LAWMAKERS
LAWMAKERS
20.12.56-DUKE-Discussion with WERTHEIMER of DOMENICI'S role in Senate in denying REAGAN his full request for DEFENSE SPENDING, REAGAN'S efforts in PUBLIC RELATIONS to make DEFENSE seem like an urgent issue-most members of CONGRESS think the voters are finding REAGAN to be obsessive about DEFENSE. Conference between House and Senate likely to reduce the DEFENSE allocation even further. 20.14.28-DUKE-intro report on EL SALVADOR DEBATE. ROBERTS reports on public sentiments on EL SALVADOR and memories of VIETNAM. 20.15.09-L/S residential area of Wilmington, Delaware, L/S side of STEEL MILL. L/S through front gates of mansion-like building of a Prep School. C/S school headmaster in clerical garb opening a discussion on EL SALVADOR. Introduces Sen. JOE BIDEN (D-DE), shots of audience, mix of age, gender, race, class. C/S BIDEN taking podium, pan over audience in bleachers of School gymnasium, crowd applauds BIDEN. BIDEN starts by saying he finds "ominous similarities" between VIETNAM and EL SALVADOR, the big issue is that VIETNAM was undertaken without full commitment, the mistake must not be repeated, no involvement should be started without consent and involvement of the public. 20.17.18-BIDEN fields questions from the audience. A young woman asks about ECONOMIC AID to EL SALVADOR, BIDEN approves such aid, for food, medicine, says it's ludicrous to make peace and stability without ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT. A young man asks how U.S. can aid other countries with DOMESTIC ECONOMY in shambles. BIDEN says he won't compromise American interests, but there should be action on EL SALVADOR and CENTRAL AMERICA that is not military in nature, ECONOMIC AID could be cheaper than MILITARY AID. A middle-aged man says it's time to "draw the line" on the SPREAD OF COMMUNISM. Crowd applauds this, but grumbles when the man suggests sending in the U.S. ARMY to defeat the COMMUNISTS once and for all. BIDEN asks for show of hands on sending in the troops, almost no one raises hands. Students show hands against the idea, crowd applauds.