The Nation: Carter: Man in Motion

He's going everywhere, doing everything—but he's also down in the polls

For weeks the Administration had seemed becalmed. As the Bert Lance affair dragged on through the dog days of summer, much of the White House's time and energy—too much—was deflected by the latest press accusation or the newest plan to save the beleaguered Budget Director. Now, with October's brisk breezes and brilliant hues, the man in the Oval Office seemed to emerge reinvigorated. Suddenly, Jimmy Carter was in motion again—launching initiatives, planning journeys, defending his programs, attacking their detractors. But motion does not...