Jimmy Carter- Us history question.?

Question

What about Jimmy Carter appealed to American voters in 1976?
What happened to make him unpopular?

Answer 1

I must correct Bonx. Carter had been a popular governor of Georgia. His family were major peanut farmers--big business in that state, and he was/is moderately wealthy. His major downfall was micromanaging when he should have delegated, and in bringing his "kitchen cabinet" all from outside, rather than including Washington insiders who could have given him better advice.

The Iranian hostage crisis was "the last straw", and the boycott of the USSR olympics hurt him in the polls. He was brilliant, but couldn't get out of the boiler room to steer the ship (a quote from a reporter).

Answer 2

Carter was a school teacher, virtually unknown, when he entered the presidential campaign. I think that in 76, as would be the case now, he was not seen as a big business politician, but rather, as a "normal joe". People related to him because of this, and his presidential victory was a huge upset to some of the most established contenders.

What made him unpopular in the 1980 election, and even still today, was the Iran hostage crisis. All of Carter's efforts to reclaim the hostages were fruitless-angering the American people. But even more importantly, almost immediately following Regan's inauguration, the hostages were released. This not only made Reagan look good; but had the adverse effect of making Carter appear inept.

Also, he has been extremely critical of Bush. It's generally considered bad taste for an ex president to speak out against a sitting president.

Answer 3

Jimmy Carter ran against Gerald Ford....and it wasn't much of a fight. Although President Ford was a good man with great intentions, his entire presidency was colored with Nixon's Watergate.

The hostage situation in Iran is what happened to Jimmy Carter. And Ronald Regan took full advantage of that. Not to mention that R. Regan was a much better speaker and appealed to the masses. Mr. Carter will and should be known as a great statesman. He is a true diplomat that is still working for the real American...he and his wife are very involved with Habitat for Humanity. He is an amazing person and was a great President....unlike the current one.

Answer 4

He was a clean, honest, decent man who had principles and lived by them. Voters saw him as a refreshing change from the Watergate scandal of the Nixon adminstration. (Although when Carter's predecessor, Gerald Ford, died recently, the press described his pardon of Richard Nixon about a month after Nixon's resignation as a healing gesture, many at the time saw it as another example of political cronyism.) Carter's inability to deal successfully with the Iranian hostage situation that began in November 1979 was a major factor in his losing the 1980 election to Ronald Reagan.

Answer 5

Carter, a Democrat, followed our worst president ever, Nixon, a Republican. Watergate split the country, and Carter did his best to mend it.
Reagan came along and with his popular appeal, being an actor, and great orator, won over Carter.

Answer 6

He became unpopular due to giving up the U.S. rights to the Panama Canal back to Panama, causing our country many billions of dollars every year for a thing that our men put their lives work into. Many thought he is a great guy and a wonderful ambassador, but was inexperienced and wasn't great at running the country.

Answer 7

he became unpopular because of the hostage crisis in iran and the oil embargo

and he was popular because of his heritage and how he handled state issues