1.
LV: Lance kisses wife Mrs Lance into car. (silent)
0.10

2.
SVL Lance enters building. (silent)
0.21

3.
CU: Carter speaking
1.52

4.
GV: White House (silent)
1.55

5.
CU: Mrs Lance speaking.
2.14


CARTER: "Burt Lance is my friend. I know him personally as well as if he was my own brother. I know him without any doubt in my mind or heart, to be a good and honourable man. Nothing that I have heard or read has shaken my belief in Bert's ability or his integrity. There have been numerous allegations which I admit are true, but a lot of the problem has been brought on Bert Lance by me because of the extraordinary standards that I have set in government and the expectations of the American people that were engendered during my own campaign in my inauguration statement. I...accept Bert's resignation with the greatest sense of regret an he's a good man. Even those who have made other statements about Bert have never alleged on any occasion that he did not do a good job as a director of the Office of Management and Budget.



MRS. LANCE: "As far as I am concerned I didn't think my husband had to resign. I still feel he could take any job and do a good job anywhere. He's honest, he's good, and I'm proud of him."




Initials RH/0025



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In the United States, the 'Lance affair' is over....but many of President Carter's strongest supporters are reported to feel that he was too lenient towards his close friend and advisor Bert Lance. The President announced on Wednesday (21 September) that he'd accepted Mr lance's resignation as serious allegations were still mounting about the career of the one-time Georgia banker.

SYNOPSIS: By the time he resigned, six Government agencies and three Congressional committees were probing Mr Lance's activities while he was banker. Finally, President Carter, who'd pledged the highest moral standards for his officials, announced that he'd chosen to allow his 46-year-old friend and advisor to resign.

After the President's announcement, Mrs Lance faced newsmen.