For the Record

Lucky for Patrick Buchanan he didn’t need press approval to take post as White House Director of Communications. “Why do you need him and what will you do with him?” “Why did you appoint him if … he sees the press as an enemy?”—a sample of the bristly questions press asked new White House Chief of Staff Donald Regan when he announced Buchanan appointment. . . . Regan’s appointment of Max Friedersdorf as legislative strategy coordinator is seen as smart move. If Administration’s tax-reform proposal is to get through Congress, it will need shrewd White House handling. Friedersdorf, as chief legislative lobbyist for Reagan’s 1981 economic package, got lots of the credit when it won congressional approval. . . . Tax-reform proposal is getting support from surprising quarter. Evans & Novak report Senate Finance Committee Chairman Robert Packwood, no Reaganite, told them he approves 80 to 85 per cent of the package. David Broder also thinks passage is possible; he cites example of Wisconsin Governor Tony Earl, a liberal Democrat, who is offering a state-tax-reform program that Broder calls “Reaganesque.” “I came to believe,” says Earl, “that the purpose of a tax system should be to raise needed revenue, not shove economic activity or social policy in a certain direction.” There is talk that Earl has plans to run for Senate seat now held by GOP Senator Robert Kasten (of Kemp-Kasten).

At recent Washington convention of religious broadcasters, Moral Majority head Jerry Falwell surprised many evangelicals and Washington pols by suggesting George Bush is his man for ’88. Introducing Bush, Falwell referred to him as “the Pres . . . er, I mean the Vice of the United States.” Bush laughed and replied, “Jerry, there are some Supreme Court appointments that I’d like to talk to you about.” . . . Paul G. Kirk, former aide to Ted Kennedy and new head of Democratic National Committee, has already angered Democrats black and Southern. Blacks got angry when Kirk didn’t push for election of Black Caucus/Jesse Jackson-candidate Mayor Richard Hatcher as vice-chairman of DNC. Instead, Democrats chose Roland Burris, comptroller of Illinois, who is black but not a Jacksonian black. Some Southern Democrats don’t view Kirk as an asset in gaining Dixie Democrats. “I doubt seriously,” said Bob Slagle, chairman of Texas branch of DNC, “that people in Texas will think electing a Kennedy chief of staff as party chairman is a moderate signal.” Slagle threatened to go it alone, without help of DNC. Kirk tried to smooth things with Southern Dems by inviting them to fence-mending meeting in Atlanta. . . . Angry over Hatcher defeat, Jesse Jackson said Democrats are trying to prove “they can be tough on blacks.” Blacks, he said, should re-assess their loyalty to Democratic Party, and he had this advice for Democrats: “The political growth industry in this nation is in the poor, females, young people, blacks, Hispanics, Asians.” . . . Melvin L. Bradley wants blacks to take Jackson’s advice about their loyalty to Democrats. Bradley, special assistant to President Reagan, is highest-ranking black in the White House. Bradley says blacks may not like some Reagan words, but they like his actions—advocacy of enterprise zones, help for black colleges, and the push for excellence in education.

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Lucky for Patrick Buchanan he didn’t need press approval to take post as White House Director of Communications. “Why do you need him and what will you do with him?” “Why did you appoint him if … he sees the press as an enemy?”—a sample of the bristly questions press asked new White House Chief of Staff Donald Regan when he announced Buchanan appointment. . . . Regan’s appointment of Max Friedersdorf as legislative strategy coordinator is seen as smart move. If Administration’s tax-reform proposal is to get through Congress, it will need shrewd White House handling. Friedersdorf, as chief legislative lobbyist for Reagan’s 1981 economic package, got lots of the credit when it won congressional approval. . . . Tax-reform proposal is getting support from surprising quarter. Evans & Novak report Senate Finance Committee Chairman Robert Packwood, no Reaganite, told them he approves 80 to 85 per cent of the package. David Broder also thinks passage is possible; he cites example of Wisconsin Governor Tony Earl, a liberal Democrat, who is offering a state-tax-reform program that Broder calls “Reaganesque.” “I came to believe,” says Earl, “that the purpose of a tax system should be to raise needed revenue, not shove economic activity or social policy in a certain direction.” There is talk that Earl has plans to run for Senate seat now held by GOP Senator Robert Kasten (of Kemp-Kasten).

At recent Washington convention of religious broadcasters, Moral Majority head Jerry Falwell surprised many evangelicals and Washington pols by suggesting George Bush is his man for ’88. Introducing Bush, Falwell referred to him as “the Pres . . . er, I mean the Vice of the United States.” Bush laughed and replied, “Jerry, there are some Supreme Court appointments that I’d like to talk to you about.” . . . Paul G. Kirk, former aide to Ted Kennedy and new head of Democratic National Committee, has already angered Democrats black and Southern. Blacks got angry when Kirk didn’t push for election of Black Caucus/Jesse Jackson-candidate Mayor Richard Hatcher as vice-chairman of DNC. Instead, Democrats chose Roland Burris, comptroller of Illinois, who is black but not a Jacksonian black. Some Southern Democrats don’t view Kirk as an asset in gaining Dixie Democrats. “I doubt seriously,” said Bob Slagle, chairman of Texas branch of DNC, “that people in Texas will think electing a Kennedy chief of staff as party chairman is a moderate signal.” Slagle threatened to go it alone, without help of DNC. Kirk tried to smooth things with Southern Dems by inviting them to fence-mending meeting in Atlanta. . . . Angry over Hatcher defeat, Jesse Jackson said Democrats are trying to prove “they can be tough on blacks.” Blacks, he said, should re-assess their loyalty to Democratic Party, and he had this advice for Democrats: “The political growth industry in this nation is in the poor, females, young people, blacks, Hispanics, Asians.” . . . Melvin L. Bradley wants blacks to take Jackson’s advice about their loyalty to Democrats. Bradley, special assistant to President Reagan, is highest-ranking black in the White House. Bradley says blacks may not like some Reagan words, but they like his actions—advocacy of enterprise zones, help for black colleges, and the push for excellence in education.