On this day: ‘We begin bombing in five minutes’ – Reagan’s accidental broadcast
On this day, 11 August 1984, a risqué joke from Ronald Reagan accidentally made his weekly radio broadcast, writes Eliot Wilson.
On August 11, 1984, a slip of the tongue by President Ronald Reagan during a radio broadcast became an accidental highlight. Just a week before the 1984 Republican National Convention, Reagan, a seasoned radio broadcaster, was set to deliver his weekly address from Rancho del Cielo, his home near Santa Barbara, California. In the midst of discussing the Equal Access Act, Reagan jokingly told his sound engineers, "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever.
We begin bombing in five minutes." The joke, intended as lighthearted humor, had live audiences and media across the country overhear it. While CBS and CNN initially kept the incident under wraps due to a previous controversy, other news outlets like The New York Times and the Associated Press reported on Reagan's remarks. The incident caused a minor stir in public opinion, with figures like former Vice President Walter Mondale criticizing the joke, but the majority of Americans found it humorous and downplayed the controversy.
In the November election, Reagan went on to win an overwhelming victory, securing 49 out of 50 states and a massive electoral college win of 525-13.
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