Nation: With All Five Fingers

Savoring his success, the President campaigns for Democratic votes

"My esteem in the country has gone up substantially. It is very nice now that when people wave at me, they use all their fingers."

With that, Jimmy Carter wiggled his fingers at the 2,000 cheering Democrats who last week Attended a $100-a-plate dinner in Baltimore's Civic Center. Carter was on hand to give a boost to Harry Hughes, the Democratic candidate for Governor of Maryland, but the President was also putting in a well-deserved plug for himself. As the 95th Congress came to a tumultuous close after passing 189 bills in its final week, Carter had reason to be pleased. Said the President: "We have a firm grip now on the fiscal management of our Government."

Carter had definitely staged a comeback since his summer of discontent. The turnaround was perhaps not quite so dramatic as the White House thought, but nonetheless was substantial enough. The President had reversed his standing in an Associated Press-NBC poll, which two months ago showed that only 38% of the public wanted him to run for re-election and that half the people did not want him even to try. A similar survey last week indicated that 50% of the public think he should run again and only 38% are opposed. Explains Investment Banker Nimrod Frazer, a Democratic fund raiser in Montgomery, Ala.: "People down here say that Carter has finally stopped fooling around and has taken charge. Taken charge—that's the buzz word."

To keep his momentum going against an ugly wave of economic difficulties, the President announces his new anti-inflation program this week. Despite all the buildup, the proposals are largely voluntary wage-price guidelines (see BUSINESS). Carter is asking for a 7% limit on wage increases, a 6.5% overall ceiling on price rises. An expanded Council on Wage and Price Stability will closely monitor wage-price shifts; if a company exceeds the guidelines, it can be threatened with a suspension of Government contracts or purchases. But the President continues to insist that he will not resort to mandatory controls.

As evidence of Carter's emphasis on he fight against inflation, his top aide, Hamilton Jordan, moved in to supervise strategy. Treasury Secretary Michael Blumenthal wanted to wait until January in order to give the Administration time to establish a more comprehensive program. Congressional Liaison Frank Moore urged that the program be started well ahead of the elections so that the voters would have an opportunity to understand the plan's complex provisions before they go to the polls. "No one will make a decision," complained one White House economist. Jordan sided with Moore. He instructed Jerry Rafshoon to arrange a TV special for the announcement of the new program. There had been talk of Carter giving another informal fireside chat about economic problems, but White House aides thought that would be inappropriate; they wanted Carter to appear as businesslike as possible for the occasion and to address the viewers from behind his desk in the Oval Office. "It's not going to be very chatty," said an aide. "It is going to be a sober, realistic appraisal of where we stand and what we need to do."