LONDON TIMES SAVED BY AUSSIE PRESS BARON
*Friday, February 13, 1981: Australian press baron Rupert Murdoch purchased the venerable London newspaper, The Times and also the companion publication The Sunday Times following theee weeks of negotiations with union leaders.
STARDUST FIRE RESULTS IN 48 DEATHS; 214 INJURIES
*Saturday, February 14, 1981: More than 700 people were attending a Valentine's Day party at the Stardust nightclub when flames broke out in different parts of the building around 1:30 AM.
PETTY WINS 7TH DAYTONA 500 CHAMPIONSHIP
*Sunday, February 15, 1981: NASCAR driver Richard Petty wins the Daytona 500 for the 7th and final time.
GRENADE EXPLODES AT PAKISTAN'S NATIONAL STADIUM IN KARACHI
*Monday, February 16, 1981: 20 minutes before Pope John Paul II's Mass at the National Stadium in Karachi with 70,000 people in attendance, the person holding a hand grenade exploded killing him instantly; explosion occurred in the stairway behind VIP grandstand; the Pontiff was in the middle of his 12-day tour of the Asian Pacific, following his departure from Rome.
REAGAN ISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDER #12291
*Tuesday, February 17, 1981: US President Ronald Reagan issued Executive Order #12291, which has major political ramifications going forward inside the United States. This requires executive branch agencies cannot issue new rules and regulations without submitting proposals to the OIRA including cost-benefit analysis.
PRESIDENT REAGAN PROPOSES 83 MAJOR PROGRAM CUTS; TELLS CONGRESS THE UNITED STATES FACES DAY OF RECKONING
*Wednesday, February 18, 1981: In his 35-minute Address to Joint Session of Congress, President Reagan outlined details packages of reforms aimed at aggressively reducing both inflation and unemployment by reducing federal government spending including domestic spending altogether and cutting the federal income tax.
SINATRA CLEARED OF ALLEGED MAFIA TIES; GETS GAMING LICENSE REINSTATED AFTER 18 YEARS
*Thursday, February 19, 1981: Entertainer Frank Sinatra was cleared of longstanding allegations of involvement with organized crime and ties to the mafia. The Nevada Gaming Commission voted 4-1 in favor of reinstating Sinatra's gaming license.
ARGENTINIAN AIRLINER ALMOST HITS WORLD TRADE CENTER
*Friday, February 20, 1981: Collision between Aerolinas Argentines Flight 342 and the atenna of Tower One of the World Trade Center was averted with air traffic controller Donald Zimmerman, who ordered the pilot of the Argentinian aircraft to turn rightward and to climb.
PONTIFF URGES MAJOR FAITHS DIALOGUE
*Saturday, February 21, 1981: Pope John Paul II delivered his annual broadcast from Radio Veritas in Manila, Philippines; proposing to meet with representatives of the world's major religions.
DEUKMEJIAN ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNORSHIP IN 1982
*Sunday, February 22, 1981: With California Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr., (D) choosing to run for the United States Senate in 1982, it came as no surprise that California State Attorney General George Deukmejian (R) confirmed he plans on running for the Governor's Mansion next year, which will set up a primary showdown with California Lieutenant Governor Mike Curb (R) on the Republican side while the Democrats will be united behind Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley (D), who launched his campaign for the Governorship in December 1980 after Brown on 27 October 1980 chose not to seek reelection in 1982 which shocked many political observers, preferring to challenge incumbent United States Senator Sam I. Hayakawa (R-CA) instead. Analysts anticipate San Diego Mayor Pete Wilson (R) to campaign for the United States Senate potentially challenging the controversial first-term incumbent United States Senator on the Republican primary; US Rep. Barry M. Goldwater, Jr., (R-CA) is also announcing his campaign for the United States Senate as well. Sources indicate there could be massive amounts of pressure on Hayakawa to abandon his reelection campaign due to disastrous polling numbers.
Setting a chain of musical chairs: Former State Assembly Speaker Leo T. McCarthy (D-San Francisco) announced plans on running for Lieutenant Governor to succeed Curb; Los Angeles County District Attorney John Van de Kamp (D) running for the Attorney Generalship succeeding Deukmejian.
FRANQUISTA COUP ATTEMPT FAILS
*Monday, February 23, 1981: Disgruntled Spanish Army Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero Molina and 200 members of the Guardia Civil launched a botched coup attempt which was called The Tejeraeo by taking over the Spanish Congress of Deputies, seizing the Cortes Building and taking over 347 lawmakers hostage. Following long hours of uncertainty, King Juan Carlos I refused to accede to the coup plotters' demands and announced on nationwide television that he had full support of the Spanish Armed Forces; the coup attempt failed and those responsible were arrested quickly.
IT'S OFFICIAL: THEY'RE ENGAGED BOTH CROWN PRINCE CHARLES AND LADY DIANA SPENCER CONFIRM NEWS
*Tuesday, February 24, 1981: Crown Prince Charles of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer announced their engagement and confirm wedding will be taking place in late July (more on that later in Chapter 12).
ROBLES MAKES STATE VISIT TO IRAN
*Wednesday, February 25, 1981: Mexican President General Oscar Robles made a State Visit to Iran, where he met with Queen Farah Pahlavi and members of the Iranian Royal Family in Tehran at the Royal Palace during a grand red carpet Welcoming Honors Ceremony which included 21 Cannon Salute; playing of the respective national anthems of Mexico and Iran; Honor Guard Inspection. Accompanied by his daughter, Louise who is serving as Official Hostess subbing in for her stepmother, Mexican First Lady Fernanda Arizmendi, who hasn't been seen in public since her husband's third inauguration at the National Palace on 17 December 1980. Official statement by the Mexican military government says only "The health situation of Fernanda Arizmendi, First Lady of the United Mexican States is a state secret and will remaim so indefinitely." Robles is in the midst of a seven-nation tour in the Middle East: Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Israel.
CHUN REELECTED ROK PRESIDENT IN OVERWHELMING LANDSLIDE
*Although the ROK government still controlled indirect presidential elections, Republic of Korea President Chun Doo-hwan was overwhelmingly reelected to a second term, this time a seven-year term of office garnering 4.755 votes and 90.23% of the nationwide vote. According to official figures, 78.1% of registered voters participated which resulted in giving Chun's Democratic Justice Party one of the largest supermajorities in the Electoral College by garnering 9,250,262 votes (60.71%) and 3,667 seats overall; while the main opposition political party, Democratic Korea Party managed to get 411 seats and 1,778,007 votes.
BENTSEN, WRIGHT ENDORSE SENATOR WHITE'S CAMPAIGN FOR TEXAS GOVERNOR'S MANSION IN 1982
*Thursday, February 26, 1981: United States Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX) and US House Majority Leader Jim Wright (D-TX) both announced their endorsements of United States Senator Mark W. White, Jr., (D-TX) for the Texas Governor's Mansion in 1982 despite the fact an official announcement won't be coming until sometime in early June according to sources familiar with the Junior United States Senator's plans.
Houston Chronicle reported US Reps. Mickey Leland (D-TX) and Henry B. Gonzalez (D-TX) are also announcing plans to endorse Senator White's expected gubernatorial campaign as well. And the San Antonio Express News confirmed former Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe (D), who had originally considered making a comeback of reclaiming his old job, but ultimately chose not to do so, announced his endorsement of his young protege.
IT'S OFFICIAL: EDWIN EDWARDS CAMPAIGNING TAKING HIS OLD JOB: THE LOUISIANA GOVERNOR'S MANSION IN 1983
*Friday, February 27, 1981: During a campaign fundraiser in Baton Rouge, former Louisiana Governor Edwin Washington Edwards (D) confirmed he will be seeking to reclaim the Louisiana Governor's Mansion in 1983 and if successful, Edwards will become the first Louisiana Governor to serve three full terms with 12 years. Polling surveys show Edwarda trouncing incumbent Louisiana Governor David C. Treen (R) somewhere between 25-37 percentage points in head-to-head matchups.
COULD VIRGINIA POLITICS BE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN: DECISION ON WILDER'S POLITICAL FUTURE IS EXPECTED SOMETIME IN LATE MAY
*Saturday, February 28, 1981: Over inside the Old Dominion, United States Senator L. Douglas Wilder (D-VA) hasn't opened up about his political future regarding seeking reelection in 1982 when it's expected the National Republican Senate Campaign Committee will be aggressively targeting to defeat Wilder next year. Sources in Richmond expect the Old Dominion's Senior United States Senator to announce his political future sometime in late May; political analysts believe if Wilder seeks reelection and wins in 1982, he'll be a future contender for the Vice Presidency on a future Democratic ticket in 1984 or 1988. However if Wilder chooses not to seek reelection, the Virginia Democratic Party will be hard pressed to find a candidate in holding onto Wilder's US Senate seat.