“2/07/2011, 5:14pm EST”
The Reagan Admin's response to AIDS in 1982, years before it stopped ignoring the epidemic
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Q:
Larry, does the President have any reaction to the announcement -- the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, that AIDS is now an epidemic and have over 600 cases?
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Mr. Speakes:
What's AIDS?
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Q:
Over a third of them have died. It's known as "gay plague." (Laughter.) No, it is. I mean it's a pretty serious thing that one in every three people that get this have died. And I wondered if the President is aware of it?
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Mr. Speakes:
I don't have it. Do you? (Laughter.)
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Q:
No, I don't.
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Mr. Speakes:
You didn't answer my question.
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Q:
Well, I just wondered, does the President ...
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Mr. Speakes:
How do you know? (Laughter.)
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Q:
In other words, the White House looks on this as a great joke?
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Mr. Speakes:
No, I don't know anything about it, Lester.
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Q:
Does the President, does anyone in the White House know about this epidemic, Larry?
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Mr. Speakes:
I don't think so. I don't think there's been any ...
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Q:
Nobody knows?
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Mr. Speakes:
There has been no personal experience here, Lester.
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Q:
No, I mean, I thought you were keeping ...
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Mr. Speakes:
I checked thoroughly with Dr. Ruge this morning and he's had no -- (laughter) -- no patients suffering from AIDS or whatever it is.
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Q:
The President doesn't have gay plague, is that what you're saying or what?
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Mr. Speakes:
No, I didn't say that.
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Q:
Didn't say that?
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Mr. Speakes:
I thought I heard you on the State Department over there. Why didn't you stay there? (Laughter.)
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Q:
Because I love you Larry, that's why. (Laughter.)
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Mr. Speakes:
Oh I see. Just don't put it in those terms, Lester. (Laughter.)
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Q:
Oh, I retract that.
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Mr. Speakes:
I hope so.
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Q:
It's too late.
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Acknowledgement:
This transcript was quoted at the beginning of Jon Cohen's book, Shots in the Dark: The Wayward Search for an AIDS Vaccine, 2001. http://www.amazon.com/Shots-Dark-Wayward-Search-Vaccine/dp/0393050270
Never leave home without it.
