Why is President Carter Viewed as a Weak President?

[Paxton]

I saw an old interview with Walter Cronkite where he said that of all the Presidents he had ever interviewed,
Carter was the one with the sharpest mind and intellect. 

No, Cronkite was NOT saying that Mr. Carter was the best President.   ???

Notwithstanding, I believe that "telling it like it is" regarding the economy and the hostage crisis, both combined were central to
his losing reelection.   

Should one go back and read Carter's so called "Malaise Speech," his central theme was right on regarding how
our economy's path at the time would get us to were we are today.

Unfortunately, Americans sometimes cannot handle the truth to our own peril.  So we went on to adopt the concept of
"supply-side economics."    IMHO, History will be kinder to President Carter than his contemporaries have been...

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[The Anvil]

Had Eagle Claw succeeded then he might be viewed differently. But even aside from that, he just didn't inspire confidence in people. In terms of policy Reagan was actually not a particularly good President (especially with hindsight being 20/20). But he was what the country needed at the time; a morale boost.

[Patrick]

Actually I think history has shown Carter to be one of the worst Presidents in history.. In my opinion he is #2 to Woodrow Wilson as the worst,, but,, I digress.. Anyone who has lived thru his 4 years and experienced the downturn in economy, the resulting 20+% inflation rates and interest rates topping 13.5% will probably be more than eager to talk to you about that..  As for the present times,, once we stop printing money we'll again be in the same situation..
All that said,, if the Iran affair hadn't failed so miserably  [ who in their right mind leaves sand filters off choppers in a desert operation] I think he would have been re-elected..

[Patrick]

Forgot again,, regarding Cronkite,, He was viewed by most as the best and most trusted reporter of the time..  Not to show any disrespect to the man,, it must remembered that he was a huge liberal..

[Jack]

After Nixon and Ford, I thought anyone would be an improvement.  I "liked" Carter but he was not accustomed to DC politics and was a bit soft on foreign policy as well.  I think he will go down in history as a weak president, a peanut farmer, and Billy's brother.

[The Anvil]

Not to show any disrespect to the man,, it must remembered that he was a huge liberal..

Really? I read his book and he didn't come off as a "huge liberal". He had some liberal views, but "huge liberal"? No. Even if he was, so what? By contrast, Walter Winchell was a "huge conservative". He was also an uneducated, amoral muckraker. I'll take Cronkite over that guy every day and twice on Sunday. So conservatives have no claim to any kind of superiority in that arena.

As far as sand and helicopters go, that wasn't even the biggest problem Eagle Claw ran into. But it was a long time ago before we knew as much as we know now about how sand affects complex equipment.

[Trynt]

Forgot again,, regarding Cronkite,, He was viewed by most as the best and most trusted reporter of the time..  Not to show any disrespect to the man,, it must remembered that he was a huge liberal..

He may have been a huge liberal, but it didn't color his delivery of the news. Very few of his viewers were aware of his politics. I miss that.

[BigAl]

IMHO, History will be kinder to President Carter than his contemporaries have been...

Yes they will. we struck pay dirt with Barrack Hussein Obama,,,,,now we have seen one worse than Jimmy Bob Carter.

You can rest easy now Jimmy.

[art]

I do hope you guys are not forgetting the dufus we have in there now

[musclehead]

Not to show any disrespect to the man,, it must remembered that he was a huge liberal..

Really? I read his book and he didn't come off as a "huge liberal". He had some liberal views, but "huge liberal"? No. Even if he was, so what? By contrast, Walter Winchell was a "huge conservative". He was also an uneducated, amoral muckraker. I'll take Cronkite over that guy every day and twice on Sunday. So conservatives have no claim to any kind of superiority in that arena.

As far as sand and helicopters go, that wasn't even the biggest problem Eagle Claw ran into. But it was a long time ago before we knew as much as we know now about how sand affects complex equipment.

if he's a conservative he must be dumb eh? I like muckrakers, they keep the silt from settling

[RP#62]

I just couldn't handle that silly grin all the time.  We should have kept the canal and given him away.
-RP

[Romeo]

Pretty much agree with what Anvil says in his first post. To me , a mark of a good president is his/her ability to inspire people. Put simply, to lead. Inho the main problem with Mr. Carter was not his policies as much his inability to rally the people behind them. Same problem with the guy we have now. At least half, if not more of the country just don't trust him to know what he's doing. Thus, an inability to lead.

[alph]

The 21% interest rates on loans was what I remember. Hard as hell to make money in those days. Although those WITH money were making 18% on CD's at the bank....

[WWORX]

"Smart" and "effective" are not synonyms. "Book smart" and "common sense smart" are very different as well. Sometimes I'm inclined to wonder if they're not mutually exclusive.

[musclehead]

Had Eagle Claw succeeded then he might be viewed differently. But even aside from that, he just didn't inspire confidence in people. In terms of policy Reagan was actually not a particularly good President (especially with hindsight being 20/20). But he was what the country needed at the time; a morale boost.

at the time I was actually surprised he had the cajones to pull an operation like that. too bad it went awry.

[Patrick]

I don't remember saying any conservative was better and I don't think I ever mentioned liking Winchell.. I never knew the man, I may be old, but, not ancient..
I think everyone of my generation grew up listening to Cronkite every night and I believe its true that he didn't add his political views to his reporting which is a great credit to the man or the times..  How could anyone forget Mr Cronkite's report on 11/22/63 ??

[PaulO]

I too was one who scoffed at supply side economics until I got older and more experienced.  Supply side economics is actually not only very real but the best stimulus to any economy.  Think of it this way:  Before the automobile was invented, was there a market for it?  of course not.  How about the home computer?  How about power tools?  How about just about anything that has greatly impacted manufacturing and therefore jobs and the economy?  What is next?  I don't know but someone else does and is working on it.  First, you come up with the idea, then you make the product (at this point there is only supply and no demand) and then it catches on.  Later, after the item is well known, then supply and demand kick in.  Until then, supply drives the bus.  Think about this one.  Twenty five years ago, did all of us spend a combined $300 a month for internet, cell phone, and cable TV services?  If 30 years ago, these hadn't been supplied, would there be some unfullfilled demand today?  Demand follows the supply my friends. 

[The Anvil]

I don't remember saying any conservative was better

Fair enough, but then why even bring it up when speaking of the man?

[Fudd]

I liked Carter.

He was an extremely hard worker.

He was the best possible choise to handle the Three Mile Island incident.  He had a nuclear physics military background.

I never felt that Carter would mislead the country or be part of a cover-up.  I saw him as honest to a fault.

He had a middle east peace plan that actually made progress.

But, I don't think he was a natural politician, especially when compared to presidents like Regan 

[musclehead]

remember when on the campaign trail Carter made a gaff about neighborhoods and ethinic purity?

I was too young at that point to know what he meant, somehow he got a pass and apoligized for it. I didn't realize that was such a racist thing he said, I was pretty young had a skull full of mush.

[Fudd]

remember when on the campaign trail Carter made a gaff about neighborhoods and ethinic purity?

I was too young at that point to know what he meant, somehow he got a pass and apoligized for it. I didn't realize that was such a racist thing he said, I was pretty young had a skull full of mush.

I remember that.  The trouble with being too honest is sometime what comes out of your mouth is not politically correct.

Here's what happened:
It was April 1976, and Jimmy Carter had just done an interview with the New York Daily News in which he said he saw "nothing wrong with ethnic purity" being maintained in urban neighborhoods. For good measure, he also said he would not "force racial integration of a neighborhood by government action."

I'm sorry he caved in and backed down from his position.  Carter appeared weak with his retraction.  I'm not for the government to force intergration on neighborhoods either.  He just didn't word his thoughts very well.