JIMMY CARTER

39 th President of the United States

CARTER AND THE
PRESIDENCY
On Ford
Jimmy Carter was no fan of Gerald Ford. As we all know, Ford took over for Nixon upon
his resignation. This inherently meant that Fords presidency would have a cloud
hanging over it, especially considering he pardoned Nixon. Carter believed that Ford
lacked leadership skills and perceived him as weak. He thought others did as well.
In a debate preceding the presidential election of 1976, Carter pulled no punches in
telling Ford exactly how he felt about him:

And the last point I want to make is this. Mr. Ford Mr. Kissinger have continued on with
the policies and failures of Richard Nixon. Even the Republican platform has criticized the
lack of leadership in Mr. Ford. And they criticized the foreign policy of this administration.
This is one instance where I agree with the Republican platform. And I say this in closing,
and that is as far as foreign policy goes, Mr. Kissinger has been the president of this
country. Mr. Ford has shown an absence of leadership and an absence of a grasp of
what this country is and what it outta be. Thats gotta be changed, and that is one of
the major issues in this campaign of 1976. (1, See last slide for link to video)
On Ford
It is clear that Carter was less than fond of Fords presidential style.
First off is that Ford pardoned Nixon. It is not a particularly bold, or rather strong, move
to pardon the man you served under as Vice President. From an optics perspective it
looked weak, and realistically it is weaker in terms of presidential behavior than
prosecuting Nixon to the full extent of the law. Carters belief that Ford was weak
stemmed from Fords actions. Pardoning Nixon did not earn Ford any praise at the time,
even if views of that act have shifted in recent years. By pardoning Nixon, Carter saw
Ford as lacking leadership skills. It is no wonder he attacked Ford by calling him weak.
(2)
On The Presidency
Well, I think it was also Kierkegaard who said that every man is an exception. And the multiplicity of responsibilities
that a President has, the same issues that our Nation has to face, I think, causes some lack of a central focus quite
often.
We're dealing with the question of a strong national defense, some concern about the good intentions of potential
adversaries like the Soviet Union on the one hand. At the same time we are struggling valiantly to find common
ground on which we can assure peace between us and better friendship and a minimization of the distrust.
We, at the same timewe're with SALT, are trying to bring peace to the Mideast, to Cyprus, to Namibia, to
Rhodesia, to Nicaragua, exerting a leadership role in our country that the rest of the world sometimes expects. And
then, of course, on domestic issues, they are so broadtrying to have a strong farm economy, increase exports,
stabilize prices with an anti-inflation program, meet the necessary demands of many interest groups in our Nation
who are quite benevolent. So, to bring some tightly drawn, simplistic cohesion into this broadly diverse responsibility
is almost impossible.
I think in some cases previous Presidents have had their thrust identified with a simple slogan only in retrospect. I
know that Roosevelt's New Deal was identified well into his term, and when he used the expression in a speech, he
had no idea that it would categorize what he'd brought to the country. So, I think that only when an administration
is looked at in maybe at least a recently historical perspective can you get a central theme.
We are trying to restore trust in government. We're trying to have enhancement of world peace, focusing on
human rights, and at the same time exemplify what I tried to express in the campaign, and since I've been in
office, as well, that my party and what I stand for is a proper blending of both compassion and competence.
In the past we've not been able to bridge that gap adequately. I think we've made a step in the right direction,
but how to bring one or two phrases or a slick, little slogan to identify an administration in its formative stage or
even in its productive stage is almost impossible. (3)
On The Presidency
It is obvious that Carter is a thoughtful, nuanced man who took the presidency very seriously.
The previous quote was given 18 months into his presidency, and was in response to a
question that accused the Carter presidency of lacking a theme, or a sense of coherence.
(3)
Carters response perfectly displays how he viewed the presidency. He understood the
gravity of the responsibility he had. By listing the numerous (perhaps endless is a better word)
problems and issues the President had to oversee, he was expressing that he fully knew the
immense pressure presidents are under. Unlike other presidents, he chose to embrace the
multitude of struggles he faced, rather than coining a defining slogan and sticking to one
problem area.
Carter did not believe that a presidential term could be properly defined unless looked back
upon with some historical perspective. He shows this by bringing up FDR and the New
Deal. Carter explains that FDR was not attempting to label his time as president under the
New Deal mantra. Rather, that label was given after some time to reflect on what FDR
had actually accomplished. Carter understood that the presidency is such a complex job
with so vast a pool of responsibilities that it could not be properly defined unless examined
later down the road.
I think we've made a step in the right direction, but how to bring one or two phrases or a
slick, little slogan to identify an administration in its formative stage or even in its productive
stage is almost impossible.
On The Presidency
Nixons resignation and Fords presidency clearly shaped the way Carter viewed his
term.
It is undoubtedly true that Nixons actions and Fords pardon of Nixon for those actions
eroded public trust in Government. Carter the first president to be free of major ties to
the Watergate scandal, and he was fully aware of the pressure this put on him.
We are trying to restore trust in governmentwhat I stand for is a proper blending of
both compassion and competence.
Carter saw himself as tasked with saving the legitimacy of the office of the President.
He believed that in order to regain public confidence he had to focus on maintaining
an open administration the exemplified compassion and competence.
He took a number of steps acting on the belief that the presidency must be respected:
Mr. Carter understood that, after Watergate, trust in government needed to be
restored. He imposed gift limits and financial disclosure rules on his appointees; slowed
the revolving door of officials departing to lobby their former departments; and
appointed inspectors general to root out fraud and mismanagement. (4)
Carters belief that the presidency should be a respectable office that acted in good
faith and served the American public is exemplified in those actions.
Aside
Something that is just as interesting as the way Carter viewed his term is the way he has
viewed his post-presidency. His post-presidency gives us insight into his motivations as
President.
Carter is a devoted activist. He has become a diplomat, brought in to help precarious
situations. He advocates for developing nations. He has even taken steps to help
eliminate deadly diseases and parasites globally.
He did lead a quiet life after left office. Rather, he continued to work hard and try to
help people. While he may not have had a second term, the accomplishments he has
made since his first are still quite extraordinary. (5)
From this knowledge it is easy to put together a pretty clear picture of the way Carter
viewed the presidency. He was a hard worker who believed that the President held an
incredibly amount of responsibility, including ensuring the public kept its faith in
governmental institutions. He believed in helping, and did not stop simply because he
lost his reelection campaign.
WHO IS HE?
Basics
Born James Earl Carter Jr. on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia

Father was James Earl Carter Sr., who worked as a farmer and businessman

Mother was Lillian Gordy Carter, who worked as a registered nurse

Attended public schools in Plains growing up

Attended Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology

Received as B.S. from the Naval Academy in 1946

In Navy became a submariner, and rose to the rank of lieutenant, serving in the Atlantic and Pacific fleets

Chosen by Admiral Hyman Rickover to work on the nuclear submarine program

Married Rosalynn Smith on July 7, 1946

Upon his fathers death, he returned home to take over Carter Farms and Carters Warehouse

Quickly became a community leader and won election to Georgia Senate in 1962

Ran for governor in 1966, but lost

Ran again in 1970, and won becoming Georgias 76th governor on January 12, 1971

Was the Democratic National Committee campaign chairman for 1974 congressional and gubernatorial elections

Announced his run for president on December 12, 1974

Won the Democratic nomination on the first ballot of the 1976 Democratic National Convention

Elected president on November 2, 1976, and was sworn in on January 20, 1977

Becomes 39th president of the United States (6)

Early Life
Carters family has lived in the United States since the 1630s. His ancestors moved to Georgia following
the revolutionary war. His family owned a peanut farm, warehouse, and store just outside of Plains, which
was a small rural town. Earl, Jimmys father, primarily ran these businesses and was a very successful
entrepreneur. Jimmys mother Lillian was a registered nurse, but become a stay at home mother upon
becoming pregnant. She was a strong woman who opposed segregation, and would counsel poor
African American women on their health and health care in general. She had four children in total,
Jimmy being the first. Interestingly, Jimmy was the first American president to have actually been born in
a hospital.
As a child Jimmy worked hard. By the age of 10, he was selling produce in the town center. By 13 he had
made enough money to buy 5 houses that were extremely cheap due to the Great Depression. Jimmy
constantly received postcards from his uncle who was in the Navy depicting far off, beautiful lands. He
expressed to his parents that he wanted to join the Navy before he was even in high school. In said high
school, he graduated as valedictorian
Carter wished to attend the Naval academy, so he went to work studying at the Georgia Institute of
Technology. In 1943, he was admitted to Annapolis, and ended up graduating near the very top of his
class in August, 1946. Carter had wanted to go to the Naval Academy so he could help the war effort,
but did not end up getting deployed. While on leave before his final year in the academy, he met a
woman named Rosalynn Smith. He immediately took a liking to her and after his second marriage
proposal, she finally agreed. They were married in July of 1946. (7)
vhttps://millercenter.org/president/c
arter/life-before-the-presidency

James Earl Carter Sr. Lillian Carter

Early Life
After 1946 Carter and Rosalyn enjoyed a pretty standard military marriage for 8 years.
They had a child within the first year of marriage, the first of 4 in total (3 boys and 1 girl).
Carter worked on deployed submarines all over the world, and was eventually
assigned to work on the nuclear submarine program in New York.
Unfortunately, Carter found out that his father had cancer. In July of 1953, James Earl
Carter Sr. passed away. The farm was in danger of closing down because Jimmys
mother could not run it on her own. The prospect of this was crushing, so he resigned
from the Navy and returned home to Plains.
Rosalyn was not exactly pleased to be returning to plains, having grown accustom to
their lifestyle of travel. (7)
Pre-President
The first year the Carters took over the farm in Plains did not go well. A huge drought
had hit and they made a measly $187 in total profits.
Plains, and the South as a whole was changing in the 50s and 60s. Brown v. Board of
Education had outlawed school segregations, and African Americans made it clear
through protest that inequality was going to be challenged. To confront this affront to
segregated society, a group called the White Citizens Council was created. Carter was
pressured to join the group, but in 1958 refused to do so becoming the only white male
in Plains to refuse. He endured the wrath of the councils members, who decided to
boycott his business. However, he outlasted them, and the boycott faded away.
By 1959 the Carter farm became very profitable. At the same time Carter became very
involved in the community. He began to serve on boards for such things like libraries
and hospitals. He also became involved in the church. He became a deacon and
Sunday school teacher. He also served on the Sumter Country Board of Education. (7)
Pre-President
Carter decided to throw his hat in the ring for a newly opened seat in the Georgia
State Senate in 1962. It appeared that he had lost this election before it really began,
being defeated in the primary. However, Carter proved that this loss was only based on
a huge amount of voter fraud. Carter took victory after a judge threw out the
fraudulent votes.
Carter served 2 terms in the State Senate. Carter was a hard worker, helping end
wasteful governmental practices and repealing laws that made it harder for African
Americans to vote. In one instance a vote was held in his church to decide if African
Americans could vote. It was an almost resounding no. There were only 3 yes votes,
two of which belonged to Jimmy and Rosalynn.
In 1966 he had actually planned on running for U.S. Congress, but elected to run for
governor when a Republican rival announced his candidacy in order to challenge him.
This was a bad decision. (7)
Pre-President
The civil rights movement had created a conservative backlash in the South ending the solidly
Democratic stranglehold on the South. Liberal Democrats like Carter were especially vulnerable.
Although he campaigned hard, he finished a poor third in the 1966 Democratic primary. The eventual
winner was Lester Maddox, an ultraconservative who proudly refused to allow blacks to enter a
restaurant he owned, and who distributed ax handles to white patrons as a symbol of resistance to
desegregation required under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Carter was bitterly disappointed by the defeat
and was saddled with a substantial debt from it. He began to position himself for the 1970 gubernatorial
election almost immediately. In the late 1960s Carter campaigned tirelessly up and down the state.
He campaigned on a platform calling for an end to busing as a means to overcome segregation in
public schools. Carter thought that in order to win he would have to capture white voters who were
uneasy about integration. Consequently, he minimized appearances before African American groups,
and sought the endorsement of several avowed segregationists, including Lester Maddox. The leading
newspaper in the state, the Atlanta Constitution, refused to endorse him, and described him as an
"ignorant, racist, backward, ultra-conservative, red-necked South Georgia peanut farmer." The strategy
worked, however, and with the support of rural farmers, born-again Christians, and segregationist voters,
Carter forced a runoff election and won with 49 percent of the vote. (7)
Pre-President
Carter made national headlines by calling for an end to segregation in his inaugural
address. He ended up increasing the number of African American staff members in the
Georgia state government by 25%. But his primary concern was the state's outdated,
wasteful government bureaucracy. Three hundred state agencies were channeled
into 24 "superagencies.
Carter was progressive reformer in his as governor. However, he did not get along too
well with traditional Democratic politicians in Georgia. They saw him as arrogant, and
to a certain extent he was. This made it difficult for Carter to make allies in the
government.
George McGoverns failed 1972 campaign for president taught Carter a lesson.
McGovern was a liberal, the country did not want a liberal. Carter believed the 1976
election would require a much more middle of the road Democrat. That Democrat was
him. (7)
Presidency
On December 12, 1974, he announced his candidacy for president of the United
States. He won his party's nomination on the first ballot at the 1976 Democratic National
Convention, and was elected president on November 2, 1976.
Jimmy Carter served as president from January 20, 1977 to January 20, 1981. Significant
foreign policy accomplishments of his administration included the Panama Canal
treaties, the Camp David Accords, the treaty of peace between Egypt and Israel, the
SALT II treaty with the Soviet Union, and the establishment of U.S. diplomatic relations
with the People's Republic of China. He championed human rights throughout the
world. On the domestic side, the administration's achievements included a
comprehensive energy program conducted by a new Department of Energy;
deregulation in energy, transportation, communications, and finance; major
educational programs under a new Department of Education; and major
environmental protection legislation, including the Alaska National Interest Lands
Conservation Act. (6)
Presidency
As president, Carter sought to portray himself as a man of the people, dressing informally and adopting
a folksy speaking style. He introduced a number of ambitious programs for social and economic reform,
and included a relatively large number of women and minorities in his cabinet. Despite Democratic
majorities in the House and Senate, Congress blocked Carters proposal for welfare reform, as well as his
proposal for a long-range energy program, a central focus of his administration. This difficult relationship
with Congress meant that Carter was unable to convert his plans into legislation, despite his initial
popularity.
Carters relationship with the public suffered in 1977, when Bert Lancea close friend of the president
whom he had named as director of the Office of Management and Budgetwas accused of financial
misdealings in his pre-Washington career as a Georgia banker. Carter initially defended Lance, but was
later driven to ask for his resignation. Though Lance was later cleared of all charges, the scandal marred
the presidents much-vaunted reputation for honesty.
Throughout his presidency, Carter struggled to combat the nations economic woes, including high
unemployment, rising inflation and the effects of an energy crisis that began in the early 1970s. Though
he claimed an increase of 8 million jobs and a reduction in the budget deficit by the end of his term,
many business leaders as well as the public blamed Carter for the nations continuing struggles, saying
he didnt have a coherent or effective policy to address them. In July 1979, Carter called a special
summit with national leaders at Camp David. His televised speech after the meeting diagnosed a crisis
of confidence occurring in the country, a mood that he later referred to as a national malaise. (8)
Presidency
In November 1979, a mob of Iranian students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran and
took its diplomatic staff hostage as a protest against the arrival in the United States of
the deposed Iranian shah, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, in order to receive medical
treatment. The students had the support of Irans revolutionary government, led by
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Carter stood firm in the tense standoff that followed, but
his failure to free the hostages led his government to be perceived as inept and
inefficient; this perception increased after the failure of a secret U.S. military mission in
April 1980.
Despite sagging approval ratings, Carter was able to defeat a challenge by Senator
Edward Kennedy to win the Democratic nomination in 1980. He was defeated by a
large margin in the general election that year by Ronald Reagan, a former actor and
governor of California who argued during his campaign that the problem facing the
country was not a lack of public confidence, but a need for new leadership. (8)
POST-PRESIDENCY
Post-Presidency
Carter was not an old man upon becoming president at age 52.
He may have been planning his retirement for age 60 and after, but things did not work out
that way, and he left office at 56.
Carter has been out of office for almost 36 years now, making his the longest post-
presidency by several years (5)
It is difficult to say how history will remember Carter, other than that he was only a one term
president
It seems the vitriol that exists for some former presidents like Hoover or Nixon is absent from
Carters legacy, though some conservatives refer to him as the worst president ever.
Carter has a political legacy, but it is not as expansive as many presidents
What sets Carters legacy apart from other presidents, is the extraordinary post-presidency
he has had.
 Post-Presidency
With his wife Rosalynn, Carter established the nonprofit, nonpartisan Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta in 1982.
The Carter Center, in partnership with Emory University, is guided by a fundamental commitment to human
rights and the alleviation of human suffering. It seeks to prevent and resolve conficts, enhance freedom and
democracy, and improve health. (9)
Carter, with his foundation, has delivered on these goals.
They have become particularly effective at setting up community based healthcare systems, especially in Africa
and Latin America.
They have a stellar record fighting diseases. Guinea worm disease has fallen from 3.5 million cases in 1986 to just
25 in 2015. (10)
In the decades that followed, he continued his diplomatic activities in many conflict-ridden countries around
the globe. In 1994 alone, Carter negotiated with North Korea to end their nuclear weapons program, worked in
Haiti to ensure a peaceful transfer of government and brokered a (temporary) ceasefire between Bosnian Serbs
and Muslims.
Carter has also built homes for the poor with the organization Habitat for Humanity and worked as a professor at
Emory University. He is the author of numerous books, the topics of which range from his views on the Middle East
to memories of his childhood; they also include a historical novel and a collection of poetry. In 2002, Carter was
awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The prize committee cited his role in helping forge the Camp David accord
between Israel and Egypt during his presidency, as well as his ongoing work with the Carter Center. (8,11)

http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/jimmy-carter
Post-Presidency
Here is story that ecapsulates Carters post-presidency very well: Since he left office, Carter has been
very involved with Habitat for Humanity. He and his wife Rosalynn have an Annual work project in
Canada. At one of these work projects Carter became severely dehydrated and was forced to be
taken to the hospital. One might expect that an slightly older gentlemen would take a day or two to
recuperate after such an ordeal; nobody would knock him for it. Yet, that is not what Carter did. He was
back at the work site at 8 a.m. the next morning. The incredible thing about this story is that this didnt
take place in the 90s or early 00s, this took place within the past week! The man is 92. Just to be building
houses at that age is incredible. To be sent to the hospital one day and still make it back at 8 a.m. the
next day at 92 is a damn miracle. (12) If this story doesnt sum up Carters post-Presidency, and life really,
nothing does. The man has always cared so deeply and worked so hard, but he has failed and fallen
down many times. Yet, no matter the circumstance, he gets back up and keeps working.
Carters post-presidency is often thought of as a model for how other presidents should spend theirs.
Rather than losing the desire to act as an agent for positive change in the world simply because he lost
the election, Carter selflessly devoted himself to service work upon creating the Carter foundation.
Carter always fought for what he believed in, before, and during the presidency, and that did not
change afterwards. We should really look at Jimmy Carter as having served 2 terms. His first was 4 years,
his second has been decades.
 THE ELECTION THAT
MADE HIM PRESIDENT
Background
The 1976 presidential election pitted Democrat Jimmy Carter against Incumbent
President, Republican Gerald Ford
Carter announced his candidacy on Dec. 12, 1974
Ford was in his first term as president, having taken over for the disgraced Richard Nixon
Carter won the election with 297 electoral votes to 240 for Ford
Carter also carried the popular vote, defeating Ford 40,825,839 to 39,147,770
Carter served only one term as he was defeated by Ronald Reagan in 1980
Candidate Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter was a politician, but not an abundantly experienced one. He served only
four years as a state Senator and a single term as Georgia governor
Georgia state law prohibited him from running for a second gubernatorial campaign
Carter was not given much of a chance in the beginning
After leaving the Governorship in 1975, Carter had no real organization or money to
fund and run his campaign
Carter and his soon to be campaign manager, Hamilton Jordan created a campaign
plan together
Candidate Jimmy Carter
In his campaign plan, Carters weaknesses were duly noted
He was a devout born-again Southern Baptist, which would cause some Northern liberals
concern
He was relatively inexperienced
And Northern liberals were generally cautious about Southern Democrats
That being said, the plan focused on Carters strengths
He was a Naval Officer
He was an agricultural businessman
He decided to get into public service late in his life, after attaining business success, for the
good of the country
It would be difficult for a Democrat to win the presidency without some support in the south.
Being from the south, Carter had that
Candidate Jimmy Carter
Carter entered 30 of 31 primaries held in 1976
He correctly assumed that the combination of the record number of primaries and
newly imposed campaign finance limitations (Federal Campaign Finance Law of 1974)
would cause his Democratic opponents to allocate their resources very carefully, and
not come close to entering all 31 primaries
This was a great move on Carters part. He was relatively unknown, so he needed as
much exposure as he could possible get. Plus, he knew that based on the Democratic
partys new rules, he would get a proportional share of delegates in every state, even
the ones he did not win
Candidate Gerald Ford
Ford had been dubbed the accidental president since he was made President not
by election, but by the sitting president being forced to resign
On top of that, he had only become Vice President when the sitting Vice President at
the time, Spiro Agnew, resigned in 1973
This meant that Americans didnt vote for him, which essentially meant that he could
not enjoy the full benefits the incumbency usually provides a candidate
Ford was an experienced politician, having served in congress for 25 years
He was well liked in congress, which is partially why he eventually became president
Nixon was forced to nominate someone to replace Agnew, someone who the
Democratic congress would approve of
The only one they gave approval of was Gerald Ford, and thus he was nominated
Issue for Ford
Fords time in office was not as smooth as he would have hoped
Less than 2 months after becoming President, Ford used his pardon power to grant full
immunity to Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States that he had
committed or may have committed
This tarnished his reputation and credibility for many, believing that he should have
allowed Nixon to be prosecuted
After issuing the pardon, Ford voluntarily appeared before the House of
Representatives to explain why he did so, which only made him look worse in some
peoples view
He annoyed members of his own party by appointing a Liberal Republican, Nelson
Rockerfeller, as his VP
The Primaries
Carter had a relatively easy road to the Democratic Nomination
His plan to enter as many primaries as possible was very successful
He won both the Iowa Caucuses and New Hampshire primary
His penchant for local campaigning and meticulous organizing served him very well
What really established him as an early front runner was landing a spot of the covers of
both Time and Newsweek
By the last day of the primaries, June 8th, Carter had the nomination completely locked
up
Ford, on the other hand, did not have such an easy time
The Primaries
Ford faced a challenger in the Primaries, California Governor Ronald Reagan
Despite defeating Reagan in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Florida, Ford was
unable to force Reagan to drop out
Reagan went on to defeat Ford in a slew of states including North Carolina, Texas,
Indiana, California, Georgia, and several other southern states
Ford would counter these defeats with victories in New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin,
and Michigan
Despite the chaos, the Republicans nominated Ford on the first ballot at their
convention
The General Election
After the nominating conventions, Carter had a massive lead in the polls. Gallup even
had him up by 30 points
However, the lead would not hold, as Carter predicted
Ford opted for a presidential strategy, in which he would stay in the white house for
as long as possible and do presidential looking things like signing bills in the Rose
garden and holding press conferences. His Vice Presidential candidate, Bob Dole,
would do most of the campaigning
This strategy was successful, in part because it portrayed Ford in a good light, but also
because Carter made mistakes
By early September Carters lead was down to 10 points, and by election night, the
race was too close to call
The General Election
The economy was the main issue in the 1976 election
The worst recession since the Great Depression had hit the country, and people were
worried
The character of the two men, and how much change the country was ready for were
also central topics
Abortion also played a significant role, being the first election after Roe v. Wade
What dominated much of the headlines, though, were not policy issues, but rather
gaffes that both men were prone to making
The General Election
Carter ran in the primaries as an unorthodox politician, who stressed personal integrity. However,
after the primaries, Carter became a much more traditional Democratic politician, calling for new
federal initiatives to combat unemployment
This opened up attacks on him for being a flip-flopper
Ford called Carter the biggest flip-flopper I know
Possibly because of these attacks, Carter reverted his position to his pre-convention stance, saying
that we needed a balanced federal budget and to focus on inflation as much as unemployment
He also reverted to a position of reorganizing the federal government, and supporting tax and
welfare reform
These changes probably didnt do him any favors in fighting his image as a flip-flopper
Carter further confused voters by simultaneously seeking to include as many political bases as
possible in his camp, while also harshly lambasting Ford
He also gave a rather strange interview to Playboy magazine, in which he stated that he had
committed adultery in my heart many times
The General Election
Ford had his own problems to deal with
He inherited a government and nation plagued by the Watergate scandal
He only made this problem worse by pardoning Nixon. This was a hugely important action. It frames
Fords presidency and will be what he is most remembered for. It was just as important then, as it
looked like Ford was just doing a favor for Nixon. Pardoning Nixon made Ford look weak at the time,
even though many today would argue that it was the brave choice. Although it did look bad to
pardon Nixon, Ford was successful in bringing a professional calmness to the Presidency.
The Vietnam war was coming to an end
The economy was terrible
The republican party only comprised 20% of the electorate at the time
He constantly clashed with Congress
For someone who called Carter a flip-flopper, Ford was not afraid to do so himself. He changed his
policies on inflation, unemployment, and energy many times in an attempt to get bills passed.
Conservative republicans saw him as too liberal, and liberal republicans saw him as too
conservative
The General Election
The three televised debates between Ford and Carter were very important
Carter used them to show his depth of knowledge on policy issues and to question the
handling of Nixons pardon
Ford was unable to use the debates as the platform he needed to dispel doubts about
him
Really, the debates were more important for Ford, as he needed to show that he
belonged
Unfortunately for Ford, he was unable to do so. He opened himself up to attacks about
his intellect. He once stated that there was no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe,
even though there obviously was
Results
Results
It was clear that Carters southern strategy was successful. He won every southern
state, except Virginia (classic Virginia). He also won every border state, except
Oklahoma (I guess classic Oklahoma?). His efforts to win over Northern Liberals were
also successful, as he won most of the Northeast.
Ford had fallen short. Its pretty impressive to me that he got as close as he did, though.
He was the President who pardoned Nixon and the President of an economy in turmoil.
Had it not been for his presidential strategy and a number of mistakes on Carters
part, it probably wouldnt have been so close.
The morning after the election, Carter echoed that sentiment saying, the only reason
it was so close was that the candidate wasnt good enough as a campaigner. But Ill
make up for that as president.
(13) (14)
Campaign Memorabilia
Fun fact, Jimmy Carter was the only president to not use red white and blue in his
campaign posters/buttons/etc
Campaign Memorabilia
Carter opted for an unorthodox look to his campaign
This was rather fitting, as he ran as an unorthodox politician
Rather than stick with a traditional red white and blue theme, Carter opted to change up
the pace
He even injected some humor, relying on his background as a peanut farmer to do so
Ford was much more traditional
Though, he too injected humor and some interesting foibles
He used the slogan dont settle for peanuts, to dig at Carter. He also replaced his last
name with a Model T on some items
The different styles of campaign memorabilia used in 1976 is telling of the race as a whole.
Carter used unorthodox styling, because he was the outsider looking to make change. Ford
stayed more traditional, in a hope of maintaining his presidency and the status quo.
(16)
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