. discussion of the final rollcall vote.
Senator Bob Packwood (R - Oregon) addressing press, We got out-gunned. The President did a marvelous job of persuasion
Senator Howard Metzenbaum (D - Ohio), It was decided strictly on the basis of pressure - raw, unbridled pressure.
Senator Alan Cranston (D - California), says REAGAN basically demanded that SENATORS support him as Commander-in-Chief. I m talking about the pressures of a President who says, I m the President. I m the Commander In Chief. You must support me.
George Bush Sr speaking in White House, Well I don t agree with that at all because many people saw the merits of the case early on. The leadership on the Republican side of the Senate, reinforced by some stalwart support on the Democratic side, saw the merits of this case
Senator Howard Baker (R - Tennessee) on telephone, making call to Reagan, congratulates.
Paul Duke and Linda Wertheimer in studio, discussion of the final vote, Senator Baker s role, outside lobbyists. Duke says this proves Reagan is "Superman" in dealing with Congress.