Ronald Reagan Dined at McDonalds 40 Years Ago Today

40 years ago today then President Ronald Reagan made a re-election campaign appearance at what was then Memorial Coliseum on the University of Alabama campus. However, what he said on October 15, 1984, is still overshadowed by where he had lunch, the McDonalds in Northport.

It was an event I got to witness up close. WDBB TV was the new kid on the block, then in Tuscaloosa, covering West Alabama news, sports and weather. The visit by the president gave us an opportunity to shine. We carried the president's address live. As the chief political reporter, I anchored the coverage which was fed to the White House Press Corp in the media center in the coliseum and the White House Press Room in Washington D.C.

We even got into a scuffle with ABC White House Correspondent Sam Donaldson because we had a preferential camera position he wanted. Since that position had been assigned by the White House Press Office, we won the battle much to Donaldson's consternation.

President Reagan's campaign speech got a rousing reception from more than 9,000 students and guests. He talked about the usual presidential campaign issues such as taxes, inflation, domestic and foreign policy. You could virtually transfer his remarks to this year's election and still be topical.

Reagan tread on dangerous ground drawing boos from the crowd, not for any policy position, but for a positive remark about a cross-state rival, "Now, many States only have one great football team -- and I know that this is going to shake the rafters, but -- [laughter] -- you have two powerhouses, the Auburn Tigers," the president said with a wry smile.

Toward the end of his speech, he got back into the crowd's good graces when he talked about an earlier appearance in Tuscaloosa and his friend Paul "Bear" Bryant.

"I was here to go to a formal dinner where I was to be the after-dinner speaker. And Bear invited me to come out and visit practice out here -- football practice.

"Well, the only way it could be worked out and the timing and all was that I had to put the tux on first. So, there I was out on the practice field throwing a ball around with about 65 fellows, and I was in black tie. [Laughter] Bear got quite a kick out of this. But he really started to laugh when it began to rain. [Laughter]

"He was a leader, patriotic to the core, devoted to his players, and inspired by a winning spirit that wouldn't quit. And that's how he made legends out of ordinary people. He was a true American hero, and he was Alabama's own."

Reagan answered several questions from pre-selected students addressing Social Security, prayer in schools, student financial aid, the legal drinking age, federalism, and the use of coal as a major energy source. All topics that could be ripped from today's presidential election headlines.

President Reagan then exited the coliseum to the chant of "four more years." It was lunch time and that is what led to the short notice stop at the McDonald's in Northport. With advance warning coming only a couple of hours earlier, the presidential motorcade made a swing into the parking lot as some wide-eyed Northport residents looked on.

'What am I supposed to order?' Reagan is reported to have asked aides. He settled on what sounded like a Mickey D's commercial; a double-decked Big Mac hamburger -- special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onion on a sesame seed bun with an order of fries and iced tea.

White House reporters, watching in astonishment, asked Reagan if he was going to pay, which he did.

Presidential aides saw an opening for major campaign story that emphasized the Reagan "common-man theme" by bringing a couple of young men over to sit with the Gipper.

Finishing his meal and taking the sack of fries with him, the popular 40th President of the United States headed back to the limo for the short trip to the airport, boarded Air Force One and flew to another campaign stop in Macon, Georgia.

Thus ended, UA, Tuscaloosa, Northport and Northport McDonald's time in the bright presidential spotlight - 40 years ago today.

(NOTE: The Northport McDonalds has been remodeled but you can drop by a still see the display of memorabilia left behind.)

(Video: Courtesy Reagan Presidential Museum)