By Jerome A. Cohen
I enjoyed Professor David Greenberg’s positive evaluation of Jonathan Alter’s new biography of Jimmy Carter, His Very Best, in Sunday’s NYTimes Book Review. I was glad to see that Greenberg–and apparently Alter–appreciate President Carter’s numerous “unsung policy achievements”, since I believe that the Carter administration, although mistaken on some important issues, has been unfairly underestimated. One of its too often “unsung” achievements was Carter’s completion of the task Watergate left unfinished – the “normalization” of Sino-American relations. In February 1972 Nixon left the domestically controversial issue of Washington diplomatically abandoning its KMT ally on Taiwan, the Republic of China, until after he had used the prospect but not the conclusion of normalization to assure his 1972 re-election. Ford did not follow through, and it was difficult for Carter to do so, but he managed. I was surprised, therefore, that Professor Greenberg, in listing the Carter accomplishments that “altered the course of our nation,” did not even mention China policy.
I have not yet seen Alter’s book but assume he gives ample treatment to the subject that has helped keep many of us off the streets for the past five decades. I hope others can tell me more about Alter’s coverage.