    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [May 3, 1991]
    [Page 462]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Exchange With Reporters on Reports of a 1980 Hostage Agreement
    May 3, 1991

        Q. Mr. President, would you object to an investigation of the
    October supplies----
        The President. I don't take any questions.
        Q. Were you ever in Paris in 1980, sir?
        The President. Was I ever in Paris in 1980? Definitively, definitely
    no!
        Q. Did you ever meet with any Iranians?
        The President. That's all I'm going to tell you. That's all. Please
    print it. And let's try to stop this rumor-mongering that's going on.
    Stop repeating rumors over and over again.
        Q. How about Casey and everybody else?
        Q. Nothing to it, then, sir, eh?
        Q. You mean that nobody in the Reagan campaign went to Paris to meet
    any Iranian official?

                        Note: The exchange began at 9:48 a.m. in the Oval
                            Office at the White House, prior to President
                            Bush's meeting with President Carlos Andres
                            Perez of Venezuela. Questions referred to
                            reports of an effort by the Reagan-Bush campaign
                            to keep Iran from freeing 52 American hostages
                            just before the 1980 election. William J. Casey
                            was President Reagan's campaign chairman. A tape
                            was not available for verification of the
                            content of this exchange.