Informal Exchange With Reporters
Q.
Mr. President, do you think you're going to get the Kuwaiti arms package
through Congress? Are you going to fight for it?
The President. Well, Helen [Helen
Thomas, United Press International], you bet we're going to fight for it. We
want very much to complete that.
Q.
Any chance of success?
The President. I think so.
Nicaragua-U.S.
Relations
Q.
Mr. President, is it now time to sever diplomatic relations with
The President. No. I have told the
State Department to send their Ambassador and seven comrades back to
Q.
What do you mean? In defiance of the Nicaraguans, they would go -- they would
stay there? I don't understand.
The President. Why, in other words,
we're going to return the favor. We're going to do to him what he did to us.
Q.
But that won't be a break in relations -- --
The President. No -- --
Q. -- -- as such. You'll keep someone there or a
skeleton operation?
The President. Yes, there are some
people that were not ejected, that are still there, and the same would be true
here. But the other remains always an option.
Aid
to the Contras
Q.
What about the implications for arms for the contras now? Lethal aid package,
military aid?
The President. Well, that's being
worked right now in the Senate.
Q.
Is that possible?
The President. I think so.
Soviet
Q.
Are you worried about the Soviets selling weapons to
The President. What?
Q.
The Soviets are selling weapons to
The President. No.
Senator
Lloyd Bentsen of
Q.
Is Senator Bentsen going to help the Democrats, Mr. President?
The President. Yes -- --
Q.
You say, yes, he will help?
The President. What?
Q.
Will he help?
The President. No, no -- --
Q.
Do you think he'll hurt the ticket?
The President. [Laughter] -- I'm not
answering. The ``no'' is for not answering, not anything about him.
Note: The exchange began
at 11:38 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White House, prior to a meeting with
Prime Minister Sa`d al-`Abdallah
al-Salim Al Sabah of
Kuwait.