CARTER

Carter

• most americans thought neither ford or carter possessed the right qualities for the presidential role

• carter won because ;

1. southern vote (abandoned his segregationism)

2. black vote

3. protestant vote

4. his attack of washington (pork barrel politics)

5. protection of the environment

6. promised he would not lie

disadvantaged from the beginning:

1. country divided over watergate

2. liberalism discredited and a move to a more conservative political and social values (reagan takes advantage)

3. problems of energy crisis, welfare, health care and deprivation of inner citys

4. washington didnt take carter seriously- very critical of washington and treated it and congress as the enemy which would be to his detriment

5. carter did not intigrate himself and seemed aloof, self righteous and was a micromanager

6. unable to take advice for example becoming involved in middle east

7. question raised if he was right for the job seemed to regard politics as sinfull

8. took over a difficult period which may be a reason he didnt get reelected- unemployment and inflation

9. never had a honeymoon period

could carter cope?

1. Seemed inexperienced- not as adroit as nixon in role of statesman

2. lack of vision- (even ford had a vision of healing the country)

3. overcome by shadow of watergate

4. unable to run the whitehouse properly;

• authority not delegated along established lines

• paperwork overload

• micro manager

• tried to do things to quickly without understanding complexity (legislative docket'

• role of rosalynn carter- negative attention

• public perception of carter fell quickly

corruption and scandal

• carter vs congress: inexperienced, pork barrel politics, self righteous, unable to adapt and not flexible

• …