April 1, 1987
Transportation Bill Veto
Q. You must have won.
The President. What?
Q. You must have won. You look happy.
The President. Well, not yet. A procedural vote to reconsider is on. There were enough votes to sustain, but now we don't know. And I don't know how long this process is going to take. He's [Howard H. Baker, Jr., Chief of Staff to the President] probably a better judge of that than I am.
U.S. Embassy in Moscow
Q. The L.A. Times says that the Soviets were able to intercept our messages to our Embassy in Moscow for 1 year. Did you know about that?
The President. Well, I don't know whether the investigation -- how far it has gone, but that's what we're investigating as to what damage has been done by this.
Q. So, we don't know yet?
The President. Well, there may be some, but the report hasn't reached me as to what we still know or how far we've pinned it down.
AIDS
Q. Sir, what's the best preventive measure for AIDS that you refer to in your speech?
The President. Well, that's why we've increased our funding for research -- to find out.
Q. Should you just say no?
The President. That's a pretty good answer. Yes.
Transportation Bill Veto
Q. [Inaudible] -- Senate vote on the override to be a test of your political health?
The President. If it sounded good? Now, I don't know what may happen with this procedure that's going on now, but, yes, I was very pleased. But it still isn't final.
Note: The exchange began at 11:47 a.m. at the South Portico of the White House as the President was leaving for a trip to Philadelphia, PA.