Even a cursory study of Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter reveals that both politicians were decent, hard working, and intelligent men who cared deeply for their country. Yet both men are generally regarded as failed presidents to a great extent, and neither won reelection (in Ford’s case not even an election since he was appointed in the last days of the Watergate Scandal). What obstacles did they face, and why were these presidents unable to overcome them? Why, in other words, did the 1970s “defeat” two of the nation’s more honorable leaders? Were their relative failures more the result of structural factors (i.e. problems that were simply insurmountable) or more the result of poor choices that they made? Be sure to support your argument with relevant readings. In particular, pay close attention to the problems Ford and Carter identify in their speeches, and the rhetoric they employ in an effort to reassure the public. As you’ll see, the tone drifts from relatively optimistic and uplifting, to downright depressing.
