Speakes Denies Misleading Press About Spot Removed From President’s Nose

White House spokesman Larry Speakes said Tuesday that he knew there had been unanswered questions and confusion last week about the patch of skin removed from President Reagan’s nose but insisted that he had not lied to or misled the press.

Faced with charges by several reporters at the daily White House press briefing that his credibility had been damaged by last week’s episode, Speakes said: “Did I lie? No. Did I tell the truth? Yes. Did I mislead? No.”

To a reporter who charged that he had “pulled an iron curtain down on the truth” last week, Speakes replied: “Exactly right, but I did not lie and I told the truth.”

When asked if it had been an error not to make more information available last week, Speakes replied: “I just don’t want to comment on that.”

He said that, if an identical situation were to arise again, “I’m sure . . . it would be handled differently. Sure.” He would not elaborate.

Reagan disclosed Monday that a papule taken off his nose last Tuesday was a basal cell carcinoma, the most common and easily cured form of cancer. The President said that the skin cancer would require no further treatment.