I read a Canadian written piece about Obama's speech last night, and even allowing that he was a Canadian media poster boy until Trudeau V.20 came along it was a revealing piece. In reading it I had to admire Obama not only because I, for once, agree with him, but his steadfast attitude. And, the fact he didn't use it as a political lob. That's statesmanship.
You voted for Jimmy Carter where I would have. However like Hunter S. Thompson who endorsed him, I quickly lost respect.
I agree he was a great governor, according to reports, but the presidency was beyond him. There is a phenomenon in upper management 'beyond the peter principle', where the individual in the position is so far out of his depth he ceases to function at the decision-making level. The Carter White House was plagued with red tape, and the old but true story that Jimmy spent his time organizing play times on the White House tennis courts. Everything I have read, except Carter's own words, shows an almost totally dysfunctional executive.
Carter never really won over his own party. He was hung out to dry on several fronts. The Iran hostage crisis followed the truly foolish decision to allow Shah Reza Pahlavi into the US for surgery. Carter, according to Canadian-Irani historians, completely under estimated the hatred Pahlavi had engendered, and from the reports he made Saddam look tame. But the failed rescue mission, imo, is what did him in, he looked weak and indecisive.
I interviewed Jimmy Cater around 1983, he was going through Vancouver to take in some Pacific salmon fishing, or so we were told. [He was one of two presidents I have met, although George Bush senior was vice president at the time, 1986]. At the time I found him somewhat arrogant. to the point I almost asked him on camera why he agreed to the interview. I was also surprised how easy it was top get past his security detail, but then he was ex-president and probably not worth the $$$
