Democrat Reveals Sharp Talk : Reagan ‘Angry, Profane’ When Queried on Deficit

A House Democratic leader says President Reagan turned “angry and profane” during a telephone conversation about the MX missile when the chief executive was asked why he didn’t submit balanced budgets to Congress, since he talks about them frequently.

“He got angry and profane with me,” Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), the chief deputy majority whip, said Thursday, describing the call he received earlier this week during Reagan’s lobbying campaign for the MX missile.

Alexander refused to say what words Reagan used, except to say the President called his questions “hypocritical.”

White House spokesman Larry Speakes told reporters today that “it is disappointing when a member of Congress” makes such a conversation public.

Alexander, who voted against the MX, first alluded to his sharp exchange with Reagan during debate on Wednesday.

In a speech on the House floor, he said the President’s call Tuesday started with Reagan lobbying for approval of $1.5 billion to buy a second batch of 21 MX nuclear missiles.

Alexander said he told Reagan he would not support him on the MX vote and moved the conversation from missiles to the deficit.

“By the way, Mr. President, I have heard your speeches about a balanced budget,” Alexander said he told Reagan. “There has been a question that I’ve wanted to ask you now for the four years that you have been President. If you want a balanced budget, Mr. President, why don’t you submit one?

“And there was this silence.”

Reagan finally replied, according to Alexander, “You know, that is the most hypocritical question I’ve ever heard.”