Jerry & Jimmy

One is laureled, one lambasted

Talk about turning the other cheek.

There was former President Gerald Ford in Manhattan, picking up an honorary doctor of laws degree from New York Law School and a humanitarian award from the American Diabetes Association--and, between laurels, lambasting his successor. The Carter Administration's economic policy is "inadequate and misdirected," Ford told a news conference, and called for further cuts in federal spending to slow inflation.

So what does Jimmy Carter do when Jerry and Betty Ford turn up at the White House the next day for the presentation of their official portraits?* Praises both of them to the skies, that's what. Said Carter: "I want to welcome back to the White House one of my good friends, advisers, counselors, helpers in the difficult decisions that I, as President, have to make and that he made so well when he occupied this home and served in the Oval Office. He came to lead this country in a time of crisis and strain. He brought the capability and attitude and knowledge and experience to heal our wounds. The entire nation is indebted to him. He is a man who is beloved and appreciated, and no one appreciates him more than I do." As for Betty, Jimmy called her "probably the most popular person in the country" and applauded her for her "courage and complete candor." Given the former First Lady's determined struggle to overcome drug and alcohol dependency, Jimmy's words seemed to be right on target.

Just about the time Carter was saying all those nice things, a new Louis Harris poll was clattering over the wires with some not-so-nice figures. They showed that Carter would lose to either Ford or Ronald Reagan if a presidential election were held now. The nationwide sampling of 1,498 voters gave Ford a 48%-to-43% lead, while Reagan squeaked by 47% to 46%. Among Democrats, moreover, Ted Kennedy would swamp Carter, 60% to 35% (and would beat the two Republicans handily as well). California's Jerry Brown? Nowhere. Ford would defeat Brown, 52% to 38%; Reagan would stop his successor in Sacramento, 52% to 40%. Even Carter clobbers Brown among Democrats, 64% to 29%.

Carter tried to be philosophical about the polls--"They go up and down, as you know"--and practical about their import. On the advice of his White House political aides, he made a campaign-style trip to Illinois and West Virginia, where he attacked what he called, in one prepared statement, the "iron triangle of bureaucracy, congressional committees and well-organized special interests that can mobilize strong opposition to the reforms we need."

* The two oils, by Everett Raymond Kinstler (Jerry) and Felix de Cossio (Betty), will hang on separate floors in the White House.

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