President Praises Quayle’s ‘Energy, Enthusiasm’

President Reagan on Saturday praised the “energy and enthusiasm” of Sen. Dan Quayle, George Bush’s embattled running mate, but sidestepped the controversy over Quayle’s past military service.

“Dan was elected to the Senate on the day I was first elected President,” Reagan said in his weekly radio address, delivered from his ranch outside Santa Barbara. “Dan shares with George Bush and me a vision of an America and a world no longer threatened by the specter of nuclear attack. That’s why Dan has labored with conviction for the Strategic Defense Initiative.”

Reagan made no mention of the turmoil the Bush and Quayle campaign has undergone since it was learned that friends of Quayle’s influential family in Indiana intervened in 1969 to help Quayle get into the National Guard, where he could avoid the draft and perhaps also combat duty in Vietnam.

Quayle’s Loyalty Stressed

Instead, Reagan emphasized Quayle’s support of Administration policies and his “vision of opportunity for all Americans.”

The President said: “The strength and wisdom of George Bush was reflected this week in the strength and wisdom of the Republican Party itself, just as the energy and enthusiasm of the party were reflected in the energy and enthusiasm of Sen. Dan Quayle.”

Reagan also lauded Vice President Bush for his performance at the Republican National Convention last week.

“I was moved beyond words to see my very, very good friend and colleague George Bush accepting the nomination for President,” he said. “On Monday night, I said I wanted to work as a foot soldier in George’s campaign. After hearing his speech Thursday night, all Americans could see what I’ve seen for eight years--dedication, integrity and commitment to principle, a strong man and a strong leader.

“I’ve said many times that George has the experience, the credentials, the savvy and the-- well, the just plain grit to be President of the United States.”

Reagan mentioned specifically the “vital role” Bush played in helping secure a treaty with the Soviet Union to ban medium-range nuclear missiles, and in overseeing an Administration paper-work-reduction initiative.

Bush Praised for Candor

“And, one other thing: George has always given me straight-from-the-shoulder advice and counsel on how we could advance our vision for the future, and he’s always been candid with me when we disagreed,” Reagan said, without citing any examples.

In the Democrats’ response to Reagan’s remarks, the party’s vice presidential candidate, Texas Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, made no mention of his GOP opponent, Quayle. Instead, he devoted his five-minute talk to a plea that Reagan sign the trade bill now on his desk.

Bentsen, a co-author of the bill, said America’s trade deficit would worsen and the United States would slip to second-class status as an economic power if the Administration did not adopt a firm trade policy.

Reagan plans to sign the bill in a ceremony on Tuesday in Long Beach