Speakes Bows Out: Yes, We Called Press ‘ . . . s ‘

WASHINGTON — Larry Speakes ended his tenure as President Reagan’s chief spokesman today with an acknowledgement that he and President Reagan occasionally referred to reporters as “S.O.B.s.” But he denied that the Administration is contemptuous of journalists.

During an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Speakes was asked if Reagan once called reporters S.O.B.s.

“Oh, I think he did, but I imagine all of us (in the White House press office) have from time to time under our breath. It’s an adversarial relationship and that’s good.”

After almost six years on the job, the wily Mississippi “catfish,” as he likes to be known, resigned to take an estimated $250,000-a-year job as chief of communications for Merrill Lynch Co.

Serenaded by Interns

At the start of today’s press briefing--his 2,000th--Speakes, 47, was serenaded by five White House interns spoofing his press relations by singing songs including a parody of a Frank Sinatra hit, “I spin it my way.”

White House reporters presented him with a gag proclamation declaring, among other things:

“Larry Speakes is ditching public service for money . . . has never let the facts get in the way of a good knock-down . . . and abused the English language with overuse of terms like ‘upbeat,’ ‘magnificent’ and ‘I have nothing for you on that.’

“Wall Street should be warned that he will no doubt . . . describe the coming recession as ‘good news’ and change Merrill Lynch’s former slogan, ‘We’re Bullish on America’ to ‘We Bull on America.’ ”

Speakes was reminded that he had told some White House reporters they were “out of business” and once warned a correspondent, “You’re within two inches of having your head lopped off.”

“Some I put out of business,” Speakes joked. “Others I gave life sentences. Some just got five or 10 years.”

Bush Aide Is Replacement

Speakes will be replaced by Marlin Fitzwater, spokesman for Vice President George Bush since 1984.

Also on his last day, Speakes made a trip to the Oval Office for a surprise presentation--the Presidential Citizens Medal for “serving the cause of truth.”

Speakes often bragged about being more accessible than his predecessors but also boasted, “There are 10,000 ways to say ‘no comment’ and I know them all.”

He always resented any suggestion he might be lying, so much so that reporters would jokingly refer in briefings only to “the L word.”