James Watt, Sharp-Tongued and Pro-Development Interior Secretary Under Reagan, Dies at 85

[Archae]

Source: US News and World Report

Reagan administration Interior Secretary James Watt has died at age 85

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — James Watt, the Reagan administration’s sharp-tongued, pro-development interior secretary who was beloved by conservatives but ran afoul of environmentalists, Beach Boys fans and eventually the president, has died. He was 85.

Watt died in Arizona on May 27, son Eric Watt said in a statement Thursday.

In an administration divided between so-called pragmatists and hard-liners, few stood as far to the right at the time as Watt, who once labeled the environmental movement as “preservation vs. people” and the general public as a clash between “liberals and Americans.”


Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wyoming/articles/2023-06-08/james-watt-sharp-tongued-and-pro-development-interior-secretary-under-reagan-dies-at-85

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Boy, I sure remember this guy...

[YDogg]

1. Fuck him

Period

[DENVERPOPS]

21. YESSSSSSSSSS

He was one of the original scum bags, may many more follow..........

[Javaman]

60. +1000 nt

[SouthernDem4ever]

64. One less asshole in the world

Ding Dong ........... you know the rest.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Today just gets better and better!!!

[BOSSHOG]

4. A National Day of Mourning

For all those who oppose what is good about America.

[JudyM]

13. This.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

3. Awww, man ... day just keeps getting better and better (nt)

[orleans]

29. +1 nt

[Warpy]

5. Wow, outlived another asshole

At my age it's becoming a bit more of a challenge.

[NNadir]

11. I'm not that attached to living incredibly long, but the chance to piss on Clarence Thomas's...

...grave is something I hope not to miss.

[Warpy]

18. I said earlier that I hoped the grass would grow very green over Pat Robertson

thanks to all the fertilizer applied by people who remembered him.

That's the same sentiment I have about Thomas.

[DENVERPOPS]

23. Bingo Warpy

Concrete the whole area around all these asshole's graves, complete with plenty of area/storm drains........

[Warpy]

36. No, I want them to show how much fertilizer has been added

Now, when Alito finally croaks, I doubt anything alive will survive anywhere near his grave.

[Easterncedar]

6. No lamentations here

[mpcamb]

62. I wonder how much his decisions influenced the water crises in western US...

[niyad]

7. I thought this was amnounced when it happened? or were we just

referencing him for some reason?

Never could stand the hateful liitle anti-environment creep.

[wcmagumba]

8. Wasn't he the one who had his own personal flag raised over the buildings he was inside? nt

[niyad]

9. That was ryan zinke

[OnlinePoker]

10. And, yet, somehow the murderous parasite Henry Kissinger still lives

He made it to 100 in May.

[Archae]

12. He got canned after saying...

That he had working for him "A black, two Jews and a cripple."

[mommymarine2003]

14. Had an encounter with Mr. Watt back in the 80's.

We lived in Pullman, WA where Washington State University is located. My husband was waiting for a flight at the Pullman-Moscow airport. James Watt had been at the University of Idaho for something and was waiting to catch his flight. James Watt was getting a drink at the water fountain, and our toddler son went up and wrapped himself around Mr. Watt's leg, thinking he had grabbed on to his father. I do remember wanting to sanitize my son after he touched that man.

[rpannier]

32. Interesting... I was at Washington State Univ during part of the Reagan years

1982-86

[VGNonly]

15. He once said something like:

we need not worry about preserving the environment because rapture is coming soon.

[Probatim]

16. Jesus won't come back until the last tree is gone - I think that's closer to what he said

Regardless, he too was a piece of shit.

[H2O Man]

19. Recommended.

[2naSalit]

20. ...

Alriii... er, gee.

[AllaN01Bear]

22. getts even better.

waiting for putin to croak

[BigmanPigman]

24. He's hangin' with Pat Robertson right now

I hope he remembered to take his sunscreen along.

[Aristus]

25. I was fairly apolitical in high school when Reagan was President.

But even then I could tell what a colossal dickhead Watt was.

He was an almost cartoonishly awful person.

[ellie]

26. Wow!

What a great day!

[catchnrelease]

27. Waiting with fingers crossed...

Waiting for #3 conservative scum bag to go. Maybe tfg will stroke out with the indictments coming now.

[sabrams]

28. The environment is cleaner today NT

[calimary]

41. Welcome to DU, sabrams!

I do believe you're right! Even the weather forcast for the horrible fires in Canada - things were clearing today. Maybe that's why?

[rpannier]

30. The first five people Watt will meet in Heaven

A black, a woman, two Jews, and a cripple.

Before anyone gets offended, look up James Watt and the above

[twodogsbarking]

58. MF might put it on his head stone.

[C Moon]

31. Hell must have added a new wing.

[swong19104]

33. Today is a good day

Maybe Kissinger can join in the party.

[turbinetree]

34. I was living in the Rockies when this jerk was in office and he said this.....

A controversy erupted after a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in September 1983, when Watt mocked affirmative action with his description of a department coal leasing panel: "I have a black, a woman, two Jews and a cripple. And we have talent."


Fuck Him......

[Archae]

35. I remember an editorial cartoon from that...

Guy drew a black, a woman, two Jews and the cripple was Watt having shot himself in both feet.

[turbinetree]

54. That s why he got the golden foot award...he was still and always be an ass.....

[Jimbo S]

50. I was a senior in HS

To this day I remember being in English class and somehow this came up in discussion and my teacher expressing how off-putting she found the comments.

That was the beginning of the end for him.

I followed the news, but wasn't yet super duper into civic affairs.

[turbinetree]

55. He was such an ass.....right along with Gorsuch....

[PSPS]

37. I think he was the one who dismissed concern over deforestation because "rapture is coming."

[Liberty Belle]

38. He was a horrible human being. If there is a hell, he belongs there

for his sellout of the environment and wildlife in our national parks and forests/

[calimary]

39. Oh what a shame...

NOT!!!!!!!

[onetexan]

40. June 8th, 2023 keeps getting better. Another RW idiot dead. Good!

There, i said it

[calimary]

42. And there, I agreed with it!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

43. First Robertson now this asshole

It is a good day to die.

[Ray Bruns]

44. And Trump indicted. What a great Friday.

[dembotoz]

45. crazy pat now this clown? another happy obit to read

i hope a urinal is built over his grave

[leftyladyfrommo]

46. He did so much damage and was proud of it. nt

[Paladin]

47. Yet another Reagan-era scumbag. (nt)

[Hortensis]

48. He kicked the GOP in the teeth with his extremist foot

so often that I looked forward to his "James Watt events." He had a genius for it and couldn't shut up, and I was genuinely sorry when he was fired. (RW agenda continued without him, of course.)

We and our friends loved, loved, loved! his banning The Beach Boys from performing at the National Mall on the Fourth of July as inappropriate for a wholesome family event. (Oh, god! remembering. )

But my very favorite was that time he cluelessly commented on his staff's diversity, “every kind of mix you can have ... I have a Black, I have a woman, two Jews and a cripple.”

I was alone when I heard, my own Jew not home, and I did everything but literally roll on the floor and die laughing. Great memory!

RIP.

[Bengus81]

49. Probably went to his grave still contending the Beach Boys were a baddddd influence on people

What a jack ass!!

[BarbaRosa]

51. How much engery does take to destroy the enviroment?

One Watt.

[Crowman2009]

52. Finally, the assholes are dropping like flies!

[tonekat]

53. Not a good week to be an evil SOB

I hope there are many conservative politicians sweating in their beds.

Good Riddance to Watt.

[wolfie001]

56. The good news just keeps on coming!!!

[al bupp]

57. Suddenly, it's grave dancing day! /nt

[Martin Eden]

59. Yet another grave to piss on

Good reason to drink plenty of beer.

[Seinan Sensei]

61. Will never forget seeing pic of him wearing a cowboy hat

Goofy as hell

[Tarc]

63. Someone once said "If clear thinking created sparks...

"...they could have safely stored dynamite in his office."

Not 100% certain, but I think the target of this nugget was James Watt, back in the day.

[Sky Jewels]

65. Evil piece of shit got flushed.

Good.