Is it 1976 all over again? Is Obama the new Jimmy Carter?
I get this idea from, of all people, Democratic strategist Bob Beckel. Beckel was on TV the other day saying that Obama was looking a bit like Jimmy Carter in 1976. Beckel intended this as a compliment. After all, Carter came out of nowhere to steal the Democratic nomination and then went on to win the election. Obama too has vanquished a woman who was thought to be invincible for the Democratic nomination.
I think Beckel has a point with his Carter analogy, although Beckel does not seem to have thought it through deeply enough. Actually it goes even further than he imagines. Obama, like Carter, has had no preparation for the high office he seeks. Carter's background was in peanut farming; Obama's is in community activism. Yes, Carter was governor of Georgia and Obama has served briefly in the Senate. But no one can seriously argue that either brings to Washington anything like the experience necessary to run the United States of America.
Second, Obama, like Carter, tries to be all things to all people. Carter campaigned largely on vacuities like "change" and "cleaning out Washington." Sound familiar? Of course Americans after Watergate wanted Washington cleaned up and they wanted change. And of course Carter gave it to them, although it wasn't exactly the change they sought: stagflation, economic recession, runaway interest rates, U.S. hostages in Iran, a Soviet bear on the prowl, and what Carter himself called a national "malaise."
Obama is hoping that once again Americans will fall for his content-free campaign. And so far he seems to have the white liberal intelligentsia completely fooled. A classic example is my former debate opponent Alan Wolfe, who has endorsed Obama on the sole grounds that it's about time America let a black man into the Oval Office. Wolfe is not the brightest light in the academic firmament--I think of him as white America's answer to Cornel West--but he is one of the biggest opportunists this side of the Nile. Consequently his support of Obama shows which way this academic weatherman thinks the wind is blowing.
I don't know if Obama, like Carter, will make it to the White House in November. But the best thing about Carter was that, by being a complete disaster, he helped Reagan get elected in 1980. Even so, America paid a high price for Carter's foolishness--several countries fell into the Soviet orbit, and Iran fell into the clutches of the radical mullahs. Who knows how costly an Obama presidency could be? I for one hope it's not 1976 all over again.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 25)
16. The republicans gave our country jerks like Reagan, Bush, and Bush which have almost bankrupted our country. Now they want to give us another loser, McCain who recognizes GW Bush as the alpha male. Any man who recognizes Bush as the alpha male is lacking in depth that we need in a leader. It scares the right that we may have a peoples president that really stands for the all the people, not just the wealthy. If it was possible to have a choice today between Jimmy Carter, and GW Bush, Carter would win in a landslide.
Jerry Brown at 10:49AM on Jun 18th 2008
17. Dinesh,
Carterism....that's what Americans need right now, a good dose of Carterism. To heck with the rest of the world dumping on us, we'll have President Obama.
I can hardly wait. President Obama, sitting in the Oval Office, telling us that the US is in decline and our best days are behind us.
In reality, Carter was so inept, that after about 18 months in office the Democrats nearly held him hostage in the White House for fear he'd say something stupid...again.
The Democrat's learned a lot from the Carter years, which is why Obama only gives "prepared" speeches. Speeches that all Democrat Party bosses have reviewed several times. Obama doesn't know it yet, but he's already been taken hostage by the party bosses.
Willet at 10:52AM on Jun 18th 2008
18.
More to the point: Is John McCain the New Bob Dole?
The comparison is apt. Semi-competant Republican gets elevated past his level of ability, basically as a reward for sticking around long enough and not making too many waves.
Candidate is a war vet riding primarily on that reputation, even if it is barely deserved. Candidaate is elderly and more than a little out-of-touch with mainstream America. Seems to think his credentials as a Yes Man will carry him, even though his party is a shambles...WITH "stagflation, economic recession, runaway interest rates, U.S. hostages in Iran, a Soviet bear on the prowl, and...a national malaise" brought on by the party in power for the last 8 years.
Oh well. Hope McCain enjoys the ride. Just like Dole, it's headed for the same destination.
T.Brough at 11:02AM on Jun 18th 2008
19. Robert,
I don't want to pay higher taxes! My taxes are high enough. As a single woman, I don't qualify for tax breaks. Why should I pay higher taxes to support another failed attempt to create a "Great Society"? Barack Obama has these Socialist ideas and thinks the American people should fund them. Well, I am tired of paying for every Marxist pet project of liberals. I would like to keep my money. I don't work hard so people like Obama can implement their liberal fantasies.
janesophie1 at 11:01AM on Jun 18th 2008
20. Well, it certainly did not take you long to get the "memo" and the "talking points" right on cue!
The answer to your "question" is, NO!!
Patty at 11:03AM on Jun 18th 2008
21. Jane, if you didn't have to pay for corporate welfare, a bloated military industrial complex- I could go on and on, your SLIGHTLY higher taxes would be buying you a higher quality of life, you nitwit! Your brainwashing by the Republican agenda is marching in lockstep with your religious blinding- it's time to open your eyes, girl!
Robert at 11:11AM on Jun 18th 2008
22. "I would like to keep my money. I don't work hard so people like Obama can implement their liberal fantasies.
janesophie1 at 11:01AM on Jun 18th 2008"
Or spend it all on a failed war that was only, after all, for profit.
http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home
brandon at 11:13AM on Jun 18th 2008
23. P.S. Jane- As for your notion of 'Socialism'? Unfettered Corporate Capitalism doesn't work- at least not for you and I. Some countries in the E.U. have figured this out, some haven't, and the results are showing. Look beyond our borders, visit the slums of Rio, Calcutta, anywhere in China, etc., and then come back when you have a clear vision of American 'Capitalism' and what good it has done you. You're welcome.
Robert at 11:17AM on Jun 18th 2008
24. I don't want to pay higher taxes! My taxes are high enough. As a single woman, I don't qualify for tax breaks. Why should I pay higher taxes to support another failed attempt to create a "Great Society"? Barack Obama has these Socialist ideas and thinks the American people should fund them.
Janie,
What do you think will happen to your taxes if abortion as you wish becomes illegal? Imagine one million children extra a year swamping the welfare system with a republican socialist system to take care of them? Sorry Janie but I do not want to pay higher taxes to support a welfare system of unwanted children. It is not my responsibility to take care of these children and that form of socialism will become another failed attempt of conservative rights socialist ideas who haven't thought the consequences through. I refuse to pay for catholic abandoned babies!
goddess1prevail at 11:27AM on Jun 18th 2008
25. Although I have mailed in my voter reg. with the party change to INDEPENDENT. The Democratic party continues to send me pleas for money and support.
They have failed to see that I reject their leadership, their nominee and especially their compromise by the Rules and Bylaws Committee.
Postmarked on June 17 is the letter announcing the eight democratic candidates run for President. Within is letter that was written on March 2, 2008, asking for help at the polls on April 22 in PA.
Forget it! As long as Obama is their leader and Chicago is their base, I am no longer a Democrat!
Poor choices, poor organization, and a disgraceful nominee-the Democratic way of life?
Michaelene at 10:43AM on Jun 19th 2008
26. When either of these two losers goes into office it will be a one term rule and I will be spending four more years hitting the mute button whenever the, so called, president appears on t.v. Note to mccain I AM NOT YOUR FRIEND.
Geoff Barker at 11:38AM on Jun 18th 2008
27. Ok, so this is the tactic now.
Before 9/11 I don’t think you could have found one person in this country who would have agreed it was a good idea to go to war against a country over some lame, bullshit excuse and every single person who would have opposed such a war would have cited Vietnam as an example. At least in this, Obama has demonstrated one major ability totally lacking in McSame who was actually there under the worst circumstances: LEARNING FROM PAST MISTAKES.
Obama is not Carter.
Admittedly Carter was not a great president but it’s safe to say that as devout Christians go Carter is more in keeping with Christ’s positive teachings than you will ever be, in fact one might say you are downright satanic with the feces you spread on these posts, that is, any feces left over after you’re done smearing yourself with same you perv.
I repeat
Obama is not Carter.
Obama tries to be all things to all people? Are you kidding me? Even if that were true, would that be any worse than trying to appear as the only ideal candidate to the most narrow minded and intolerant segment of our society, the right wing evangelicals? You probably don’t thinks so but then again you’re a moron.
Speaking of John McBane(of our existence if he becomes president), you should take pride in the fact that he’s a shoe in for gold at the Beijing Olympics this summer for political gymnastics. There is actually a video on youtube of McCaniac debating himself!
As for Carter, yes I agree that he failed to revive the economy that was already in deep trouble when Ford was in office. Does anyone still have their WIN (Whip Inflation Now) buttons? And although you did not try it in this post I have heard other neocon assholes try to pin the old energy crisis on poor old Jimmy even though that crisis occurred in 1973 and he was not elected until 1976.
And yes I supposed you could say the economy improved with Reagan if you don’t count the huge multi trillion dollar national debt he racked up that you mother fuckers don’t seem to care about because with tax cuts to the wealthy, us middle class saps were pretty much responsible for paying it down, and that for nothing because after Clinton chipped a lot of it away we now owe even more.
Tell me Dinesh. If you bring home $1000 a month and your bills and expenses are $999 a month would you consider that acceptable if you still had $100,000 in outstanding credit card debt? “But we had to spend that money to defeat the Russians.” I guess you are the only one left on the planet who hasn’t learned, via declassified Russian government, Military and KGB documents that the great Russian bear was an empty bear costume.
Tell me Dinesh, how proudly was your chest swelling when Reagan cut and ran from Beirut after an explosion took out 241 Marines only to turn around and attack… Grenada? Funny how when you guys bring up things like the USS Cole you don’t mention that.
One wonders where we would be today had Reagan continued and expanded on Carter’s plan to wean us off foreign oil and explore ways of producing renewable energy sources, but then again with a Bush as vice president that was never a likely scenario. Okay, okay, I’ll lay of Saint Reagan for now but… I think it will be made evident in the debates that that McLame is Richard Nixon to Obama’s John F. Kennedy.
I for one hope that it will not be 1972, 1988, 2000 or 2004 all over again.
rabidmccain at 11:43AM on Jun 18th 2008
28. In 1980, President Carter signed into law the Crude Oil Windfall Profit Tax Act, which established excise taxes as high as 70 percent on the difference between the market-determined price of oil and a (lower) price set by law. The tax was dropped in 1987, but according to the Congressional Research Service, almost $80 billion was drained from the industry’s income statements while it was in effect.
Money that could have been invested in new oil and gas production and to expand refining capacity was instead diverted to Washington. It should come as no surprise that oil production fell. In fact, 1.6 billion fewer barrels of crude oil were produced in the United States from 1980 to 1987 than would have been produced otherwise. American dependence on foreign oil rose apace
Sounds Like another Jimmy "Moran" Carter~!
ambsie at 11:43AM on Jun 18th 2008
29. Dinesh,
You mention that Obama has only been a US Senator briefly, but how briefly? Less than one year!?
The Barack Hussein Obama campaign is ALL style with no substance. It is the apex of the mainstream media's influence upon Western culture.
When McCain jumped the aisle to side with Democrats in his infamous Gang of Fourteen stunt, I was sure that I would never support any member of the Gang of Fourteen, but now McCain has become the default candidate amongst the two liberal candidates -- the lesser evil.
Could Barack Hussein Obama be the anti-Christ? Is that a rumor worthy of his rumor debunking web site? Would that make liberals slobber over him even more? Many of those who will wear the mark of the Beast, 666, will do so with gusto and a vengeance, because of their hatred of God and His teachings.
Rev 3:16 at 11:46AM on Jun 18th 2008
30. Swiped from D'Stupid's Last Blog and another guy's post:
Virtually every step forward in our history has been a liberal initiative taken over conservative opposition: civil rights, Social Security, Medicare, rural electrification, the establishment of a minimum wage, collective bargaining, the Pure Food and Drug Act, and federal aid to education, including the land-grant colleges, to name just a few. Many of these innovations were eventually embraced by conservatives only after it became clear that they had overwhelming public approval for the simple reason that almost every American benefited from them. Every one of these liberal efforts strengthened our democracy and our quality of life. I challenge my conservative friends to name a single federal initiative now generally approved by both of our major parties that was not first put forward by liberals over the opposition of conservatives.
George McGovern, Harpers Magazine, December, 2002
Up for his challenge?
T.Brough at 11:54AM on Jun 18th 2008