Nation: Who's That?

Kennedy debates a phantom

Ever since the Iranian crisis revitalized President Carter's re-election campaign, Senator Edward Kennedy has been hoping to lure the President out of the White House and into a debate. Last week he thought his chance might come when he and Carter were scheduled to give successive addresses to the Consumer Federation of America. But at Carter's request, Kennedy had to sit in an adjoining room while Carter spoke, and as soon as the President finished, he left.

"Who was that man who just rushed out of here?" cried Kennedy. Then, gibing at Carter's recent practice of campaigning from the White House with scores of personal phone calls, Kennedy added: "He had to rush off to read a critical national defense document—the Portland, Maine, telephone directory."

Frustrated by the President's elusiveness, Kennedy tried another form of debate. He took out a tape recorder and played a 1978 statement by Carter predicting that inflation would be held to between 6.5% and 7%. "And now for a comment from Senator Kennedy," said Kennedy. He thereupon denounced Carter's inflation policy as "a calamity."