Remedy softens line against Carter

Press, 12 August 1980, Page 8

Remedy softens line against Carter

NZPA New York With no sign of the dramatic turnabout he had hoped would change his fortune, Senator Edward Kennedy is easing away from his strident anti-Carter rhetoric and setting the stage for a reconciliation with the President he has spent nine months trying to unseat. „ , President Jimmy Carters forces moved to capitalise on the apparent change in mood, capitulating on some of the key issues that Kennedy has saiu wei r keeping him’in the race. On the eve of the critical rules vote that could decide the course of the Democratic Party’s national convention, Mr Kennedy encountered hundreds of his own stalwart delegates but at least as many pledged to support Mr Carter for a second term.

The Massachusetts senator continued to insist that he

expects to be the party’s nominee. But aides said privately they were not seeing the hoped-for-switches from Mr Carter to Mr Kennedy they had predicted would materialise when the delegates got to New. York. • Mr Kennedy must win the rules fight today to have even a long-shot chance at the nomination.

Mr Kennedy, who went to New York three days ago deriding Mr Carter’s economic and foreign policies, took a decidedly less conservative stance yesterday. “As I look out over this audience,” he told a black caucus, “I see those individuals with" Kennedy buttons — I see those representing Carter as well. We have fought common battles together ... . . no matter what button you wear this evening, I’m gonna be proud to work with you this fall.” In a gesture of reassurance, he promised,

“We’re going, to be together in the fall against Ronald Reagan.”

Throughout the campaign, Mr Kennedy has" refused to commit himself to supporting Mr Carter should the President win the nomination. But he appeared to be laying the groundwork for a possible endorsement later in the week. " ■

A liaison officer from the Carter camp met with Mr Kennedy’s top political aides .’ and anounced that Mr Carter had agreed to support sev- . eral of the challenger’s plat- ’ form planks. The concession gave Mr Kennedy something to cheer about.

“Quite frankly, this is getting to be the kind of platform that I welcome to run on and take across this country,” he told reporters. “They’ve just basically accepted lock, stock and barrel” many of my proposals,” Mr Kennedy said.