Democrats Convene
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The Daily Register >loiniuftiiili C onIII.> \ Great Homo VOL. 103 NO. 35 SHREWSBURY, N.J. MONDAY, AUGUST 11,1980 20 CENTS Democrats convene; unity efforts begin NEW YORK (AP) - The Democratic Party opens its national convention today with a session that could climax the bitter struggle between President Carter and Sen Edward M. Kennedy. But even as their supporters frantically lobby wavering delegates, the candidates themselves seem curiously conciliatory. On the eve of today's critical rules vote, which will determine whether delegates must stand by the candidate they were pledged to support, Ken- nedy was easing away from his anti-Carter rhetoric. And in what one Carter aide described as a major, unilateral concession to Kennedy, the president agreed yesterday to support several platform planks supported by the Massachusetts senator — including one that criticizes Carter's anti-inflation strategy and pledges the party will not "pursue a policy of high interest rates and unemployment as a means to fight inflation " The specter of the Republican Party appeared to be behind the sudden rash of peace-making within the Democratic ranks. "There's nothing in the world that can bring a group of Democrats together like Ronald Re- agan," said Robert Strauss, Carter's campaign chairman. But lobbying for today's rules debate was fierce, all the same. Carter backers led by Vice President Walter Mondale visited delegates from various states last night, arguing mightily against Kennedy's bid for an "open" convention. With the binding- HOME DESTROYED — Mary Galvin sits on a sofa that slammed into her delegate rule, Mondale told Pennsylvania's dele- home on San Padre Island, Texas, during the height of Hurricane Allen. Her COURTING THE CALIFORNIANS — Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., makes an gation, "the 1980 Democratic Convention will home was destroyed as the hurricane roared across the island. appeal for his presidential nomination to a gathering of California delegates in New York represent the 19 million people who sent voters yesterday. here." Kennedy's forces, led by Kennedy himself, port him on the first nominating ballot Wednes- "The argument is not whether he'll win it, but were making the rounds, too, although the sena- day night, the president will have clinched the by how much," said White, a Carter supporter tor's tone was surprisingly conciliatory. nomination, which requires 1,666 votes. Kennedy In a last-minute effort to generate support for Texas is spared "No matter what button you wear this eve- has 1,234.4 votes. an open convention, Rep. Ron Dellums, D-Calif., ning, I'm going to be proud to work with you," Shortly after party chairman John C. White planned to announce his candidacy today as a Kennedy told one delegation yesterday as he calls the convention to order at 4 p.m. EOT in favorite son of black delegates. The American toured gatherings around Manhattan. "We're Madison Square Garden — the same arena where Agriculture Movement and the Women's Political going to be together in the fall against Ronald Carter won the 1976 nomination — delegates will Caucus were planning similar moves. worst of Allen Reagan." begin debate on the rule requiring delegates to "It Will provide the opportunity for those Earlier yesterday, on CBS' "Face the Na- abide by the results of state primaries and con- people who want to say, 'I'm for an open conven- BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) - Hur- shore oil platform and 1 person was miss- tion," Kennedy said it would be "a nip and tuck ventions, which would result in a "closed" con- tion but not necessarily for either of those two ricane Allen defied predictions and spared ing and feared drowned in the Dominican vote either way, but I'm confident that we will be vention and assure Carter the majority he needs. candidates (Carter or Kennedy),'" said Robert Teias the deadly fury it had unleashed on Republic. successful". In the effort to break Carter's hold on A CBS poll of 1,900 delegates indicated that Brauer, special counsel to Dellums. the Caribbean, but still left behind flood- Frank said a high-pressure system that a majority of the 3,331 delegate votes. both sides were holding their candidates' ground. Carter, meanwhile, says he is confident of his ing, blackouts and millions of dollars in had been driving the hurricane through the Kennedy's slender chances for an upset will be The network projected 55 percent of the delegates renotnination and re-election. The president, now property damage before limping into Gulf of Mexico weakened as Allen ap- nil without an open convention. If tonight's rules would back the binding rule, with 45 percent at Camp David, Md . was expected to arrive at northern Mexico. proached Texas, slowing its progress in- vote commits Carter's 1,985.6 delegates to sup- opposing it: See Convention, page 2 Allen caused no direct injuries or land from 25 mph to 10 and then 5 mph. deaths in Texas, either as the hurricane That in turn cut Allen's ability to maintain that battered the coast or as the tropical the 170 mph winds at its center, and they storm that cut into the state, but it spun off dropped off to 110 mph. tornadoes that injured about 20 people. The hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm yesterday as it slogged its Kennedy chances rated good Two people died of heart attacks while the storm was In the area. More than 100 way northwest across sparsely populated people had been killed in Allen's rampage areas of Texas and into northern Mexico through the Caribbean. The highest sustained winds were 45 mph The eight inches of rain that Allen In a few squalls. By 11 CDT last night, the storm's core by floor 'whip' Van Wagner brought, however, left the threat of wide- was In Mexico, about 60 miles northwest of spread flash flooding. The National Weath- By BARBARA KATELL bound to vote for the can- that an open convention was first ballot, and I have no betrayed those who voted for Laredo er Service issued a flash flood warning NEW YORK - Today is didate on whose slate they the only fair thing. And to a trouble with that." her in the primary if she early today for the Texas coast from Cor- The tail end of the 125-mile wide storm "The" day at the Democrat- were elected. man, the Kennedy supporters "I'm standing firm," agreed to change the rules of pus Christ! to just above Brownsville and system passed through south Texas early ic National Convention. There are only two Carter said they were optimistic. agreed Helen Slover of the convention and permit an today. for five counties in south-central Texas By the time the opening delegates and one alternate But if they are, the three Keansburg, the other Carter open convention. near San Antonio More than 75,000 homes along the coast session in Madison' Square from the county and 45 voting Carter supporters from Mon- delegate from Monmouth. However, Howard, who Authorities told people who had been were without electricity last night, includ- Garden is completed some- delegates from the entire mouth County don't know "Carter's standing in theheads the state delegation to evacuated from their homes from Corpus ing 15,000 in Corpus Christi, according to time tonight, Uie six dele- state as compared to 68 Ken- why. polls doesn't disturb me. I the convention, observed that Christi south to Brownsville not to return Central Power and Light Co. • gates and two alternates nedy delegates. But Mon- "Just as I'm opposed to feel he's honest and he'sMonmouth County and New Major roads were impassable because of The fishing resort town of Port Mans- from Monmouth County who mouth County and New Jer- an open World Series, I'm op- doing his best. He has gotten Jersey are not typical in the flooding About 200,000 people fled their field, north of Brownsville, sustained support Sen. Edward M. Ken- sey are not typical of the na- posed to an open convention," a bad press. But I think he commitment of Carter dele- homes Friday as authorities predicted Al- heavy damage. Armed deputies kept peo- nedy of Massachusetts should tion. said Robert Holland of will get re-elected." gates. ple from the town of 120 for fear that len would match its deadly Caribbean rage know whether their man has If the fight for an open Marlboro, a Carter delegate. "Any Carter delegates leaking butane and ammonia tanks would Their views were shared with widespread destruction in Texas. any chance of wresting the convention fails, Carter Is "The games have already from our state who might explode. by Jacqueline Walker of '"'We were very, very lucky," said Gov. nomination from President guaranteed nomination on the been played. Everyone I've Matawan, the only Carter al- vote for an open convention Bill Clements. "There is a great dif- "About two-thirds of the place is gone Jimmy Carter. first ballot when polling be- been speaking to feels the ternate from the county. She are being quiet," he said. ference in what we were anticipating and and 90 percent if everything is dam- "I'm optimistic," said gins Wednesday night. He has same way I do. The rules of repeated her past assertions "They are under enormous what we received." aged, "said Deputy Glen Fisk. Assemblyman Richard Van more than 1,900 committed the convention bind me on the that she would feel she had See Van Wagner, page I "It was like a hurricane with eyes," Wagner, D-Monmouth, as he delegates or almost 300 more said Neil Frank, director of the National An overnight curfew was in effect in Corpus Christi — the region's largest city rushed off to an 11 p.m.