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But he was concerned about the reactions. All Monday morning, Administration aides broke the news to congressional leaders, OPEC governments, U.S. business executives and particularly the principal American oil companies affected by the decision (notably Amerada Hess and Ashland). At 2 p.m. that day, the President walked before the television lights, a layer of pancake makeup barely disguising the fatigue, and declared: "No one should underestimate the resolve of the American Government and the American people." Speaking as plainly and directly as a Georgia farmer, Carter outlined his decision in less than five minutes, then retired to the family quarters of the White House to await the reaction. It was quick and strongly favorable, an indication that the country had been waiting for just such a step. Said retiring AFL-CIO Chief George Meany, long a Carter critic: "He acted wisely and well."
Secretary of State Vance wanted to make sure that the oil cutoff did not appear provocative to Tehran. Said he: "This should eliminate any thought that economic pressure affects our decisions. It is not provocative, but is an act of self-discipline on our part." The implication—and the hope—was that the U.S. would begin to cut back its imports and consumption of oil, though there may be no such reduction at all as long as Americans refuse to face up to the consequences of OPEC's tightening noose. The diplomatic benefits of the oil cut-off were more obvious. Said Energy Secretary Charles Duncan: "To the extent that the Iranians considered we were dependent on their oil, we want to tell them it is simply not true." Another Administration aide put it even more bluntly: "They thought it would be a useful card. Now they can't play it."
Two days later the next retaliatory step came. Carter had asked leading U.S. banks to be on the watch for any movements in Iranian government accounts. Treasury Secretary G. William Miller telephoned the President at 5:45 a.m. Wednesday to give him the ominous message that Iran was threatening to transfer billions of dollars worth of deposits from U.S. accounts to other nations, presumably in Western Europe. Carter had ready an Executive order blocking such transfers; the funds involved amounted to $6 billion. Once again Carter aides took to the telephones, this time to advise U.S. bankers and several foreign governments, including Saudi Arabia, of the pending action and to assure them that the U.S. had no intention of freezing the assets of any other nation. At 8 a.m., just before a breakfast with Republican leaders, Carter formally signed the order. Again the President's action was praised. New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan said Carter was handling the crisis with "great competence, steadiness and assuredness."
The show of strength earned the President badly needed support even from his opponents. Senate Republican Leader Howard Baker offered Carter the "unwavering" backing of his colleagues. Congressional criticism and post-mortem investigations will be stormy once all the hostages have been freed, but for the moment the President's political enemies held their fire. Anxious