Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Lawmakers 9/29/1983
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
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Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
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Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Title sequence
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Cokie Roberts and Linda Wertheimer introduce topics on program: report on Lebanon policy and emergency appropriations, report on Congressional Pages, controversy over Secretary of the Interior, James Watt, who is seen by critics as an agent of land developers and polluters.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Norm Ornstein gives report on controversy over Secretary of the Interior, James Watt.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Alan Simpson (R Wyoming) There isn t anybody in America that creates more gut feeling than Jim Watt.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
DO NOT USE Series of unflattering cartoons depicting James Watt as an anti-environmentalist tree-cutting maniac, including one of Watt grilling a big steak in the shape of the U.S., and one of Watt holding an ax in a field of tree stumps, daring his critics to "hang me from the highest tree".
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Alan Simpson (R Wyoming) and that s horse-puckey, as we call it out in Wyoming. We even call it something else. Because that s not true.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senate hearing. Senator Alan Simpson (R Wyoming) Some rabid detractors would like to equate Jim Watt with some type of half person half beast with cloven hooves for feet, a hooked tail for a rear appendage, and two horns going through that remarkable bald pate. That is not so Secretary of the Interior, James Watt, I m a concerned Westerner, a concerned American. I want the federal and state governments to strike a balance between the development and the protection of our natural resources. We can have reasonable development of our energy resources and preserve our natural environment.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Secretary of the Interior, James Watt, wearing ten-gallon hat in crowd.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Tanker trucks, sign Watt is 100% USA , t-shirts with anti-federal government slogans.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Alan Simpson (R Wyoming) "The Sagebrush Rebellion is over. It is finished. And why is it finished? Not because Jim Watt gave away the West. It s because you can go to the BLM Office and actually get a human being to give you an answer.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Dennis DeConcini (D Arizona), The Sagebrush Rebellion was a symbolic digestive problem in this country of federal government that will not listen to the people and to the states. That s the emphasis of the Sagebrush Rebellion. That is still there because Mr. Watt has not listened to the West. He has listened to a few good friends in the Senate and the House, but he has not listened to the West.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Environmental protestors carrying signs against James Watt.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Demonstrators in support of James Watt
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
DO NOT USE newspaper headlines concerning James Watt.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Alan Simpson (R Wyoming) has spewed once again remember what he said at his confirmation hearing about being Born Again, always remember that and the Second Coming. And of course you remember the statement he made about the Israelis and the energy problem. And you remember of course the statement he made about Indians and reservations. It s almost like it flops out every time the mention of Jim Watt is made.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
DO NOT USE 9/21/1983 Secretary of the Interior, James Watt, speaking to a Chamber of Commerce group, I ve appointed the Linowes Commission, five members, three democrats, two republicans. Every kind of mix you can have. I have a black, a woman, two Jews and a cripple. Watt laughs at his own joke.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Lowell Weicker (R Connecticut) (I don t think he represents anything other than trash in his thoughts.) I suggested on the Floor that the President do with trash what everybody else does. Throw it out.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Alan Simpson (R Wyoming) I do not defend what he did in this instance. It was very, very unfortunate. It hurt him. It hurt me, but he doesn t need to have me hurting because he hurts enough himself. The pain and the anguish of this are very apparent.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Dennis DeConcini (D Arizona), His (James Watt) problem is not what he said last week. That is just kind of the icing or the cherry on top of the sundae that has been a history of someone who s just not suited for this position.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Bob Dole (R Kansas) My own view is that as a Republican and fairness being the number one, or at least very high on the list of issues in the upcoming campaign, we need to be positive. We just can t stand about every 2 or 3 months, Mr. Watt making some comment to offend another 20, 30, 40 million people.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Landscape in West with Rockies in far background.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Pete Domenici (R New Mexico) campaigning in New Mexico.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Dennis DeConcini (D Arizona), You have a host of Senators on the Republican side and though Domenici is the only far Westerner, to me that s a significant crack.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Malcolm Wallop (R Wyoming), Clearly there is some erosion of support. How permanent and how basic it is, I think, remains to be seen. But I think it would be less than candid to say that the Secretary has anything but a major problem on his hands.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Orrin Hatch (R Utah) He (James Watt) is the best Secretary of the Interior we've ever had. Now it s unfortunate that he makes some of these gaffs, but on the other hand, I think we ought to look at the quality of his work and not worry so much about mistakes that are made
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
DO NOT USE Still photo James Watt and Ronald Reagan.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Alan Simpson (R Wyoming) if the President decides, Jim Watt will hitch up his belt, take a deep breath and move on.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Secretary of the Interior, James Watt, making a presentation.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Senator Alan Simpson (R Wyoming) get a new Secretary of the Interior who s, you know, funnier, wittier, kinder, or appears so, got more hair than Watt or myself. Who knows. Then he ll have the same agenda though. The agenda won t change. I guess that s the way Washington is oh no no, that s the way life is.
Lawmakers 9/29/1983 - James Watt
Norm Ornstein wraps up report. Senate Democrats have unanimously signed a resolution condemning James Watt's racist and sexist remarks.