Reagan held Keen to Go on Offensive in Wake of Report

President Reagan’s outgoing political director says Reagan will be looking to pick a few fights with Congress after the release today of the Tower Commission report, to counter the “unquestionable damage” caused by the Iran-contra affair.

“Having a bare-knuckles fight on a gut issue or going out to a partisan event as soon as we are able will be of value in re-invigorating the President’s base,” Mitchell E. Daniels Jr. said Wednesday.

Daniels, whose resignation is effective Sunday, said it is not clear whether Reagan will make a speech or have a press conference to answer the report on arms sales to Iran and the diversion of some of the profits to Nicaraguan rebels.

Whichever it is, he said Reagan can be expected “to start by reminding the country this (inquiry) is a process he created, invented and put in motion” and that officials will act “as promptly and thoroughly as possible” to follow up on the report.