Soviet Press Comments on President Carter's Economic Programs Statement by the White House Press Secretary.
We have long maintained that the Soviet Union has the perfect right to say whatever it pleases. Neither this administration nor this country has any fear of a free discussion of ideas, no matter how misinformed or ridiculous they might be.
It is worth pointing out that any American can say the same thing or worse about the President, without fear of arrest, intimidation, or harassment from the White House.
We certainly have no objections to the exercise of the right of free speech by the Soviet Government. We look forward to the day when the right of citizens to criticize his or her government is guaranteed everywhere in the world.
Note: Press Secretary Jody Powell read the statement at his April 22 news conference at the White House in response to an article which had appeared in the Communist Party newspaper Pravda. The article criticized the President for failing to keep his Presidential campaign promises to black voters in formulating his economic policies.
Jimmy Carter, Soviet Press Comments on President Carter's Economic Programs Statement by the White House Press Secretary. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/243502