Politics 88 : Carter Defends Gephardt on Trade Issue

Rep. Richard A. Gephardt, seeking to enhance his Southern political credentials a week before Super Tuesday, made a pilgrimage Tuesday to the home of Jimmy Carter, the last Democrat to carry the South, and emerged with a boost from the former President.

Carter, who has met with all of the Democratic contenders, reiterated his intention not to endorse any presidential candidate before the Democratic convention. But Carter made a point of defending Gephardt against charges that he is a trade protectionist, and against criticism that he has “flip-flopped” too often on important issues.

In fact, Carter took the time to offer a detailed explanation of why he believes Gephardt’s trade proposal, which calls for retaliatory trade sanctions against nations that refuse to open their markets to American products, would not be bad economic policy.

‘Trade Proposals Are Favorable’

“I think in general his (Gephardt’s) trade proposals are favorable to our country, if the President has the right to moderate protectionist trends,” Carter told reporters after his half-hour meeting with Gephardt.

“Congressman Gephardt has explained to me that (his plan) mandates that if there is a nation that has a persistent protectionist obstacle to American goods, that the President has to consider the circumstances, and has the option of private negotiations, bilateral negotiations, and then if he deems it necessary to impose some sort of countermeasures against protectionism he can do so.

“If it (Gephardt’s trade proposal) is that flexible when it is finally passed, then I would have no objections to it.”

Carter also said that he has “no criticism for Congressman Gephardt or (Tennessee) Sen. (Albert) Gore for changing their positions” on key issues over the years. Gore and Gephardt, who are vying for the same white moderate voters in the Southern regional primaries next week, have been engaged in a running battle over the flip-flop issue, each charging the other with changing positions in order to pander to voters.

‘Have to Modify Your Positions’

“I changed positions too,” Carter said. “You have to modify your positions as you approach the position of serving in the White House. One of the important things about a primary campaign is to learn about this nation. You get questions that come at you you never heard before.

“Anybody who went into the White House with the same exact positions that they took to represent the 3rd District of Georgia in the House of Representatives would be absolutely stupid,” Carter added. “So I don’t see any problem with candidates’ modifying their positions as they learn more about our nation, more about international affairs, and more about the potential responsibility of representing the United States.”

Carter, talking to reporters in front of his rambling house in the woods here, which is still guarded by Secret Service agents and a security fence, said he thinks three or four candidates have an opportunity to do well in next week’s Southern primaries, and said he thought the likelihood of a brokered Democratic convention is “about 50-50.”

“My hope is that out of this primary and caucus season will come a clear winner . . . (but) I’m not sure that is the likelihood now.”

Carter added that he would use his “limited influence” within the party to try to ensure that the eventual nominee comes from the current field of candidates, rather than from the sidelines.

Would Aid Active Candidate

“If there is no clear winner on the first two or three ballots (at the Democratic convention), then my own influence would be used, whatever limited influence I have, to make sure that one of the active candidates is the nominee,” he said. “I would personally not support someone from outside the active candidate group for the nomination.”

Gephardt, citing Carter’s success in working out the Camp David peace accords between Israel and Egypt during his Administration, said Carter would be “well-equipped” to act as a Middle East envoy if Gephardt is elected.

“I think in the past we have sometimes failed to call on former presidents to use their knowledge, their skill to be able to help the country,” Gephardt said.