Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio) Vice President George Bush, continuing West European trip to sell President Reagan's arms policy, said urging Italian leaders to pursue their investigation of assassination plot against Pope John Paul II.
REPORTER: Chris Wallace

(DC) Bush said assuring Italian leaders of Reagan's support of investigation of papal plot even if information implicates USSR leader Yuri Andropov; his efforts to halt CIA leaks which discourage Italians discussed. Reports appearing this week in "New York Times, Los Angeles Times" and "Wall Street Journal" claiming USSR and Bulgaria would not have used Mehmet Ali Agca due to his alleged insanity cited as exs. [Chief judge Severino SANTIAPICHI - (thru translator) notes Agca's lucidity.] [Cardinal Silvio ODDI - claims Agca was intelligent, Prof. killer; remarks transcribed on screen.] National security adviser William Clark and CIA dir. William Casey noted ordering investigation into CIA leaks; question of CIA motive in challenging agency policy and administration considered.
REPORTER: Marvin Kalb