Legislation to re-authorize the United States' participation in the International Monetary Fund was on the floor for consideration. This was way, way back in the early 80's when the Democrats not only controlled the House but controlled it by an astounding margin of about 85 seats.

Ok. So the IMF bill is up for re-authorization and it contains language which outlawed loans to any country which practiced Apartheid saying Apartheid interfered with the free movement of labor, and a bunch of other things.

It was clearly designed to prohibit loans to one country: South Africa.

All the Members of the Banking Committee were for the bill. The Reagan Administration was for it. Everyone was for it. Except Phil Gramm.

Gramm actually read the bill, and offered an amendment which added the words, "or Communism" in every instance where the word "Apartheid" appeared.

The logic was flawless. All of the reasons given to identify the evils of Apartheid worked perfectly well to identify the defects in Communist economies.

The amendment was adopted, and the bill, as I remember, was yanked from the floor.

As the Public Affairs Director of the National Republican Congressional Committee I seized on this vote and sent a press release into the district of every Democratic Congressman who voted against the amendment with a headline saying "So-and-So Votes to Lend American Tax Dollars to Communists" or words to a like effect.

The Republicans on the Banking Committee went nuts. The Reagan Administration was so angry a letter of apology was written to Democrats who asked for one. Members of the Republican Conference, quaking with anger, demanded my scalp.

Three people came to my defense: My boss, Joe Gaylord. A relatively junior Congressman from Georgia, Newt Gingrich. And the Gentleman from Texas, Phil Gramm.

And they were enough.