Behind the Scenes Fight for the Berlin Wall Speech

[Dana Rohrabacher]

Twenty-two years ago President Reagan's speechwriters were called together by Chief Speechwriter Tony Dolan. It was a meeting that was to have enormous consequences. The five of us considered ourselves the Musketeers of the White House, protecting the crown jewels which were the ideals and principles of President Reagan himself. Fellow speechwriter Peter Robinson had just returned from Europe where he had been part of the advance team for President Reagan's upcoming visit to the continent. Peter explained that the stop in Berlin was to be of historic consequence, but we would have to fight to ensure it was the right consequence. The issue was the Berlin Wall. President Reagan's speech was to be delivered from a podium in front of that infamous symbol of communist tyranny.

What's the problem? The power brokers of American foreign policy were poised to prevent President Reagan from stating what obviously needed to be said, "Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall." In fact, it was problematic whether we would be able to get a draft speech that contained that phrase into the President's hands. If he did not make this forceful affirmation, ignoring the evil symbol just behind him, it would demoralize those brave souls struggling for freedom on the other side of the Iron Curtain. It would also call into question President Reagan's entire career as an advocate of vigilance against the evil of communism. Well, at least his speechwriters were on his side. Together we hatched a plot that would enable us to get the Berlin Speech into the President's hands before the Senior staff was able to neuter it during the circulation process, which was supposed to come before a speech draft was handed to the President. The plan required each of us to do our part...and it worked.

Once Reagan got the speech in his hands, as we expected, he wholeheartedly approved. Now to get it out of the speech the powerful naysayers would have to pressure, not just the speechwriters, but the President himself. That is when all hell broke loose. The President was bombarded from all sides. Secretary of State George Shultz was particularly forceful demanding the President to excise from the Berlin speech anything that could insult Gorbachev...like telling him to tear down the wall. A few days before Berlin Gen. Colin Powell, then headed of the National Security Council, came with an alternative speech in hand, proclaiming to President Reagan that all his senior advisors -- except his speechwriters -- were asking him to use this new speech. It, of course, did not include anything about taking down the Berlin Wall. President Reagan read it and replied "No, I think I'll use the one I've got, thank you."

Contrary to all the nasty personal attacks on President Reagan suggesting he didn't make up his own mind, Reagan stood up to them all when it counted. The Berlin speech was a shot of adrenalin into the freedom movement and demoralized the Communist Party bosses. Then, twenty years ago today the Berlin Wall came down, followed by the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. It didn't just happen. Patriots and freedom lovers invested their time and treasure, many risked their lives, but most importantly we had a leader who championed America's ideals and would not be silenced. Freedom was his priority because he knew with it would come peace and prosperity. As we celebrate this 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, we should not be deterred by naysayers who would have us in the name of practicality and stability weaken our commitment to the ideals that unite us with others throughout the world and with patriots who will join us in doing what is necessary to win the day for freedom.

[Steve Michael Russo]

On June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan spoke the people of West Berlin at the base of the Brandenburg Gate, near the Berlin wall. Due to the amplification system being used, the President's words could also be heard on the Eastern (Communist-controlled) side of the wall. The address Reagan delivered that day is considered by many to have affirmed the beginning of the end of the Cold War and the fall of communism. On Nov. 9-11, 1989, the people of a free Berlin tore down that wall.
Of all his speeches, Ronald Reagan's "tear down that wall," address may well become the "Great Communicator's" best remembered. The following is an excerpt from President Reagan's address.

"In the 1950s, Khrushchev predicted: 'We will bury you.' But in the West today, we see a free world that has achieved a level of prosperity and well-being unprecedented in all human history. In the Communist world, we see failure, technological backwardness, declining standards of health, even want of the most basic kind--too little food. Even today, the Soviet Union still cannot feed itself. After these four decades, then, there stands before the entire world one great and inescapable conclusion: Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor.

"And now the Soviets themselves may, in a limited way, be coming to understand the importance of freedom. We hear much from Moscow about a new policy of reform and openness. Some political prisoners have been released. Certain foreign news broadcasts are no longer being jammed. Some economic enterprises have been permitted to operate with greater freedom from state control.

"Are these the beginnings of profound changes in the Soviet state? Or are they token gestures, intended to raise false hopes in the West, or to strengthen the Soviet system without changing it? We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace.

"General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

A transcript of the entire address can be found on the Reagan Foundation Website at: http://www.reaganfoundation.org/reagan/speeches/wall.asp

You tube of President Reagan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtYdjbpBk6A