Riverboat campaign

Press, 22 August 1979, Page 9

Riverboat campaign

NZPA-Reuter Mississippi River President Carter yesterday ci-ised slowly down the Mississippi aboard an oldfashioned p-uuie steamer on a unique working holiday to whip up support for his expected bid for re-election next year. An enthusiastic crowd of 2000 people lined the banks of the river during a stop at Dubuque, lowa, the state that put him on the road to the White House in 1976. Today he is due to visit another lowa town, Davenport, and take part in an hour-long radio talk show.

The Delta Queen riverboat has taken the President, his wife, Rosalynn, and their 11-year-old daughtx., Amy, tj a dozen towns o the Mississippi since they left St Pan' Mim.esota, on Friday night.

.'r Carter has had little time for relaxation, seizing every opportunity to improve his io., popularity ratings in national opinion polls and talk about his pic:-- to solv. ~ie energy crisis.

His return to lowa reculled how as a little-known former Georgia Governor he made a stru,.„ showing at the tic Party’s state

■- <er . j cars ago. His success prop ’led him to prominence in primary t actions, in other states. Thei will be -aother Democratic caucus in lowa i.-.it J...-.uary.

Mv h of his campaigning hrs been at . —ks curing Lie 1060 km river trip, when the Delta Queen stops for half an hour while the water level is lowered.

Mr Carter either speaks from the steamer’s upper deck or slips ashore to mix with the crowds. He shakes hands and kiszes babies. At one stop, the President even shook the paw of a cocker spaniel.