Reagan Salutes Retiring Opponent O’Neill

With characteristic political grace, President Reagan departed from his prepared text Tuesday to note that this was the 10th and last time that House Speaker Thomas P. (Tip) O’Neill Jr. (D-Mass.), a frequent political adversary, would preside at a State of the Union address.

“On behalf of the American people, I want to salute you,” the President said, as House and Senate members broke into applause so lengthy that a smiling O’Neill stood and motioned for silence. O’Neill is retiring at the end of this year, after 34 years in the House.

Shortly afterward, Reagan again turned to O’Neill and used their longtime political jousting to drive home a point. In noting indirectly that both are approaching the ends of their careers in the capital, the President said:

“Mr. Speaker, you know--I know--that the federal budget system doesn’t work. Before we leave this city, let’s work together, you and I, to fix it. Then we can finally give the American people a balanced budget.”