Video summary
On September 23, 1985, President Reagan engaged in a series of photo opportunities that highlighted his personal connections and national service. The day began with interactions at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where he received a flag commemorating the university's centennial from its alumni and Baptist leaders. During these exchanges, the President shared light-hearted moments, joking about his recent heart surgery and discussing local history, such as the pronunciation of "Buis Creek" and the migration of families from North Carolina to Texas. These informal conversations underscored his approachability and his willingness to engage with academic and religious communities across the nation.
Later in the day, the President met with a group of Vietnam War veterans who had formed an organization dedicated to supporting their fellow service members. He accepted a cap as a symbol of their unity and patriotism, acknowledging their sacrifices and the noble cause they fought for. Reagan expressed pride in their efforts and noted that while their service was not fully appreciated at the time, the American public was increasingly recognizing the truth about the war and the heroism displayed by those who served. This interaction reinforced his commitment to honoring veterans and correcting historical narratives regarding the conflict.
The afternoon continued with a busy schedule of meetings with various ambassadors and dignitaries, including representatives from Jamaica and other nations. Despite running behind schedule due to prior commitments, such as tax reform discussions, Reagan made time for each visitor, ensuring they received souvenirs like cufflinks, tie bars, and pins. He maintained a warm demeanor throughout, often arranging group photos and expressing gratitude for their service and friendship. These encounters demonstrated his diplomatic skills and his dedication to fostering international relationships even amidst a packed agenda.
By the end of the day, the President had successfully balanced formal duties with personal gestures of appreciation, leaving a lasting impression on all who met him. The events of September 23-25, 1985, illustrated Reagan's ability to connect with diverse groups while upholding his role as a leader who valued both national pride and individual contributions. His photo opportunities served not only as media moments but also as genuine expressions of respect and camaraderie, reflecting the broader themes of unity, service, and gratitude that defined his presidency during this period.
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think we'll just leave the flag in the
box and
you kind of just show up to
well all right I got there's a
congressman coming too
Charles Mrs wig how do you do sir M wig
Dr
wig delighted to see
you of course everybody know con from wh
Hi how are you GL to see you again sir
and Happy Birthday to you thank you
thank you your won't be along until long
about February 6th yeah that's right
that's right my birthday too we can't
you sol
well let's let's get here in the clear
and get a a group let's put these down
doing
that David and we hope one these nights
we'll get C enough to be
away we please let us come and have this
opportunity well I'm pleased too and
pleased to present you a flag that TR
over the capital in observance of
the uh Centennial or the Centennial of
University please to present this to you
in the certificate on behalf of about
25,000 alumni and about a mil2 200,000
Baptists I want to thank you for this
flag and we're going to be flying at
over High campus during the Centennial
year and we do so we're going to give
thanks not only for the flag but for the
one who presented it thank you very much
also have to be president of the Baptist
State Convention in North Carolina and
there're more Baptists than there is
crabber in North
Carolina hard to wipe
out these two gentlemen have served on
our board is trustees at times and so
we're thankful that we come got this
presented on
the thank you sir than you for you're
looking
well you know kind of gave a wrong
illusion as if I had been suffering for
a long time and finally had cor surgery
the only thing I had to get over was the
incision you're doing beauti there was a
there was a PO that they say if you
don't do something about it it becomes
cancer so they did something about it
and but I'm sure that a great many
people have a picture that I have been
suffering from that terrible thing
cancer no not so
look as well as you did 5 years ago when
we first met you down here well
presid I can't Avo being a tough cookie
though you really are and we proud where
you hang in I know you don't have time
to read every history of every school
but this is just a portion of ours the
second volume is going to come out and
I'm going to send it to you but it's
written by an excellent writer and I
think something there if you can ever
find time like to see it take a look at
it little church school myself here
years of University this was a college
oh I know your one of your classmates
Don Dean who up there
and LeRoy Illinois Bloomington and his
uncle is advisor one thing he's
never has is how is that Creek
pronounced buis buis buis Creek it's a
buoy name and and it used to be a
apostrophe there at the at the E and it
uh we dropped the apostrophe and we
called it buo is creep was named for the
Buie family out of North Carolina now
migrated to Texas that's F universary
something here year and something for M
when you go horse ride some and you know
we have a a commen down there
may certain presid come down for the S
commit we can even find that come well
i' like that i' like that we have some
good thank you very much well
thank I did come become the first
chairman of s Co comme in
history
just what those are that are going to be
nice to see you aren't you nice to do
this well listen I'm very proud and
pleased this is renair who is repres of
this organization
green why don't we just file right
through and everybody
[Music]
getet to meet you sir to see you
[Music]
let well Mr President briefly this is a
group who has just formed themselves for
several years calling themselves a green
cers they all sered in Vietnam and their
objective is to help out other Vietnam
veterans with problems and how they can
be helpful and they have their cap here
which they're proud of rightfully so and
they uh Rene where's Bob brought a copy
to give you Mr President
well Mr President on behalf of C I'd
like to present this c as a symbol of
our unity and thank you for your strong
patriotism sir because you made
everything possible for us to have pride
again in our country thank you sir thank
you thank you for those words but more
than that I do know something about what
you've been doing in behalf of your
comrades in arms uh from there and I
think you should be very proud of that
but more than
that proud of what you did over there it
was little appreciated at the time I
think most Americans now have come to
realize the truth about it and uh if we
can now convince some of the media which
insists on calling it The defeat that
man you never lost an inning any time
you were
there Mr presid lost was
lost here in the nation's capital the
end but uh I think America is coming to
the point very rapidly most Americans
already that they know now your
sacrifice the heroism and that it was a
noble cause and you carried it out
nobly thank you thank you could we get a
little picture Mr President how how can
we get stand here sir and we can have
people pulling this way it's much some
of these gentl down where you can see
the camera if you can see the camera it
sees you
right now I know it's not col to wear
your caps in the house but make a real
nice picture if you would put on your
caps you could hold your
surf thank you well thank
[Applause]
you you any of you seen the book the
little book that has come
out he was a Leal lieutenant colonel in
combat but most of it uh the incidents
that he bring out are in poet he's done
it in poetry and
U bring back a lot of memories but it
also break your
heart he chooses to write it's a
beautiful
book well you nice to take the time with
us all of you very proud to hand this
thank you byee
I'm sorry to
get he is very kind of you sir well I
certainly is I have your departure
can you move in a little closer together
there okay now we don't want you to
forget us so going
there thank you so much me show the
frontage here must be Jewish
andador how are you sir well just
fine all right Chris
[Music]
hello and Happy New Year and thank you
very much and my apology for being so
late here but got mine
so it's very good of you to do thank you
thank you well
we don't want you to forget us while
you're
going there was a pair of cuffing with
seal and there's a pen there's a
charm
very thank
you I do I feel fine thank
you bless you all thank you very
muchad ambassad Mr President yes tell
you how very happy we all are to do this
for listen let's here glad to see you
thank you well I know we're late in
doing this and now then to add to it I'm
late this afternoon and behind scheduled
here go ahead with tax reform sir that's
our message I sure will just a little
souvenir so you won't forget us thank
you all right okay goodbye sir and thank
you for what you're doing lot
thanks yes well welcome how you doing
nice to see you I'm sorry I've kept you
waiting don't you move in closer you can
kind of get a oh get a group picture
here okay thank you we don't
want you bless you what you're doing
thank you very
much president Ambassador mrsi yes hello
there you and Mr Ambassador great to to
represent you down the bu well listen I
grateful for what you're doing but I
think it'd be a prettier picture if you
get in the middle okay thank
you thank you and so you won't get us
back
here to see
him well thank you thank you thank you
for doing it
right Mr President
ambassad hello there to see
you Jamaica well thank you for all what
you did in 84 for
me thank you let's see did you get yes
you got
it Mr H there thank you for theity hello
please to please to have you doing what
you're doing
St hello there and Michael Hi how are
you let's all
kind of get in here get family picture
okay can you move in a little closer
sure thank you thank you now we don't
want you to remember forget something
there's you so much cuff Lings thank you
so much thank you and a tie bar
CH I tell you something about that seals
you can see up there in the
ceiling the
uh Harry Truman the eagle used to be in
the seal used to be facing the arrows in
the claw with the arrows and Harry
Truman made the change that it would now
be looking at the alive Branch a that's
nice
signal God keep you and you
thank you thank you very much nice to
see
byebye I'll try to do everything to keep
the Jamaicans Happ indeed and
Mr there Mr Ambassador how are you just
fine nice to see you good to see you
thank you for taking some time I know
you have a very busy schedule it's been
gotten a little behind so I kept you all
waiting today this is my wife Claire yes
hello there hello David W you come here
in between us and please to meet you
Mr we have two daughters but they're L
college and I'm afraid with the soccer
schedule the way it is so they just get
that thank well certainly appreciate you
all of us I appreciate thank you very
much we don't want you to forget us so
here put the seal for you tie bar you
very much and a pin thank you very thank
you very much