“I feel that my role as a former president is probably superior to that of other presidents. Primarily because of the activism… of working of the Carter Center into international affairs and to some degree domestic affairs. …” – former Pres. Carter speaking to Brian Williams
No single Democrat turned more people towards Republicans than Jimmy Carter. He created the Reagan Democrat class through his incompetent presidency, with no politician rivaling the disaffection of his own, though right now Barack Obama is working on a close second.
The quote at the top was in response to a question from Brian Williams about the now famous former presidents shot in the Oval Office where Carter is seen standing off to the side, alone, unregarded by the others.
The disdain I’ve always felt towards Mr. Carter’s presidency, though in no way personal about a man who is obviously well meaning, is founded in many things, but mostly in his hypocrisy, which is revealed through his hubris today. As a self-proclaimed Christian, pride comes before the fall, though Carter’s fall is three decades old history. Carter’s foreign policy on the Iran hostage crisis, but especially the Desert One debacle, making many feel we had become a lumbering giant that couldn’t shoot straight, our very reputation at risk, ultimately ushering in the Reagan era.
The Carter Administration’s impotence was underscored by the Iranian hostage crisis, which Mondale recalled as “four hundred and forty-four days of hell.” – Jane Mayer
This latest episode of Carter pimping his own post presidency reminding me again of an anecdote Mika Brzezinski told on “Morning Joe” not too long ago about a day when she was swimming in a heated Camp David pool with Pres. Carter, dressed in a Speedo no less, during the energy crisis, with snow on the ground. This from a man who wearing a sweater told us all to sacrifice.
Pres. Carter recently also floated yet again that the late Sen. Ted Kennedy was responsible for killing his health care bill out of spite, when anyone who knows history is aware that Carter’s health care bill didn’t have a chance in 1980, regardless of Kennedy’s alleged ill will towards his nemesis. But Carter’s humongous ego must be sated.
That Mr. Carter’s embarrassing self-infatuated arrogance about his own post presidency importance comes as former Pres. Bill Clinton convenes the Clinton Global Initiative is a fitting backdrop for a man who remains as clueless today about his own part in destroying the Democratic brand and putting the Left in exile for twelve of the longest, bleakest years we’ve seen. Carter ignoring Pres. Clinton’s monumental feat that has some wondering if the Clinton Global Initiative has replaced the U.N.
That many Democrats who voted against Pres. Carter, becoming Reagan Democrats as I did, still do not regret that vote is once again justified today through Carter simply being Carter. But as I’ve said before, Carter made me a Reagan Democrat, and Reagan made me a liberal for life.
Politicians are all arrogant egotists who love reading their own press clippings, usually believing only what’s good and railing against all that’s bad. However, because the press and much of the public who were alive and participating in politics in 1980 remember what a presidential debacle he was, Mr. Carter feels the need to toot his own horn about what came after his humiliating defeat. He’s now an embarrassment to himself, but also the many people who work diligently endeavoring to make the Carter Center a proud monument to a man who just can’t get no respect, but has only himself to blame for that fate.
This post has been edited.
I’m speechless — I can’t believe Carter said the above quote and the quote about Kennedy… I’m stunned.
Given the way Kennedy treated Hillary during the primaries (even refusing to heed his own advice on the Superdelegates and their state’s voters’ wishes), you’re upset about Carter’s comments? Please.
I was more upset with Kennedy’s treatment of Hillary. With that said, I’ve always respected Ted Kennedy and think Carter’s comment is tasteless after Kennedy’s death. Just me and I accept that I may be wrong.
But Carter’s very arrogant comment re: his post presidency.. not that he hasn’t done a lot of good.. but that type of comment rubs me wrong and I tend to lose respect.
Let me get this straight: Because Jimmy Carter didn’t flash the codpiece of ‘Murican might you felt compelled to vote for Smilin’ Ronnie? And you remain proud of helping to usher in 40 years of Republican hegemony?
I would say I was speechless, but I shouldn’t be. The way you constantly pimp out the queen of the grifters, proves beyond all shadow of a doubt that that you lack any concrete beliefs in anything beyond optics, and how something makes you feel on a given day. I suppose I should give you credit for at least being honest about your shallowness.
Good grief you’re uninformed.
http://www.taylormarsh.com/2004/06/05/the-reagan-democrats/
http://www.taylormarsh.com/2003/12/16/devils-in-dc/
Recognizing Sarah Palin’s power before almost anyone else, but also what she’d do with it, which has now manifest, is based on a lot of experience. That I’ve turned out to be correct about Palin, but also Obama, obviously pisses you off. I appreciate your animus, which like all hate I receive I wear as a badge of honor.
“No single Democrat turned more people on the Left towards Republicans than Jimmy Carter. He created the Reagan Democrat class through his incompetent presidency…”
Taylor, I’m sorry but that is the biggest piece of BULLSHIT I have ever read. To write that Carter made LEFT-LEANING Democrats vote for Reagan is the epitome of self-serving revisionism. NO LEFT-LEANING person EVER cast a vote for Reagan; Reagan was the absolute antithesis for liberals.
“That many Democrats who voted against Pres. Carter, becoming Reagan Democrats as I did, still do not regret that vote is once again justified today through Carter simply being Carter.”
And that those Democrats would actually vote for Reagan proves that any personal belief in liberalism was mere happenstance. I honestly don’t know you as a person, but I can’t believe that anyone who ever considered themselves to be “liberal” would ever cast a ballot for Reagan. And, quite honestly, anyone “liberal” who would “still not regret that vote” after all of Reagan’s anti-liberal activities proves that they were NOT a REAL liberal. (Bear in mind that REAL liberals who were really dissatisfied with Carter did one of two things: The proverbial nose-hold and voted for Carter; or, Voted for John Anderson. NO true liberal would have ever cast a ballot for Reagan.) All those “Reagan Democrats” were already conservative-leaning (don’t forget that a good deal of Carter’s victory in 1976 came from the growing Evangelical Christian movement which overwhelmingly went for Reagan with his SOCIALLY CONSERVATIVE views–things like against women’s right to choose and a promotion of “Christian” values into the secular law). If you voted for Reagan because you didn’t like the outcome of the 1980 Democratic primaries, then you weren’t as liberal or Left as you like to think. And if you really were as liberal or Left as you think you were, then you SHOULD regret ever casting a vote for Reagan. Especially when John Anderson (who was a Liberal Republican) had bolted the GOP to run as an Independent because he was concerned at the GOP’s hard turn to the Right. Taylor, if a Republican was concerned at his party’s right-ward turn THIRTY YEARS ago, I can’t believe that you were part of the Democratic Left back then.
Anyone who believes that Kennedy had a chance in the 1980 general election suffers some mega-serious delusions. Carter only lost the popular vote by about 8 percentage points (with Anderson taking that vote; Reagan didn’t quite get 50% of the popular vote). Kennedy, who didn’t face the Chappaquidick issue in the primaries, would have been trounced in the general election (whether Anderson chose to run as an Independent or not).
(I’m sorry about the somewhat harsh and negative tone of this comment, but Carter was a far better President than Reagan. Carter’s real problem however was his Democratic Congressional “allies.” Just like Clinton, Carter’s Democratic “allies” hated the fact that a Southern outsider beat out a group of Northern Democratic insiders, and these “allies” did as much as they could to thwart all of Carter’s efforts –again, much as was done when Clinton had a Democratic majority in Congress. Carter had the audacity to ask Americans to make changes in their lifestyles, especially to help conserve energy, and was the first President to look at non-nuclear alternative fuels to reduce dependency on oil, especially of the foreign variety. Carter was also the first President to actually get the Israelis and Egyptians to the table to begin the peace process. Carter’s only real flaw was that he was too idealistic for the job. He had far more in common with the average American than Reagan could ever dream of. Reagan, however, proved that he did his best acting job once as a politician; if he’d shown half that much talent while working in Hollywood, he could’ve won Oscars by the boatloads, even with the tripe and garbage that he starred in. If YOU want to justify your vote for Reagan on your dissatisfaction with Carter, go ahead and do so, but please DO NOT TRY to blame Carter for turning LEFT-leaning Democrats into “Reagan Democrats”; the two cannot possibly have come from the same fabric.)
JozefAL – I’ve edited the first sentence to say instead: No single Democrat turned more people towards Republicans than Jimmy Carter. This is absolutely more accurate. Thanks for leading me in that direction.
As for your nonsense about what a “LEFT-leaning” Dem might do in any circumstance, well, it’s rubbish. I was dancer-singer-actress living in New York, working on Broadway (a liberal bastion), while standing in gas lines in the City to fill the tank of my car, which I’ve written about before. We had certain days to do so depending on our license plate. You obviously are clueless how furious it makes people when this is your reality. I was into foreign policy way back then, too, and I felt Carter was feckless, totally and completely, though I *never* believed the nonsense that Reagan caused the release, which was actually executed by Warren Christopher.
Your rant isn’t harsh it’s just not the reality many people who switched were living. Carter’s alleged “idealism” equated to a failed presidency. Intent doesn’t mean squat.
Taylor Marsh says:
20 September 2010 at 3:25 pm
Funny, I know exactly what Taylor is talking about as I was sitting in my car in a gas line for over an hour crawling towards a gas station at First Ave and 61st Street in NYC and cursing Jimmy Carter every inch of the way that my own political awakening became more streamlined and concentrated. I will never forget that day.
I also agree with JozefAL in that no matter how much I despised Carter, as a committed liberal, morally, there was no way I could vote for Reagan. To me, he was worse than the anti-Christ if there was such a thing. Heck, it would be amoral.
Reagan is perceived as having a successful Presidency because he had men around him who understood the importance of controlling their message and the image of their presidency. Stagecraft was everything.
This argument of waiting in line for gas being the big deal on driving your anger towards Jimmy Carter’s presidency is funny. I have lived in new york city on and off for over 30 years and never even had a car let alone waited to get gas – having a car in Manhattan today is a luxury few can even afford.
Taylor states that she voted for Reagan in 1980. One wonders if she repeated that choice in ’84.
I offered links, both of which come from 2004 & 2003. I have always been vocal and open about Reagan. Always. People who didn’t know about it are uninformed.
I also wrote this:
But as I’ve said before, Carter made me a Reagan Democrat, and Reagan made me a liberal for life.
I’m sorry. She said Reagan turned her into a “liberal for life.”
I think Mondale was running in ’84.
Yep, Pilgrim, I call ’84 and ’88 the “hold your nose and vote” Democratic years.
For some odd reason, Reagan continues to be admired by some democrats, such as Barack Obama.
Obama called him “transformational,” and wishes to be transformational himself. He’ll have quite a bit of transforming to do to transform things away from where Reagan transformed them to.
He snidely implied Clinton wasn’t so transformational.
Nah. Clinton only governed with an eye and mind and heart to the ordinary folks, he being so despised for being one of them.
You’re so right, Pilgrim. My own experience with Reagan is why during the primaries I hit Obama so hard on that campaign moment. It also is why I can recognize this stuff, which invariably pisses people off, especially Obama loyalists who don’t recognize the early Carter signs.
I’m still hoping the White House & their uncritical fans wake up, but reactions to essays like this and others, like when I write about Palin, most of which has been dead on, continue to illustrate that Dems haven’t learned a damn thing. They’re making the same mistakes.
See the latest from Jane Mayer. Mondale is saying the exact same thing and he should know:
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/2010/09/27/100927ta_talk_mayer
I agree that Obama bears much greater resemblance to Carter than to Reagan or anyone else “transformational” or even competent. And it’s ironic because I feel sure Carter is the last of his predecessors Obama would wish to be seen to resemble. Well, Mr. O, that’s what ya get for your deep disdain of Mr. Clinton.
Jane Mayer’s article is good. I greedily suck in everything she writes.
and I also have Mondale’s forthcoming book on order at the libraray
(It’s amazing how fast the library gets the new books. They had Tony Blair’s tome up almost before release, and even the book on CD which he himself reads. I’m listening to that and and disliking him more the more I hear his irritatingly pompous-sounding voice.)
I disagree with what is the common perception of what Obama meant with the ‘Reagan is transformational’ comment but that’s for another post. Pilgrim, what are you specifically referring to when you say Obama’s perceived disdain of Mr. Clinton as payback and for what? I would truly like to hear your explanation for this statement.
Did Mr. O not specifically state to the newspaper committee that Mr. Reagan was a transformational president in a way that Mr. Clinton was not. That was regarded as a very public putting-down of his Democratic predecessor.
It was public, it was intentional.
Playing the race-card the way he (Obama & Co.) did was something else.
Some things are a matter of opinion. We will see what things will come to be revealed as factual or otherwise. As history evolves it has a way of clarifying things that may have been matters of opinion or perception.
sorry gef, maybe I missed your question, you were on about “perceived disdain of Mr. Clinton as payback”
Maybe nothing more is implied there than the usual meaning of people when they mention “karma”
It’s probably much too optimistic, but I can still hope that the W. Bush / Obama years will turn more people away from a broken two party system than ever before.
See Chris Cilizza’s recent article. I linked to it somewhere recently… People want “none of the above” this year.
Let’s hope it’s catching!
I read it Taylor. I’ll hope it’s catching, too.
I totally agree with your assessment. Carter is a hypocrite and always has been. During his presidency, he supported numerous dictators including Yugoslavia’s tyrant. He contributed to the fall of of the Shah and never stopped to consider the consequences. There was no choice but to vote Reagan…Carter was a walking disaster taking this country down with him. Obama is a wimp but is not as bad as Carter as yet. Nevertheless, you are correct that Democrats don’t appear to have learned any lessons. The failure to nominate Hillary, let alone bring back the Clintons, was and is a monumental disaster for the Democratic party. It makes one wonder how calculated this was….to bring in another Carter and damage the Democratic party for years. Because it still makes no sense that Democratic party bosses attacked women and working class (Reagan Democrats)Democrats and were oblivious to the long term damage this would do. However, a look back to Carter, confirms that Democrats have been exceedingly stupid before….though the times and the choices were different. There is absolutely no excuse for what happened this time around. Clinton saved the Democratic party….the country was firmly in the hands of Republicans…Unless someone like Grayson or Anthony Weiner gain some power, Democrats are screwed. Steny Hoyer as minority leader is a loser for Democrats…just as Nancy Pelosi is a loser. There are no women in the Democratic party to rival Sarah Palin other than Hillary. We need to keep asking why? Why aren’t Democratic women fighters? People want a fighter. Your analysis of the female vote is right on the money. Democratic Women are voting for Republican women.And there is a good chance I will vote for Meg. Democrats are keeping their head in the sand. Just look at the new Democratic logo. It defies logic. The leaders of the Democratic party are responsible for all of this. So the question remains: whose side are they on?
Carter was my first presidential vote in ’76. By 1980 I had been divorced for two years with a four year old to raise alone and had just moved to a new city and did not know a soul. Needless to say I was not too politically plugged in,just trying to survive. I voted for Carter in ’80. I’ve never voted for a Republican unless you count Obama.
My first response to this post was disappointment. It appears to me that Taylor has some unresolved anger towards Carter as President that skews her perception of Carter as an ex-President. As a one term President, Carter achieved:
• Panama Canal treaties
• Camp David Accords
• treaty of peace between Egypt and Israel
• the SALT II treaty with the Soviet Union
• establishment of U.S. diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China
• comprehensive energy program conducted by a new Department of Energy
• deregulation in energy, transportation, communications, and finance
• educational programs under a new Department of Education
• environmental protection legislation, including the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.
This in spite of the oil crisis, the fall of Iran, the Embassy occupation, the failed rescue mission and the general derision he suffered. The peace treaty between Israel and Egypt alone would have constituted a successful 4 years in my opinion. If he had another 4 years could he have engineered true peace in the Middle East? Look at the successes the Presidents after Carter have had in the Middle East – NOTHING. Maybe Afghanistan and Iraq wouldn’t have been the problems they are if peace had been achieved in Middle East by Carter.
Now, does anyone really believe that Carter could have prevented the fall of the Shah of Iran? Or that the political situation in Iran wasn’t one that he inherited and just happened to be the guy in office when the crap hit the fan? And while I understand the anger of waiting in gas lines (I was there too) but to blame that all on Carter? Where is your real world perspective? I expect better of you. Get past the emotional response and on to an intellectual response.
Why the disdain for Carter’s opinion on his performance as an ex-President compared to other ex-Presidents? Tell me who has done anywhere as much? Carter is someone we Americans can take pride in his actions as an ex-President. In my opinion, only Clinton has a similar record and is a distant second.
As to Carter’s comment regarding Ted Kennedy, why can’t Carter feel that Kennedy undermined his health care plan? Don’t you think that Carter might know better than you what really happened back there? How do you know for certain the Kennedy did not undermine healthcare back then. Ted Kennedy was not without his own oversized ego back at that time. Ted Kennedy seemed to change after Chappaquiddick but he wasn’t all that all his career. Why do you judge Kennedy by his later years but only judge Carter by his most difficult years?
Kennedy was no saint and Carter was no devil.
Although Ted Kennedy had a right to support Obama, nevertheless, he did what he said delegates should not do, when he voted against the wishes of the Massachusetts electorate who had actually voted in favour of Hillary Clinton. In that way, and probably in others, he worked to undermine Hillary’s candidacy.
Steven88, did you click on the links I offer in the post? Of course not, because like others *your* emotionally defensive reaction led the way.
As for “unresolved anger,” I have no idea whatsoever why you and others think telling it like I see it unabashedly reveals anything whatsoever is “unresolved.”
I utilized Paul’s editorial cartoon, because I think it represents a mean spirited nature of Mr. Carter that too often gets ignored, as is proven through many of the comments here. This essay is not about Kennedy.
This in spite of the oil crisis, the fall of Iran, the Embassy occupation, the failed rescue mission and the general derision he suffered.
That’s a lot of national security weakness & ineptitude to give a pass, which I simply will not.
No one was more responsible for the branding of weakness on foreign policy than Jimmy Carter. He stuck Dems in the wilderness for 12 long years through a presidency that was politically inept.
As I said above, this isn’t personal, but an honest assessment from someone who was there, remembers it as a seminal moment, and who won’t soft pedal that reality. If you like your politics with frills you’re at the wrong site, which includes telling it like I see it about Dems too.
Of course I read the links. Poor attack. I have no reason to be emotionally defensive. If you feel that I, amongst others, somehow led the way – fine.
I agree that the cartoon represents a mean spirited nature. Just not Carter’s.
To paraphrase, this isn’t personal, but an honest assessment from someone who was there, remembers it as a seminal moment, and who recognizes the reality of the time. If I liked my politics with frills I’d be at another site. I tell it like I see it about Dems too.
I apologize for interpreting from your comment that you hadn’t read the background links.
Carter is simply wrong about health care, which had no chance of passing. I’m by no means the only analyst that has made this observation.
Mr. Carter has embarrassed himself with his preening arrogance and mean spirited nature, which many people recognize as part of the man’s character. No one who knows or has studied Carter was surprised.
Wow Taylor – what a disappointment. Take responsibility for your own selfish ignorance in voting for Reagen and stop blaming Carter for your defection to the Republican party of hate.
It was because of people like YOU …weak “Democrats” that believed in the false delusion of Ronald Reagan that ushered in eight years of irreversible damage to this country and you will have to live with that poor choice for the rest of your life.
There is nothing that Cater said about Ted Kennedy that I don’t believe for a second. Ironically, I love them both as they have both devoted their lives to the most important democratic issues of my life. Both are brilliant Warrior advocates for humanity and both are flawed
It looks as if you have learned nothing since you voted for Reagan. Blaming others for your immature selfish mistakes is a trait of a Republican … not a Democrat. Grow up and take fucking responsibility for your own stupid choice to vote Republican and stop blaming a man who has spent nearly all his waking life trying to make this world a better place for us all.
Now with that said keep up the good work. No one is perfect
“Grow up and take fucking responsibility for your own stupid choice”
“Now with that said keep up the good work. No one is perfect”
Wow. Did you even read her article, or the past ones she has written.
Someone needs to get off their high horse.
IndyRobin, you illustrate what continues to be wrong with our politics. “Loving” any politician is for children and fools.
What I wrote about Carter is true for what was being experienced in 1980 and it stands the test of time today. It’s not my problem if you have trouble processing it.
What is escaping the defenders here is that Carter DESTROYED and DEVASTATED the Democratic Party and brand.
You know the saying ‘The Road to Hell is paved with good intentions” I couldn’t think of a better embodiment of that saying than Carter. A man who’s foreign policy fumbled ( the reason we as Democrats can’t grab the mantle of Foreign Policy) And consequently his domestic policy. It was his ineptitude, and total lack of leadership which gave us Regan.
People, who were sick of waiting in gas lines for hours, Democrat or Republican were fed up, thus kicking him out of office. Carter was never Presidential material.
I applaud the work he’s done since then, and he as of today has “clarified” his remarks. But it’s no secret he thinks very highly of himself, all Presidents have egos, his is just undeserved.
My word of advice: Jimmy, keep on doing the work that makes you so much better than any other President, albeit silently.
Daubry,
Questions – How old are you? What do you really know about the Carter years? What do you know about the policies then and the previous administrations to him that he inherited? His military failed in a rescue attempt that many would not have even had the courage to try. No thanks for trying but only shit for the failure of the military. It should have been successful but there was a perfect storm of problems. As they say, you go to a rescue not with the equipment you want but with the equipment you have.
I lived through those days and experienced the embarrassment of helplessness and the irritation of gas lines. Fortunately I think I had the maturity to evaluate the situation and not just react emotionally. Like Vietnam, I don’t think you can really judge the situation unless you were there in those times. Carter didn’t destroy the Democrats. As usual the Democrat’s cowardice in the face of undeserved criticism did. Thru either ignorance or cowardice those Democrats voted for Reagan paving the way for destruction.
What is escaping you is knowledge. Hopefully you are still young enough to learn.
You mean…poor Carter….he had the bad luck to have so many problems hit him at once…Are you kidding? That’s what defines leadership. Carter was dangerous insofar as foreign policy was concerned…and domestically he was drowning as well with “stagflation.” He absolutely destroyed the Democratic Party….and Clinton rescued it. But the lessons of Carter were not learned. Democrats nominated losers after that until Clinton….Weakness and helplessness are not the qualities one looks for in a President….People want strong leadership…and apparently prefer that to good intentions….Democrats have a problem with strong leadership…and Republicans have a problem with good policy. But lately, Democrats have a problem with policy as well. Witness their new positions on social issues…like abortion, etc. Except they don’t have good messaging or strong leaders…Many of us thought Democrats were ready to take charge after 8 years of Bush…We knew what was in store…we lived through what Republicans did to the Clintons….So did the Democrats want a candidate with the experience to deal with Republicans? Apparently not. So they got what they wanted. We need new Democrats.
It’s interesting to me that someone who writes “Grow up and take fucking responsibility for your own stupid choice”, and someone who I suspect hasn’t read Taylor’s past articles, is extremely knowledgeable.
No, I didn’t live through the Carter Years, although I wont divulge my age, as I’ve mentioned it in previous threads (I’ve been on this site for a while now)
You say “I don’t think you can really judge the situation unless you were there in those times” Perhaps.
Although maybe I’m given a clearer perspective having not been through it.
My mother, a Democrat and my boss, a Republican, both lived through the Carter Presidency, and they each share the identical view, and tell similar stories. Not a coincidence.
Carter, like any President was given an imperfect hand. How he responded and the consequences of his actions is what lead to Reagan, and the tarnishing of the Democratic Brand, if it wasn’t for Clinton Democrats would have no (positive) record to run on.
Correction: IndyRobin wrote the above quote not Steven. My fault, avatars are tricking me!
Don’t let anyone pull the age card on you, daubry.
With all due respect, it is true. BTW, I really question his knowledge not his age. But age factors into knowledge. Especially with both Vietnam and Carter.You and I know the emotions of that time and it is emotion rather than fact that clouds the Carter administration. And has clouded everything he has done since.
Let daubry defend his words if he desires to. He is correct that gas lines and humiliation in Iraq put Carter out of office. The question is how valid are those issues? Is Obama responsible for the recession? Is Obama responsible for the massive deficit resulting from tax breaks for the wealthy, two wars and credit card spending prior to 2009? Is Obama responsible for the BP oil spill? Will Obama be responsible for hurricanes and tornadoes?
Sure Carter has faults. Who doesn’t? But maybe he is blamed for the wrong faults.
And “Carter was never Presidential material.”. Not like Bush 1 & 2. Not like Nixon. Not like Reagan. Not like that guy that followed Nixon. I can’t even remember his name.
To our shame, we Democrats abandoned Carter bacause we were afraid to defend him in spite of what he had really accomplished in spite of us.
And I suspect daubry doen’t know what he is talking about. I would be happy if he proves me wrong.
Pres. Carter deserved no defense.
You can, however, say that his post presidency redeemed him to some extent. However, it will *never* make up for the “weak” label he hung on Dems, which survives to this day if a politician is compared to him. Barack Obama is the latest to get tagged with the Carteresque label by the Right.
” The question is how valid are those issues?”
Extremely valid. It’s those very issues that define presidencies.
This rant is odd “Is Obama responsible for the recession? Is Obama responsible for the massive deficit resulting from tax breaks for the wealthy, two wars and credit card spending prior to 2009? Is Obama responsible for the BP oil spill? Will Obama be responsible for hurricanes and tornadoes?”
All Presidents get dealt an imperfect hand. But it’s about how you work with the hand your dealt, your actions. So let’s see:
“Is Obama responsible for the recession?”
No, but having a small economic stimulus didn’t do enough.
“Is Obama responsible for the BP oil spill?”
Well, considering drilling was OK’d under this administration with Salazar at the helm…also his reaction was slow and not something that looked like leadership, nor bold.
How can anyone take him seriously when he said things like “..in the end, I am confident that we’re going to be able to leave the Gulf Coast in better shape than it was before”
Thanks Taylor. It doesn’t effect me.
What Carter accomplished is dubious. He ushered in Reagan, long considered too right wing to win. Democrats were never trusted in foreign policy after that until Clinton. Neither Johnson nor Kennedy destroyed the Democratic brand….rather they enhanced it. And the specter of Carter still looms large. Historians certainly don’t render a better verdict. He is universally considered a disaster and one of our worst Presidents. The failure to understand why is key to understanding why Democrats had been out of power for so long. And the tendency of too many Democrats to bash Clinton is another symptom of something very wrong with the Party. Look at Clinton’s Global Initiative….nothing compares to what President Clinton has done after his Presidency ended.
Maybe you need to do more research. Public opinion rates Jimmy Carter fairly high.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_rankings_of_Presidents_of_the_United_States
I see that you rate authoritarians highly. I can’t understand your dislike of Bush 2.
At least Carter gives you and others someone to blame all their troubles on. How sad.
Credit where its due, both Clinton and Carter have become respected elder statesmen post-presidency. Where’s the Republican equivalent? Where are the Bush family initiatives and crisis assistance?
Speaks volumes to me about who really gives a damn at the end of the day.
Bingo. It’s really quite telling.