• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About

Radio America Online News Bureau

1980

Jimmy Carter’s Political Legacy

January 3, 2025 by GregC

Listen to “Jimmy Carter’s Political Legacy” on Spreaker.

On Sunday, former President Jimmy Carter died at age 100. He lived longer than any president and had the longest post-presidential life by far. Carter was a one-term president from 1977-1981. After surprising many by winning the Democratic nomination in 1976, he defeated President Gerald Ford in the general election. However, Carter suffered a resounding defeat in his bid for re-election. In 1980, he lost 44 states to Ronald Reagan, and Reagan won the Electoral College 489-49.

As events soon begin to commemorate Carter’s life and public service, Jim and Greg offer what they see as a fair but honest assessment of Carter, particularly during his time in the Oval Office.

First, they highlight Carter’s military service and his impressive victory as a dark horse candidate in 1976. They also discuss what they see as Carter’s successes in the White House—both foreign and domestic—along with some notable achievements through the Carter Center after leaving office. They also applaud his example as a husband during his 77-year marriage to former First Lady Rosalynn Carter.

However, the Carter presidency overall was not a success. Jim and Greg walk through Carter’s failure to ward off the rise of a radical Islamist government in Iran, which then took dozens of Americans hostage for the next 14 and a half months and has fomented mayhem in the Middle East and beyond ever since. They also assess his weak approach to the communist threat in Central America and Afghanistan. Domestically, he oversaw a very rough economy, and Americans of a certain age will certainly remember gas lines and the energy crisis among other serious challenges.

Finally, they look at his 44 years after leaving the presidency, from his work building homes for the needy to remaining very active in international affairs. But while he was convinced he was right, Carter’s efforts sometimes created headaches for future administrations.

Share

Filed Under: Afghanistan, Communism, Conservatism, Economy, Elections, Energy, Foreign Policy, History, Humor, Iran, Islamic Terrorism, Israel, Journalism, law, Middle East, News & Politics, Podcasts, Regulations, Sports, Terrorism Tagged With: #1976, #CampDavidAccords, #deregulation, #energycrisis, #gaslines, #habitat, #JimmyCarter, #MiddleEast, #Nicaragua, #PanamaCanal, #Rosalynn, 1980, 3MartiniLunch, Afghanistan, Carter, elections, Ford, health, Iran, Reagan, USSR, Watergate

Reagan Attorney General Ed Meese: Bush Was Ideal Vice President

December 4, 2018 by GregC

Listen to “Ed Meese: Bush Was Ideal Vice President for Reagan” on Spreaker.

Ronald Reagan and George Bush waged a fierce battle for the 1980 Republican presidential nomination, but that summer they forged a personal and political alliance that greatly assisted Reagan and eventually led to Bush winning the White House eight years later.

“No president ever had a better vice president, a more loyal vice president, a more hand-working vice president than George Bush,” said former U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese III, who served as counselor to Reagan in California and Washington before being confirmed to lead the Justice Department in the second Reagan term.

Reagan and Bush battled for the nomination for months before Reagan eventually clinched the delegates needed to win the nomination.  Some in the GOP pushed for former President Gerald Ford to be Reagan’s running mate but the negotiations fell through.  Reagan then turned to Bush, with one condition.

“Before [Reagan] asked him to serve and announced him as his requested vice presidential candidate, it was made clear by George Bush that he was willing and able to support Ronald Reagan in all his policies and positions that he had taken during the campaign,” said Meese.

That was an adjustment on some issues, including economic policy.  During the campaign, Bush had derided Reagan’s supply-side agenda as “voodoo economics.” But Bush came around on that too.

“I had later explained to people that in Detroit at the convention that Mr. Bush had an exorcism,” laughed Meese.

After Reagan and Bush defeated President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale in the general election, Reagan and Bush put their team together.  Meese became a counselor to the president as part of the famed “troika” that also included longtime Reagan aide Michael Deaver and Bush confidante James Baker III, who served as Reagan’s chief of staff in the first term.

Meese says Baker and the other former Bush personnel became loyal foot soldiers in the Reagan Revolution.

Crisis struck the Reagan administration in March 1981, when the president was shot and nearly killed by John Hinckley, Jr.  As Reagan underwent surgery, Secretary of State Alexander Haig declared himself to be in charge until Bush returned from a trip to Texas.

Meese says Bush’s handling of that moment spoke volumes about his character, including his refusal to fly to the White House in Marine One.

“He said, ‘No, have them land at my official residence up at the Naval Observatory and I’ll come in by car.’  He wanted to be sure that nobody thought he was usurping or trying to take over the position of the president,” said Meese.

He says Bush also showed deference by not engaging in verbal disputes with cabinet officials during meetings but would share his concerns privately with the president.

Bush also assisted Reagan in developing relationships abroad, as the vice president represented the U.S. at many different funerals for leaders around the world.  It happened so frequently, that Meese says Bush staffer had a motto of “You die, we fly.”

He also took the lead in more concrete policy areas like combating the influx of drugs into Miami and across our southern border.  He also led the administration’s regulatory reform efforts.

Listen to the full podcast for more on those issues and to hear Meese explain why Reagan was confident Bush would be a good running mate and political partner even after a tough primary fight, how they collaborated in fighting the Cold War and more.  He also shares his thoughts on Bush’s emotional tribute at Reagan’s funeral.

Share

Filed Under: News & Politics, Podcasts Tagged With: 1980, assassination, bush, news, Reagan, USSR, vicepresident

Primary Sidebar

Recent

  • Israel Targets Iranian Nukes, How Trump is Navigating Israel-Iran, Sen. Padilla’s PR Stunt
  • Gov. Newsom’s LA Riot Money Trail, Is Iran Conflict Imminent, Mayor Bass Floundering Again
  • ABC Boots Moran Over ‘Hate’ Tweet, Gabbard’s Nuclear Alarmism, Rep. Green’s Guyana Gamble
  • Massive Immigrant Shift to GOP, Organized Chaos in LA, Hawley’s Wage Hike Plan
  • Fire & ICE in LA, Media Calls Riots Fun & Flames, Gillibrand’s Midterm Misdirection

Archives

  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008

Copyright © 2025 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in