Reagan Sees Active Campaign Role, Will Fight for Contra Aid

WASHINGTON — President Reagan said Tuesday that he plans to campaign actively against Democratic presidential candidate Michael S. Dukakis this fall and said he will fight for aid to the Nicaraguan rebels as part of a drive to emphasize the differences between the two parties.

At the opening of a meeting with Republican congressional leaders, Reagan said: “Throughout this campaign, I’m going to give the American people the truth. I’m going to give the opposition--well, maybe I’d just better paraphrase Harry Truman: I’m going to give the opposition the truth, and they’ll think it’s hell.”

After the meeting, House Republican leader Robert H. Michel of Illinois indicated that the GOP hopes to bring the Contra issue to a vote in part to embarrass Democratic vice presidential nominee Lloyd Bentsen. Bentsen, a conservative senator from Texas, has consistently voted in favor of aid to the Contras; his running mate, Dukakis, is strongly against the aid.

“He (Bentsen) has been part of a bipartisan coalition (favoring aid to the rebels), and to suddenly drop out now would be strange,” Michel told reporters.

Wants Sharper Distinctions

White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said Reagan hopes to use several issues before Congress to help sharpen the distinctions between the Republican and Democratic positions. “Everyone did urge that we define the differences as much as possible,” he told reporters.

Senate Republican leader Bob Dole (R-Kans.) has said that he plans to propose a $47-million package of aid for the Contras soon. The proposal would include $20 million in military aid that would be released only if peace talks between the rebels and the Sandinista government of Nicaragua broke down.

However, Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Jim Wright (D-Tex.), have vowed that no proposal for military aid will be passed by Congress this year.

The GOP congressional leaders told Reagan also that they are divided over what to do about a bill requiring employers to give employees advance notice of plans to close plants.

Spokesman Fitzwater said Reagan is still inclined to veto the bill, even though that will give the Democrats a popular issue to campaign on in the fall.

Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) said he believes that Congress will override a presidential veto. “My guess is plant closing will become law but the parts about layoffs will be very controversial and will lead to some litigation later on. I think probably the vote is there in both houses to override,” he said.

Reagan has until Aug. 3 to act on the bill, which was passed by both houses of Congress.