Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums13 Times The Reagan White House Press Briefing Erupted With Laughter Over AIDS
In Jon Cohens 2001 book, Shots in the Dark: The Wayward Search for an AIDS Vaccine, he detailed the Reagan administrations early indifference to the growing epidemic. White House acting press secretary Larry Speakes, and some of the reporters at press briefings, found the crisis to be quite the joking matter.
Q: Larry, does the President have any reaction to the announcementthe Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, that AIDS is now an epidemic and have over 600 cases?
MR. SPEAKES: Whats AIDS?
Q: Over a third of them have died. Its known as gay plague. (Laughter.) No, it is. I mean its a pretty serious thing that one in every three people that get this have died. And I wondered if the President is aware of it?
MR. SPEAKES: I dont have it. Do you? (Laughter.)
Q: No, I dont.
MR. SPEAKES: You didnt answer my question.
Q: Well, I just wondered, does the President
MR. SPEAKES: How do you know? (Laughter.)
Q: In other words, the White House looks on this as a great joke?
MR. SPEAKES: No, I dont know anything about it, Lester.
Q: Does the President, does anybody in the White House know about this epidemic, Larry?
MR. SPEAKES: I dont think so. I dont think theres been any
Q: Nobody knows?
MR. SPEAKES: There has been no personal experience here, Lester.
Q: No, I mean, I thought you were keeping
MR. SPEAKES: I checked thoroughly with Dr. Ruge this morning and hes had no(laughter)no patients suffering from AIDS or whatever it is.
Q: The President doesnt have gay plague, is that what youre saying or what?
MR. SPEAKES: No, I didnt say that.
Q: Didnt say that?
MR. SPEAKES: I thought I heard you on the State Department over there. Why didnt you stay there? (Laughter.)
Q: Because I love you, Larry, thats why. (Laughter.)
MR. SPEAKES: Oh, I see. Just dont put it in those terms, Lester. (Laughter.)
Q: Oh, I retract that.
MR. SPEAKES: I hope so.
Q: Its too late.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/times-the-reagan-white-house-press-briefing-erupted-with
Q: Larry, does the President have any reaction to the announcementthe Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, that AIDS is now an epidemic and have over 600 cases?
MR. SPEAKES: Whats AIDS?
Q: Over a third of them have died. Its known as gay plague. (Laughter.) No, it is. I mean its a pretty serious thing that one in every three people that get this have died. And I wondered if the President is aware of it?
MR. SPEAKES: I dont have it. Do you? (Laughter.)
Q: No, I dont.
MR. SPEAKES: You didnt answer my question.
Q: Well, I just wondered, does the President
MR. SPEAKES: How do you know? (Laughter.)
Q: In other words, the White House looks on this as a great joke?
MR. SPEAKES: No, I dont know anything about it, Lester.
Q: Does the President, does anybody in the White House know about this epidemic, Larry?
MR. SPEAKES: I dont think so. I dont think theres been any
Q: Nobody knows?
MR. SPEAKES: There has been no personal experience here, Lester.
Q: No, I mean, I thought you were keeping
MR. SPEAKES: I checked thoroughly with Dr. Ruge this morning and hes had no(laughter)no patients suffering from AIDS or whatever it is.
Q: The President doesnt have gay plague, is that what youre saying or what?
MR. SPEAKES: No, I didnt say that.
Q: Didnt say that?
MR. SPEAKES: I thought I heard you on the State Department over there. Why didnt you stay there? (Laughter.)
Q: Because I love you, Larry, thats why. (Laughter.)
MR. SPEAKES: Oh, I see. Just dont put it in those terms, Lester. (Laughter.)
Q: Oh, I retract that.
MR. SPEAKES: I hope so.
Q: Its too late.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/times-the-reagan-white-house-press-briefing-erupted-with
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
4 replies, 860 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (2)
ReplyReply to this post
4 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
13 Times The Reagan White House Press Briefing Erupted With Laughter Over AIDS (Original Post)
phantom power
Dec 2013
OP
Rex
(65,616 posts)1. The GOP is a huge crap stain on our culture.
They proudly stand for hate and ignorance. One moran at a time.
spanone
(135,832 posts)3. ^^^^says it all^^^^
uponit7771
(90,339 posts)2. Such mean people... really nasty mean people
gerogie2
(450 posts)4. The people laughing along were reporters
Everyone in America was ignorant about AIDS. The first media reports claimed some kind of 'gay cancer' was killing homosexual men. The man during this press conference that asked the question was known as eccentric by people in the white house press room so they didn't take him seriously. 30 years ago it was a very different world for most gays that lived in fear in the closet. Homosexual teens were routinely kicked out of their homes and/or chased and beaten at school in a game called 'smear the q$$er"
A different time in American history.
YMMV.