March 22, 1987 – ABC World News This Week – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
March 22, 1987 – this day fell on a Sunday, and as with most Sundays it was a day to look back at the news of the week. On this particular episode of ABC radio’s World News This Week, the big news was President Reagan and his first press conference in some four months. And the big topic of questions came regarding the Iran-Contra affair. What did President Reagan know? How much did he know? How far did the Iran-Contra scandal go, and who were all the players? President Reagan managed to maintain his at least partial innocence with a sort of “if I knew then what I know now” approach when asked about Iran’s negotiating and monies going to the Contras. Clearly, Iran-Contra wasn’t going to disappear anytime soon, despite President Reagan’s appearance in a nationwide address earlier in the month to offer an explanation over the Iran-Contra affair and what he knew. With the Tower Commission report released, and Congressional hearings slated to begin on May 5, Iran-Contra was going to stay on peoples minds for a long time.
But there was other news – This week marked the 2nd anniversary of the kidnapping of Associated Press journalist Terry Anderson by Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.
Former White House Aide-turned-Lobbyist Michael Deaver wasn’t good. An investigation into his lobbying activities while in the White House netted him a perjury conviction, along with a $100,000. fine and three years probation along with 1,500 hours of public service.
And a ceremony was held in Arlington National Cemetery to honor the Challenger astronauts, who lost their lives in the explosion and crash of the Shuttle in January of 1986 and who were buried in the Cemetery. The memorial to the astronauts was dedicated on March 22.
And that’s a small slice of what happened this week – the one which ended on March 22, 1987 as reported by ABC Radio’s World News This Week.
