Buchanan, ‘Mr. Conservative,’ Resigns His White House Post : Communications Chief Thinks He’ll Have Greater Influence on 1988 From Outside

Patrick J. Buchanan, President Reagan’s chief of communications and pugnacious champion of conservative policies, has resigned, effective March 1, it was announced today.

White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said Buchanan, who recently decided against running for President in 1988, felt that he could “better influence the issues and politics of 1988 and the direction of the conservative movement and the Republican Party by speaking and writing from a vantage point outside the White House.”

Fitzwater said no successor has been selected.

He quoted President Reagan as saying: “Pat’s communications skills and his commitment to conservative political beliefs have played an important part in my Administration in the last two years. We’ll miss his leadership and support, but I count on his voice to remain a beacon for our agenda.”

Perle Poised to Go

Buchanan’s resignation was the second announced in two days by the White House, following the replacement of William J. Casey by Robert M. Gates as director of the CIA.

Fitzwater also acknowledged that there is “open speculation around town” that Richard N. Perle, one of the Administration’s most influential policy-makers on arms control, is poised to resign as assistant secretary of defense. However, Fitzwater said, the White House has not received a letter of resignation or any official word that he is leaving.

Buchanan, 48, joined the White House staff Feb. 6, 1985, giving up his television program, column writing and lecturing that brought him an estimated $400,000 a year, to promote conservative views in the White House for $77,400.

Buchanan had seriously toyed with the idea of running for President but decided last month to bow out on grounds that he might “splinter the conservative cause.” His decision is understood to have strengthened the presidential bid of Rep. Jack Kemp (R-N.Y.), a strong conservative.

Point Man in Scandal

Buchanan is known as “Mr. Conservative” in the White House and was the point man for Reagan when the Iran- contra scandal broke, publicly denouncing the media and “liberal” members of Congresss, as well as Republicans who were critical of the sale of arms to Iran.

He accused the GOP on Capitol Hill of “heading for the tall grass” instead of defending Reagan.

The White House recently disassociated Reagan from some of Buchanan’s controversial remarks, such as his suggestion that laws can be broken if the cause is justified. He raised that idea in defending the actions of Oliver L. North, who was fired from the National Security Council staff for engineering the diversion of profits from Iranian arms sales to contra rebels in Nicaragua.

Buchanan served in the Nixon White House to the end when the Watergate scandal wrecked that Administration.

There were indications that he had expected to be a stronger voice in the Reagan White House but was thwarted.