Bush Private Beef on Gephardt Gets Full Press Airing

WASHINGTON — President Bush, unaware reporters were listening, today criticized House Majority Leader Richard G. Gephardt (D-Mo.) for what he termed “personal” arguments against a capital-gains tax cut.

“I tell you, I’m displeased with Gephardt, the way he made it so really kind of personal,” Bush said in a telephone call with Rep. Bill Archer (R-Tex.), a sponsor of the tax reduction.

Archer, who received the call in the House Radio-Television Gallery, interrupted Bush: “Mr. President, I must tell you I’m in the press gallery right now with a whole lot of reporters so I think you should be alerted to that fact.”

Bush: “Just so they can hear you and not me.”

Archer: “Well, I’m afraid they are hearing you too.”

Bush: “Oh, are they? Well, it was no--this was not a personal thing, this was an important thing for the country. In any event, congratulations.”

Gephardt argued against the tax cut on the grounds that 80% of the benefit would go to those with incomes over $100,000 a year.