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POTUS - National Rifle Association Presentation of Commemorative Firearm
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POTUS - National Rifle Association Presentation of Commemorative Firearm
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Morton Blackwell's Subject Files
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Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Digital Library Collections
This is a PDF of a folder from our textual collections.
Collection: Blackwell, Morton: Files
Folder Title: POTUS - National Rifle Association
Presentation of Commemorative Firearm
Box: 18
To see more digitized collections visit:
https://reaganlibrary.gov/archives/digital-library
To see all Ronald Reagan Presidential Library inventories visit:
https://reaganlibrary.gov/document-collection
Contact a reference archivist at: [email protected]
Citation Guidelines: https://reaganlibrary.gov/citing
National Archives Catalogue: https://catalog.archives.gov/
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
SCHEDULE PROPOSAL
October 1, 1983
TO:
FREDERICK J. RYAN, JR., DIRECTOR
PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENTS AND SCHEDULING
FROM:
FAITH RYAN WHITTLESEY FRW
REQUEST:
National Rifle Association (NRA) presentation
of commemorative firearm to the President.
PURPOSE:
Presentation in honor of the President's
May 6, 1983 visit and address to the NRA Annual
Meeting and to highlight the NRA's nationwide
voter registration effort.
BACKGROUND:
The key words in the President's May 6, 1983
speech to the NRA "never disarm" have been
adopted as the slogan for the NRA voter
registration drive. These words will be
inscribed on the commemorative firearm. The
NRA current membership totals 2.7 million.
Two publications "American Rifleman" and
"American Hunter" reach a total of 2.7 million
households monthly.
A photograph of the commemorative firearm with
the inscription "President Ronald Reagan Never
Disarm" will be the front cover of both
publications.
Preparation of the commemorative firearm takes
three months, and work will not commence until
the presentation is scheduled.
DATE:
Mid-January 1984
DURATION:
10 minutes
LOCATION:
Oval Office
PARTICIPANTS:
Representatives of NRA
OUTLINE OF EVENT:
President greets representatives, accepts
commemorative, expresses appreciation.
REMARKS REQUIRED:
Talking points
MEDIA COVERAGE:
White House Photo Pool
RECOMMENDED BY:
Faith Ryan Whittlesey
PROJECT OFFICER:
Morton Blackwell
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION
1600 RHODE ISLAND AVENUE. N.W.
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036
September 14, 1983
The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
The National Rifle Association of America, by special arrangement with
Colt Industries and Bianchi Leathervorks would like to present you with a
commemorative firearm to honor your recent vivit and indress :fore the NRA
Annual Meetings in Phoenix, Arizona. The NRA committee working on this
project has unanimously decided that this is the most appropriate way to
express our deep thanks and warm feelings for your continued support on
Constitutional matters that are very close to us.
The designated commemorative firearm is a master hand engraved and
embellished Colt Gold Cup Mark IV competition 'irearm, finished in royal blue
steel with gold accents, with a walnut checkered stock in a special
presentation case. The set will include a unique custom crafted tan leather
holster and belt designed and executed by Mr. John Bianchi, the Nation's
foremost designer of custom gunleather. Detailed drawings are scheduled for
completion within two weeks, with a delivery to take place within a month.
The commemorative firearm shall be presented to you at the location of
your choice.
This presentation is of special significance given the fact that it will
mark the kickoff of the NRA's nationwide voter registration effort. While
approximately 90 to 95 percent of NRA's members are registered, all surveys
show that there are hundreds and thousands of gun owners around the country
who have not yet registered to vote. These potential voters could decide
numerous key Senate races next fall. Key targeted states for the NRA
sportsmen registration effort include Michigan, New York, Illinois, Florida,
Texas, North Carolina, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, New Hampshire and numerous
other states. The focal point of the NRA voter registration campaign will be
the slogan "never disarm" which directly relates to the presentation of the
presidential commemorative firearm. In your speech at the NRA convention in
Phoenix, Arizona, the key words were "never disarm." These words will be
displayed prominently on the side of the presidential conmemorative firearm.
A photograph of the firearm will be on the cover of the American Rifleman and
the American Hunter reaching into approximately 2.7 million American
households.
-2-
After the presentation, NRA will announce its nationwide voter
registration effort among sportsmen keyed on the slogan "never disarm,
register to vote, your gun rights depend on it." The campaign will be
orchestrated through hundreds of thousands of firearms dealers during hunting
season and throughout the following months. We will target approximately 20
key states using mailings, brochures, cardboard stands, sportsmens clubs and
radio spots. NRA will utilize the total resources of the organization in this
campaign including the field staff around the country. In those states with
postcard registration such as Texas, the potential is extremely high for
registering 100,000 additional sportsmen.
In the same way the presidential commemorative presentation vill serve to
initiate the voter registration program, the voter registration program will
serve to launch the NRA'S 1984 PAC effort which we anticipate being the most
massive in the history of the organization. There is not another organization
with as much immediate potential to register pro-administration voters as that
of the NRA and American gun owners. The key to launching the entire program
is the presentation of the Colt Commemorative to you as soon as possible. We
would be honored by your Administration's acceptance of this proposal.
Sincerely,
Weg
Wayne LaPierre
Director
Governmental Affairs Division
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
November 1, 1983
SCHEDULE PROPOSAL
TO:
FREDERICK J. RYAN, JR., DIRECTOR
PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENTS AND SCHEDULING
FROM:
FAITH RYAN WHITTLESEY
REQUEST:
National Rifle Association (NRA) presentation of
commemorative plaque to the President.
PURPOSE:
Presentation in honor of the President's May 6, 1983
visit and address to the NRA Annual Meeting and to
highlight the NRA's nationwide voter registration
effort.
BACKGROUND:
The key words in the President's May 6, 1983 speech
to the NRA "never disarm" have been adopted as the
slogan for the NRA voter registration drive. These
words will be inscribed on the commemorative plaque.
The NRA current membership totals 2.7 million. Two
publications, "American Rifleman" and "American Hunter,"
reach those 2.7 million households monthly.
A photograph of the commemorative plaque with the
inscription "President Ronald Reagan Never Disarm"
will be on the front cover of both publications.
DATE:
Mid-January 1984
DURATION:
10 Minutes
LOCATION:
Oval Office
PARTICIPANTS:
Representatives of the NRA
OUTLINE OF EVENT:
President greets representatives, accepts commemorative,
expresses appreciation.
REMARKS REQUIRED:
Talking Points
MEDIA COVERAGE:
White House Photo Pool
RECOMMENDED BY:
Faith Ryan Whittlesey
PROJECT OFFICER:
Morton C. Blackwell
MEETINGS
RPRESIDENT Raugar
"Mever Disarm
Aurum Etchings
SKETCH # 2 FINAL ART*
GUN MODEL GOLD CUP
BARREL LENGTH
OTHER
PROJECT N.R.A.
COMPANY. COLT
DATE 7.5.83 ARTIST DEW
Colu Gold Cup
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
November 3, 1983
MEMORANDUM TO:
FAITH RYAN WHITTLESEY
THROUGH:
JACK COURTEMANCHE
FROM:
MORTON BLACKWELL
SUBJECT:
UPDATED SCHEDULE PROPOSAL
Attached please find the updated schedule proposal for the presentation
of a commemorative plaque to the President by the National Rifle Association.
The commemorative plaque replaces the commemorative firearm that the
NRA had originally proposed.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
October 25, 1983
MEMORANDUM TO: FAITH WHITTLESEY
THROUGH:
Jack Courtemanche
FROM:
Morton C. Blackwell MB
SUBJECT:
The National Rifle Association
Per the request of Jack Courtemanche, I spoke to
Wayne La Pierre of the National Rifle Association about the
rejected request for NRA to present a rifle to the President.
I suggested we should try again with a proposal to
present a plaque to the President. He said they would
consider it and get back to me. He left me with the
impression that they hoped Senator Laxalt could intervene
with the President in behalf of the original proposal.
MCB:jet
10-25-83
Monton-
gueusa proposal on the Ph plaque -