Nation: The Death of a Moratorium

Soviet invasion prompts Carter's rivals to attack

For two months the candidates in both political parties who seek Jimmy Carter's job had watched helplessly as Americans rallied behind the President and supported his handling of the crisis in Iran. With hostages' lives in danger, most of Carter's opponents restlessly refrained from making any partisan criticism. But the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan changed everything, and last week any moratorium on presidential politicking ended with a bang.

In a burst of candor that will haunt him through his whole campaign, Carter provided an opening for his...

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