Reagan Says Liberals Favor ‘Disneyland’ Defense Plan

President Reagan Tuesday accused his liberal adversaries of favoring a “Disneyland defense policy” with Mickey Mouse treatment of the armed forces and a Goofy nuclear strategy.

The President, once again assuming the mantle of chief campaign surrogate for Republican presidential nominee George Bush, used the well-known cartoon characters to ridicule his and Bush’s political opponents in a highly partisan speech delivered to the 70th annual American Legion convention.

Reagan also pleaded with the veterans’ organization to reject what he termed “the liberal ideology of decline and retreat.”

Never Mentioned Democrats

Although his remarks obviously were aimed at Democratic presidential nominee Michael S. Dukakis, Reagan never mentioned his name or even the Democratic Party in his 20-minute address.

Dukakis is scheduled to address the Legion on Thursday while Vice President Bush will follow Reagan to the podium today.

Bush’s campaign has been stressing the defense issue in hopes of picturing Dukakis as less experienced and able than the vice president on national security matters.

In his speech, the President clearly implied that his two-term military buildup could be imperiled by a Dukakis victory in the November election.

Wearing a legionnaire’s overseas cap, the President, resuming his attack on the Democrats after his late summer vacation, blasted Dukakis’ proposal for a conventional defense initiative and his plans for scaling back several weapons programs.

‘What a Political Speech!’

The audience interrupted his speech repeatedly with applause, although one legionnaire was heard commenting to a colleague: “What a political speech this is!”

Reagan also pointedly belittled “the last liberal Administration,” referring to his predecessor, President Jimmy Carter, charging that he neglected U.S. defense needs to the point of “national calamity.”

Reagan said he had modernized the U.S. nuclear deterrent, expanded the number of warships and strengthened the Army’s battle readiness. But he said he was proudest of raising the pay and morale of the armed forces.

“When I came to your convention eight years ago, I pledged to restore America’s strength,” the President told the Legion. “Today I stand before you to report ‘mission accomplished.’ ”

As a result, he contended, the United States is now seeing the payoff of his eight-year effort.

Peace to Long Conflicts

“Our reward is that, from Afghanistan to the Persian Gulf to Southern Africa, we are bringing peace to long-raging conflicts, even as we frustrate Soviet aims.

“In eight years we have not given up one square inch of land to communism,” he added. “In fact, we have taken some ground back for freedom. And yet today, relations between the United States and the Soviet Union are the best they’ve been in decades.”

But Reagan said that liberal voices still were calling for canceling or delaying the MX missile, the B-1 bomber, a new Trident missile and two more Navy carrier battle groups.

In addition, Reagan said, this “hit list” has been expanded to include the Midgetman missile, the stealth bomber and his plan for a space-based missile defense.

While advocating more arms reduction treaties, these unidentified liberals would eliminate the American weapons systems that are the key to successful negotiations with the Soviet Union, he said.

‘Mickey Mouse Treatment’

“It comes down to this: After eight hard years of rebuilding America’s strength, do we really want to return to a Disneyland defense policy--with Mickey Mouse treatment of our men and women in uniform; Goofy strategic plans, and Donald Duck-like lectures telling us that whatever goes wrong is our own blankety-blank fault?” he asked.

Reminding the delegates that it was his last appearance before them as President, Reagan said: “This is my final plea. . . . Let us make sure that the nation moves forward in strengthening the foundations of peace and freedom in the years ahead. The world is watching us. . . . After all, we are Americans and we have a mission.”

The Legion delegates, who have been among the President’s strongest supporters on defense issues, gave Reagan a lengthy standing ovation at the conclusion of his talk. But the biggest applause came when he said he favored a Cabinet-level department of veterans’ affairs--a proposal that his Administration opposed in the past as unnecessary.

Reagan stopped in Louisville on his way back to the White House from a long vacation at his California ranch.

Earlier Tuesday, he appeared in Hastings, Neb., to dedicate a center for communications at Hastings College and was awarded an honorary degree.