On This Day : Reagan declares: “We begin bombing in five minutes”
On this day in 1984, a lighthearted quip from Ronald Reagan nearly sparked World War Three, writes Eliot Wilson Ronald Reagan was an old pro. By the summer of 1984, it was more than 50 years since he had made his radio debut as a sports broadcaster for WOC in Davenport, Iowa, commentating on baseball [...]
On August 11, 1984, President Ronald Reagan made a lighthearted comment during a scheduled radio address that nearly caused a global crisis. The comment, "I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes," was made in jest, but it was taken seriously by many listeners. The comment was made during the broadcast of Reagan's weekly address while he was at his California home preparing for the upcoming Republican National Convention.
The comment was made before Reagan began his actual speech about the Equal Access Act he had signed that day. The joke was not taken well by some, including former Vice President Walter Mondale, who warned Reagan about the potential seriousness of his words. Reagan's poll numbers dipped slightly due to the incident, but the American public largely saw it as a harmless joke and supported Reagan's presidency.
The incident demonstrated the power of Reagan's ability to connect with the public through his weekly radio addresses, which were seen as a more personal and direct way to communicate with the American people.
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