......"the civil war inside the Texas Republican Party during White's first term as Governor in the early 80s was ugly but it was better to hashing out these rivalries then, while we had the foundation leftover by Clements, we had optimism that Republicans would gain lots of seats down-ballot in 1984 due to the popularity of President Reagan, whom many assumed planned on announcing his reelection plans shortly.
I think the frustration of seeing the full doors getting blown off by that incompetent lawyer was humiliating. People couldn't believe it when the election returns showed White winning in a resounding landslide victory that resulted in Democrats sweeping all of the statewide offices from United States Senator to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals; they even increased their majorities in both chambers of the Texas State Legislature and dominated up and down the ballot all across the Lone Star State. With Clements leaving politics for good and going to the private sector, we needed to reasses and very quickly."
-Excerpt from "The Texas Dream" by Nathan Hecht.
......"with everything that happened in 1982, even as early as inauguration, some people began rolling out "Clements 86" signs pushing for a rematch. Clements refused and went back to Dallas and I don't think he ever indulged that speculation of a comeback. There were reports of Clements being rumored to serving in the Reagan administration in an unspecified Cabinet position, but he never responded to such rumors and political innuendo. For the moment, Clements would go back into the private sector and serve as chairman of the Board of Governors at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
Others inside the Texas Republican Party begab tossing out potential names being discussed as potential challengers to Governor White in 1986: White House Chief of Staff James Baker (whom some Reaganites were aggressively pushing to force him out altogether); Congressman Bill Archer of Houston; Rob Mosbacher; Kay Bailey Hutchison, but none of whom had the charisma nor the appeal of getting crossover support. Some even brought up George W. Bush, the son of the Vice President, as a potential contender for the Governorship in 1986. But for obvious reasons, the younger Bush declined and preferred to focus on the oil and gas industry business especially raising his own family: his wife, Laura had given birth to twin daughters: Jenna and Barbara back in 1981."
-Excerpt from "Remember 82: Historical Symposium on the 1982 Texas Gubernatorial Election."
BREAKING NEWS ALERTS: REGAN OUT AT TREASURY; DETAILS COMING IN
......"following an ugly phone call with First Lady Nancy Reagan, US Treasury Secretary Don Regan found out about his abrupt firing while watching the early morning newscast at his residence in Alexandria, Virginia. According to anonymous sources, Regan got into a bitter disagreement with the First Lady over the fallout of the 1982 Midterm elections, that got very bitter and ugly with shouting and insults leading Regan telling Mrs. Reagan, "With all due respect, don't blame me or the Treasury Department for the disastrous 1982 Midterm elections on November 2nd. I am hanging up the phone. Good night little miss Buji asshole!"
-Excerpt from Washington Post exclusive article
24 January 1983.
......"firing Don obviously had Nancy's fucking fingerprints all over it. The knives had been out for quite awhile and it was well known that Reagan was particularly annoyed with Don as well. Still it was a sudden and aggressively harsh move. Nancy was determined to get rid of others such as Baker by having him fired as White House Chief of Staff, but thankfully Reagan politely declined basically telling her "Mommy, the American people elected me as the 41st President of the United States and I won 57 percent of the nationwide vote back in 1980. With all due respect Mommy, BACK OFF!"
Reagan debated on whom to replace Regan at the Treasury Department and the confirmation hearings were going to become ridiculous. Connally was obviously out of the question due to obvious reasons; Clements wasn't interested, preferring to remain in the private sector; Greenspan was an option, but was way too demanding with explicit requirements.
Bush asked Reagan: "Have you considered talking to David Rockefeller about returning to Treasury? He's held the job before for four years under his late brother, Nelson and continued under Holton. He would be an easy pick to sooth things over and the Senate would easily confirm him again." Reagan told Bush, "I'll consider speaking with him at the appropriate time."
-Excerpt from "Experienced Leadership during the 80s"
Summer 2004
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