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Jimmy Carter. January 20, 1977 - January 20, 1981. Created & edited by Steve Armstrong SHS, 1994-2006. Inaugural ceremony. Carter walked Pennsylvania Avenue. Carter portrayed the White House as more relaxed. Carter took walks. Carter jogged. Carter helped daughter Amy with her homework.
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Jimmy Carter January 20, 1977 - January 20, 1981 Created & edited by Steve Armstrong SHS, 1994-2006
Ambassador to Japan • President Carter appointed former Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield as Ambassador to Japan • Mansfield would be reappointed by President Reagan • Mansfield served 16-years in this position
Democratic Congress worked against Carter • Speaker “Tip” O’Neill was often at odds with President Carter • O’Neill, from Massachusetts, was apparently not pleased with a southerner as President • Carter distasted wheeling and dealing
Amnesty for draft evaders • President Carter gave amnesty to all Vietnam War era draft evaders
Domestic initiatives • Promoted development of coal to reduce dependence on foreign oil • Created two new cabinet level departments: Energy and Education
Carter’s “malaise” • By 1978, President Carter’s approval rating was down to 29% (lower than Nixon) • President Carter and his staff seemed to demonstrate their inexperience in governing • Carter did not seem able to effectively deal with the faltering economy and energy crisis
Carter’s foreign policy • President Carter showed support for Liberian President Tolbert in 1978 • Tolbert was killed in a bloody coup two years later
Panama Canal Treaty, 1977 • Every president since LBJ wanted to rid the USA of the Panama obligation • Carter agreed that the USA would give up control of the Canal Zone in January 2000 • Criticized by Republicans
Camp David Accords, 1978 • Carter brought Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin to negotiate a peace accord
Three Mile Island disaster • Three Mile Island nuclear facility released radiation steam into the atmosphere (1979) • Environmentalists expressed fears against nuclear energy
Failure of SALT II • Carter signed SALT II and submitted the treaty to the Senate for ratification • Soviets then invaded Afghanistan • Carter response to the Soviets: • Stopped grain shipments to Russia (which angered American farmers) • Tried to organize a boycott against Russia • Tried to boycott the 1980 Olympics in Moscow
Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-80 • Iranians seized the American embassy in Teheran • American embassy personnel were held hostage for over 444 days
Carter’s approval rating plummeted • Carter froze Iranian assets held in American banks • Carter called on the world to engage in a trade embargo
Role of Walter Cronkite • Cronkite ended each evening’s broadcast with the sentence: “And that’s the way it is, the 233rd day of Americans held hostage in Iran.” • This added to American frustration against Carter