Quote:
Originally Posted by Gmahogany777
@JB,
I was also in the general age range u mentioned when Carter was Prez, though I think I have you by a few years. I don’t really remember the details of his presidency clearly, but what I do remember clearly is when he ran for reelection in 1980. My school had a mock election and since I lived in the DC area politics was always all around and closely followed by folks, even bums on the corner can cogently discuss politics with u in DC. What I don’t remember in details, I’ve gleaned from older folks who do remember his presidency. To a person, I’ve never met anyone who characterizes his presidency as successful. Even those who liked him, think he’s a decent dude, and applaud what he’s done SINCE he left office. No one thinks he was a good president.
Don’t get me wrong, Reagan’s tenure was terrible as far as economics TOO, inflation came down a little, but was still high. The difference is under Carter, things were jacked up on the domestic/economic front AND on the foreign policy front. Americans will forgive you for having them broke or they will forgive you for allowing them to get punked and chumped by other countries, but they won’t forgive you for BOTH at the same time,lol. That was Carter’s dilemma. Beyond that, as u said he was just perceived as weak and defeated as a general personality type, while Reagan had a swagger and an optimism in his personality. I share a B-day with Reagan,btw Feb 6, so I totally understand his personality type,lol.
Another way I know that Carter was not viewed favorably was the way he was treated during the Dem convention when trying to get re-elected. You mentioned the messed up way he’s treated by his own party. That is the general operating procedure of the Dem party, it’s not unique to him. They’ve treated Bill Clinton like shit during this campaign and he is the ONLY 2 term president they’ve managed to have in the past 40 years, and was regarded as having had successful and prosperous presidency (peace and prosperity) by most folks,(his personal flaws notwithstanding). They treat their “winners” like crap when something new comes along, so you know those who have been viewed as failures ain’t got nothing coming,lol. That’s one way that the Republicans are much better than they are, they don’t dog their own folks out, even their losers…….
Back to the convention of 1980, it was clear that he was perceived as weak and someone the party was “stuck with” and not likely to win from the treatment he received from his own party. I clearly remember that he and Ted Kennedy had a bitter primary fight and when Carter won the nomination Kennedy totally DISSED him. At the convention when Carter tried to grab Kennedy’s hand to show that the party was united, Kennedy refused and kept moving to another part of the stage. It’s funny to me cause Kennedy was nowhere near Carter in popular vote or delegates but he still carried on that way. Yet you have folks acting like HRC committed bloody murder cause she didn’t concede on the last night of the primary. That’s how I can always tell whether people just started paying attention to politics or whether they been doing it for a while, HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE. BTW, there are people who NEVER concede in these things, quiet as it’s kept). Not at the end of the primaries not before the convention, not during the convention, not after the convention,lol.
It was also funny to me to hear people like Ted Kennedy take on this high minded, finger wagging tone with the Clintons about grace and class. I remember what he did in 1980 and I remember how dejected and disrespected Carter looked. Kennedy’s antics and that acrimony caused Carter to lose to Reagan in 80. Now granted, he probably would have lost anyway, but it might not have been a landslide like it ended up being.
|
Yes, well I guess this would go some way to explain some why he seems to be trying to re-write or repair his legacy.The man is 81 or something and he should just be chilling but he has his fingers in many pies,I do feel slightly sorry for him actually,even though he was mostly ineffectual ,I believe he had his heart in the right place, but like you said America is not gonna be coolio with being broke as phuck AND being fisted by other countries.
As for Ted Kennedy"grace and class"...ha! Chappaquidick(SP)anyone???...that whole family is well.........and I understand Caroline is on the committee to help Obama choose his VP.
Hmmmmmmmmm??