POLITICS: An Eleventh-Hour Reprieve for Reagan

Ronald Reagan allowed himself a few minutes of gaiety, rather soberly marking his North Carolina victory with orange sherbet and chocolate ice cream aboard his Boeing 727. Then he canceled nearly all of his scheduled campaign appearances and withdrew to his Pacific Palisades home overlooking Los Angeles to prepare for a desperate campaign spectacular: a 30-minute nationally televised speech this week. By attacking Ford's diplomacy and defense policy, and by calling for new national leadership, Reagan hopes to rejuvenate his campaign, replenish his treasury and restore his flagging chances for the nomination. Says Campaign Manager John Sears: "This could...