Get Those Juices Flowing!

By Hugh Sidey

Politics is the life force at the center of Government, and the attempt to retreat from it is one of the worst mistakes of the past two years. Just about the time that Jimmy Carter seemed to be developing the necessary skills of power brokering, he picked up that sappy idea for a single six-year presidential term, which he thinks would allow a President to "ignore politics" and "stay away from any sort of campaign plans and so forth."

If Rosalynn whispered that to him one night, they should take away the pillow. If he found the notion in that special library in his little study, they ought to have a book burning. The single six-year term is an idea that appeals to troubled politicians--Eisenhower, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Connally. Most of them never muttered it until they got into some difficulty. Carter may be in political peril, but he need not abandon the Constitution yet.

Politics is the way ahead in this nation. It is a collection of yearnings put together to make a majority that gives purpose to thought and turns theory into action. Politics is movement, mission, protest, the creative tension whence comes direction. We do not need less politics, we need more politics--good politics.

Politics is struggle that purges a system. When properly managed, it is the substitute for aggression and war. It is corrupt in spots, but also it is a way to infuse higher ideals into national affairs. Politics remains the only process through which we can achieve order, obligation, survival, freedom.

Politics, quite literally, is the voice box of the people. Every four years we need the opportunity to throw the bums out, and all through the four years we need the right to keep the fellows scared to death that they might be thrown out. Doesn't Carter yet realize that campaigning forces him (and others) to think, take positions, clear fuzzy parts of the brain? The game measures the men. It is tiring and wasteful, but that is always the price for democracy, where competition substitutes for autocracy.

We suffer grievously these days because political party loyalty has declined, beliefs bend with the wind, leaders cannot lead. Majorities melt away. Being in office becomes the only objective. Fortunately, there is still some pure political sentiment around these premises, struggling for its life. Last week, with Teddy attacking Jimmy and Jimmy attacking Teddy and Jerry attacking Jimmy and George attacking the attackers, it seemed like old times. The language was enriched. "Fig leaf," said Kennedy. "Baloney," said Carter. "Botched the job," charged Ford. "Reckless . . . failure," roared Bush. There is room for rhetorical improvement, but at least there is some passion. The juices are flowing. Labor bosses are sorting through the possibilities. Businessmen are hustling money. Young matrons, bored for too many months, are choosing up sides, stuffing their salons with contributors, advancemen and bearded campaign strategists.

When they had the White House Correspondents' Association dinner the other night, more journalists and politicians (1,800) gathered than ever before in Washington. The smell of rekindled politics seeped through the doors, lay heavy on the floor. In the center of the tuxedoed mass was Hamilton Jordan, Carter's chief aide, cheek by jowl with Richard Cheney, Jerry Ford's former top staffer and now the Wyoming Congressman. They whispered, nudged, chortled. When it was over, Jordan walked over to a friend and fibbed, "Cheney says he will be back in the White House in a couple of years." Jordan loved it. His eyes were bright, the scent of a long, tough but exhilarating campaign ahead. He was like a welterweight, walking on the balls of his feet, sizing up the enemy, politely touching gloves while cocking his right for the uppercut. It was beautiful.

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