Word: address
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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State of the Union address...
...trouper it was a masterly performance. Speaking to the nation on Ash Wednesday in perhaps the most important address of his long political career, Ronald Reagan was simultaneously repentant yet still proud, regretful yet determined. He unflinchingly accepted responsibility for the Iran-contra scandal that has threatened his presidency. But while admitting that his overture to Iran quickly turned into an arms-for-hostages swap because he was so deeply concerned about the hostages' well-being, the President refused to % disavow the initiative as wrongheaded from the start...
...reckless advisers. The President's response to the report, and his widely applauded appointments of a new White House chief of staff and CIA director to go along with his new National Security Adviser, gave a boost to an Administration that had been foundering. Though it failed to address several of the more troubling aspects of Iranscam, the meticulously crafted twelve-minute speech showed that Reagan recognized the severity of the crisis and had determined to take steps to remedy the situation...
...summoning his tremendous skills as an orator, Reagan once again managed to swing events his way, however temporarily. The address won bipartisan plaudits on Capitol Hill and favorable coverage in the press. Overnight polls showed the President's approval rating, which had sagged to a four-year low, rising by as much as 9 points. At the White House, the mood changed from tragic to triumphant. "There's a big difference over there," said Nancy Reynolds, a close friend of the Reagans'. "You can hear it in people's voices. You can smell...
...Reagan's address was not enough to convince his critics that he has learned the lessons of the past few months. "The President gave an excellent speech," said New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley, "but no mere speech can dispel the doubts raised by the Iran-contra affair. Only time will tell whether the President has asserted control over the foreign policy of our nation." Massachusetts Democratic Congressman Barney Frank was even blunter. "The Tower commission," said Frank, "did not find Reagan a lousy orator; they found him a lousy President...