. . . or click on the link here for Audio Player – CBS Radio News – June 3, 1980 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection.
This June 3rd, 35 years ago was Super Tuesday for the 1980 Presidential Primaries. Not exactly Super (except some state races which were nail-biters), and far from suspenseful, the primaries taking place today were considered done-deals. Jimmy Carter would close the day with more than the needed number of delegates. GOP contender Ronald Reagan already had enough delegates to secure his nomination, and Senator Ted Kennedy was looking to secure just enough delegates to become a bargaining chip at the upcoming convention – it was, for the most part, a symbolic exercise, this last official Primary of the 1980 Presidential Election season.
Of the State primaries, the one in California was gathering the most attention, not for the Presidential candidates but for the propositions – namely Prop. 9 or Jaws-2, a follow-up to Prop. 13 from 1978, also initiated by Howard Jarvis. This proposition would slice state income tax revenues in half. There were signs the voters weren’t going to let this one pass, but it was still a cliff-hanger.
In other news, moves were afoot on Capitol Hill to send refugees back to Cuba who were responsible for the recent unrest at relocation centers. Some Congressmen alleged the recent riots were sparked by Cuban agitators, planted by the Castro government in order to embarrass the U.S.
There was a surprise resignation in Congress – Representative Charles Diggs (D-Mich.) stepped down, just a day after the Supreme Court refused to review his conviction on Payroll Kickback charges. Diggs said he was doing so with a clear conscience.
And General Motors voted thumbs-down on airbags for their 1982 model cars, opting instead for automatic seat belts to meet Federal crash protection requirements. Officials from the National Highway Safety Administration remarked the decision by GM was short-sighted and discouraging.
And that’s a small slice of what went on this June 3rd in 1980, as presented by CBS Radio News with Commentary by Harry Reasoner.
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