If You Can't Stand the Heat

The White House has been in a sweat for months over a number of issues, but none stickier than a situation that can be traced to the good intentions of the President. On April 10, determined to set a fuel-saving example, Carter sent a memo to the General Services Administration, the Government's housekeeper, asking that thermostats in all federal buildings be set no lower then 80DEG. He ended up being too conscientious in Washington's long and sultry summer: high temperatures and humidity have frequently turned the White House into a steam bath.

Aide Hamilton Jordan tried to cope with one sweltering day by throwing open his high windows, which allowed him to spend part of his time waving at passersby. Preparing for the Vienna summit, secretaries in the office of Zbigniew Brzezinski, National Security Adviser, doused all their lights to reduce the heat. One senior White House official, after closing his door so no one would see, tried to jimmy his thermostat, which was locked at 80DEG. He broke it.

Carter worked in his shirtsleeves. His problem was aggravated because the staff had sealed the windows of the Oval Office to combat a second problem: mice scampering over the low window ledges. "How can people say rats are deserting this ship?" quipped one White House wag.

To get some relief, the President now goes to Camp David almost every free weekend, often leaving Washington as early as 1 or 2 p.m. on Fridays. Nobody dares suggest what Carter needs most of all: fans.

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