On the Morning After

Ronald Reagan was suffering from a sinus inflammation and joked about "feeling hollow." He was on an all-liquid diet prior to a routine medical examination. Nonetheless, the President was in good humor during an Oval Office conversation with TIME White House Correspondent Laurence I. Barrett the morning after victory in the Senate. Reagan's mood turned from mellow to flinty on only one subject: criticism of his foreign policy apparatus and recurrent rumors that he wants to get rid of either Secretary of State Alexander Haig, National Security Adviser Richard Allen, or both. Reagan moved forward in his wing chair, literally leaning into the question. Excerpts from the interview:

"I am well aware, and often very annoyed, by ... the criticisms that have been made, as if we don't have a foreign policy. Maybe the reason for it is that we don't have a foreign policy on the front page. And I don't happen to believe that's where a foreign policy belongs.

"We have been going forward with a foreign policy that we have confidence in. As evidenced yesterday, I think it has been successful. I think we have a better NATO relationship than we've had in years. Certainly, there's no question about our position in the Middle East... I remember that we were supposed to have a disaster at the Ottawa summit and that everyone was surprised that somehow we stumbled out of there in very good shape. [In] Cancun, I was supposed to be pilloried or burned at the stake, and everyone was surprised again that didn't happen...

"[Concerning] the latest report that somehow there is going to be a great change of personnel at the top level--that is totally invented. I believe it is entirely blowing smoke on the part of whoever carried the story or wrote the story..."

Q. There has been more than one story in more than one place.

A. I think Al Haig has been doing a magnificent job as Secretary of State, and he's going to continue to do that. And I'm satisfied with the setup that we have here in the office and not planning any changes in the White House staff.

Q. You mean Dick Allen?

A. (Reagan nodded assent.) And the latest I've heard is that some of the White House staff was going to go to Cabinet positions. I don't know where that comes from. There just is absolutely no foundation for any of that at all.

Q. Haig has mentioned the cacophony of voices speaking out on foreign policy. Have there been too many voices?

A. No, but I think in the process of a new Government getting together there has at times been a breakdown of communications, [insufficient] checking of each other. . . I just think that was part of the shakedown that goes on with an Administration...

Q. Does it all function to your satisfaction, keeping you briefed and current on everything?

A. Yes, yes. And the Cabinet system that we have, in which most everything is round-tabled. . . it's been working.

Q. Last night you talked about peace being on the march again in the Middle East. What steps do you see the U.S. taking now?

A. I think we continue the process that was started with Camp David... We have never sought to impose a settlement. We want to be helpful if all parties believe we can be. I think it is a case now of spreading from only one country (Egypt) that has made peace with Israel to other Arab states, and working out, mutually and with all of them, a fair solution to the Palestinian question.

Q. How do you reassure the Israelis, who still seem to be worried about the Saudi arms package?

A. We will do our best to reassure them. As a matter of fact, when I discussed this whole arrangement with Prime Minister [Menachem] Begin when he was here, we had a very full discussion about the relationship between our two countries and the fact that we were going to press forward with this sale. He did not seem unduly alarmed at that time and actually seemed very pleased with our understanding of what our mutual relationship was. We will just continue along that line. I have already sent him a message to the effect that there is no change in our relationship with Israel.

Q. Do you look for any specific changes on the part of the Saudis?

A. The Saudis have made it very plain that they want to be cooperative. They want stability in the Middle East, and have shown that with their willingness to participate in bringing about the Lebanon ceasefire. So I don't think there's a change called for. I think it's a continuation.

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