‘Guy’s Got to Make a Living,’ Bush Says of Reagan in Japan

“A guy’s got to make a living,” President Bush said today of his predecessor’s $2-million trip to Japan.

Bush at his news conference was asked about former President Ronald Reagan’s recent trip and remarked, “I will not have anything negative to say about President Reagan.” He said there were positive aspects of the trip, including the symbolizing of friendship and the overcoming of trade difficulties.

He sidestepped a question about Nancy Reagan’s implied criticism of him. In her memoirs, the former First Lady said that she had asked Bush, then vice president, to tell her husband that it was time to dump Donald T. Regan as White House chief of staff and Bush that replied that it was not his role.

“I can’t help you on that,” Bush told his questioner. “I don’t want to get into that.”