On a shelf in Carter-Mondale headquarters in Washington rest 25 thick black loose-leaf binders. They are crammed with ammunition for the Democrats' effort to make Ronald Reagan the chief issue of the presidential election campaign—thousands of past Reagan comments that Carter's strategists consider to be insensitive, silly, simplistic or just plain dumb. Following the quotes are notations of their sources: newspaper clippings, official Reagan statements, transcripts of his speeches and news conferences.
The careful research has not kept the candidates' speech-writers from twisting Reagan's words on occasion. For example, Vice President Walter Mondale, in his 17-point fusillade against Reagan at the...
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