Gerald Ford

The First “Unelected” President

Mr. Ford’s Handicaps

 Parodied as a bumbling dim-wit by his critics - Chevy Chase will open Saturday Night Live with a classic Ford pratfall.

 The fact that he was appointed gave his administration an air of illegitimacy.

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The Pardon

Ford’s pardon of Nixon leads to cries of a “buddy deal.”

Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme Sara Jane Moore Two Assassination Attempts – September 5, 1975 September 22, 1975

WIN Buttons

 Ford vetoed congressional spending bills that were intended to end a current recession.

 Ford started a campaign to end inflation called WIN - whip inflation now.

The Helsinki Accords

 The US and 34 nations signed a human rights agreement that began the first small flames of dissent in the Eastern Bloc.

Détente begins to wither

 US conservatives complain that détente has been a one way street.

 Cuban aggression and the soviet’s hard line with dissidents and Jewish immigrants cooled US/USSR relations.

The Fall of Saigon

 NVA and VC offensive explodes in 1975, by April they have entered Saigon -- 140,000 Vietnamese are evacuated.

The

Mayaguez

Incident

 May 1975 -- Cambodian communists, the Khmer Rouge, seized an American merchant ship and its 39 crew members.

 American marines re-captured the ship at the cost of 39 marine lives.

1976 - The Bicentennial Election

 Democrats nominate James Earl Carter of Georgia.

 “Hi, my name’s Jimmy Carter and I’m running for president.”

 The honest, born-again, southern Baptist touched people with his honesty.

 He promised, “I’ll never lie to you.” and that he would clean up Washington.

Carter Walks to Victory

 Carter wins 51% of the popular vote against Ford and his running mate Nelson Rockefeller

 Carter refuses the limousine and walks to the White House from the steps of Congress.

DeBacker

Jimmy Carter

1977 - 1980

End to Stalemate?

 Democratic president and Democratic congress should mean success for Carter.

 Carter establishes the Department of Energy and calls for a tax reform bill.

Carter as an “outsider”

 Carter’s anti Washington rhetoric ended the honeymoon with congress.

 He appeared isolated behind a cadre of Georgia “good ole’ boys.” Billy Carter

The Human Rights President

 Carter calls for human rights to be the guiding philosophy behind American foreign policy.

Ferdinand Marcos

 He called for the end of American aid to dictators (except in the Philippines and South Korea.

Chun Doo-hwan

 He championed the Black minorities in Rhodesia and South Africa.

Nelson Mandela served 27 years in prison

 Appointed Andrew Young, an African American, as ambassador to the United Nations.

Panama Canal

 Carter shocked many Americans when he agreed to hand over the Panama Canal to the country of Panama.

Camp David Accords

 Carter negotiated separate peace settlement between Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Menachim Begin of Israel.

 Carter went on to extend full diplomatic relations with China.

Carter goes on retreat.

 Carter holes up at Camp David and solicits the advice of hundreds of Americans on the problems facing America especially the energy crisis.

The Malaise Speech

 He makes a major televised address to the nation to discuss the energy problems.

 He tells America there is “moral and spiritual crisis” in the country and “spirit of malaise” afflicting the country.

The Energy Program

 Carter called for the creation of a $140 billion federal energy program for conservation and the creation of synthetic fuels.

 He then shocked the nation by firing four cabinet members.

SALT II

 Soviet premier Leonid Brezhnev met Carter in Vienna to sign the SALT II agreement.

 Conservative resistance, Soviets in Cuba and the oil crisis killed SALT II in the Senate.

Iran

 Shah Reza Pahlavi of Iran is overthrown and flees the country - he is allowed to enter the US for medical treatment.

 Iranian militants stormed the US embassy in Teheran taking Americans hostage.

Middle East Instability

 USSR reacts to the rise of Muslim militancy by invading Afghanistan.

 Carter slaps an embargo on the USSR and forced a US Boycott of the summer Olympics in Moscow.

Delta Force

 Carter creates a anti-terrorist “Rapid Deployment Force” called Delta Force.

 Delta Force’s rescue attempt of the hostages failed in the deserts of Iran.

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1980 Election

 Hostage humiliation, high inflation rates and reaction to the “malaise” in America cost Carter the election to Ronald Reagan in 1980