138. Memorandum From Dennis Blair of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Clark)1
SUBJECT
- State of the Union, Shultz and Weinberger concerns
This morning at your 9:30 meeting with the President2 you should raise the few suggestions which Secretaries Shultz and Weinberger have with the State of the Union in its current form. They may be getting in touch with you directly.
Shultz : Secretary Shultz believes that the national security section should begin with a section on Western values which underly our national security policy. He also believes that a short section on the relationship between the international economy and our domestic economy should be included. At Tab I is an insert which would do the trick.3
Weinberger : Secretary Weinberger believes the speech should include a section in which the President regrets the military pay cap and says he is determined to make it up when he can. I understand that the President in an earlier draft removed this section. Secretary Weinberger also wishes to insert a section stating that “we must restore our defenses now—not after the economy fully recovers or once an emergency develops,” and that defense spending helps, rather than hurts, the economy. Attached at Tab II are two inserts on these subjects.4
All of these concerns can be taken care of with relatively simple inserts if you and the President decide to accept them. If the exact language in these inserts is not right, Aram Bakshian can adapt it easily.
- Source: Reagan Library, European and Soviet Affairs Directorate, NSC Records, Subject File, State of the Union Speech (3 of 4); NLR–170–13–32–7–6. No classification marking. Sent for action.↩
- Clark met with the President in the Oval Office from 9:30 until 9:52 a.m. (Reagan Library, President’s Daily Diary)↩
- Attached but not printed.↩
- Attached but not printed.↩