‘It’s Fine’ if Bush Has Differences, Fitzwater Says
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WASHINGTON — White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said today “it’s fine with us” if Vice President George Bush breaks with President Reagan over the Administration’s methods to gain the ouster of Panamanian strongman Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega.
Bush, who is trailing Democratic front-runner Michael S. Dukakis in the popularity polls, appeared to oppose the Administration’s negotiations with Noriega, who has been indicted on federal drug-trafficking charges by two U.S. grand juries. The Administration has reportedly offered to drop the charges if Noriega relinquishes power.
Speaking at the Los Angeles Police Academy, Bush said, “I would not bargain with terrorists, and I won’t bargain with drug dealers either, whether they’re on U.S. or foreign soil.”
It was the first time that Bush has publicly broken with Reagan on a controversial issue.
Asked for comment today, Fitzwater said: “It’s fine with us. He’s talking about what he is going to do as President. We expect that to be different” from Reagan “in many cases.”
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