Jimmy Carter January 20 1977 January 20 1981

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

Carter appointed Andrew Young as U. N. Ambassador

Carter’s Mom, Miss Lillian, had been in the Peace Corps

Ambassador to Japan President Carter appointed former Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield as Ambassador to Japan Ø Mansfield would be reappointed by President Reagan Ø Mansfield served 16 years in this position Ø

Carter met Gov. Clinton

Carter tried to hold regular press conferences

Democratic Congress worked against Carter Speaker “Tip” O’Neill was often at odds with President Carter Ø O’Neill, from Massachusetts, was apparently not pleased with a southerner as President Ø Carter distasted wheeling and dealing Ø

Amnesty for draft evaders Ø President Carter gave amnesty to all Vietnam War era draft evaders

Domestic initiatives Ø Promoted development of coal to reduce dependence on foreign oil Ø Created two new cabinet level departments: Energy and Education

Carter’s “malaise” Ø By 1978, President Carter’s approval rating was down to 29% (lower than Nixon) Ø President Carter and his staff seemed to demonstrate their inexperience in governing Ø 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 Ø Tolbert was killed in a bloody coup two years later Ø

Carter summit with Chinese leader Ping

Panama Canal Treaty, 1977 Every president since LBJ wanted to rid the USA of the Panama obligation Ø Carter agreed that the USA would give up control of the Canal Zone in January 2000 Ø Criticized by Republicans Ø

Camp David Accords, 1978 Ø Carter brought Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin to negotiate a peace accord

Carter met with Begin,

Then met with Sadat

Camp David Accords officially signed in 1979

Three Mile Island disaster Three Mile Island nuclear facility released radiation steam into the atmosphere (1979) Ø Environmentalists expressed fears against nuclear energy Ø

Failure of SALT II Ø Carter signed SALT II and submitted the treaty to the Senate for ratification Ø Soviets then invaded Afghanistan Ø Carter response to the Soviets: l l l Stopped grain shipments to Russia (which angered American farmers) Tried to organize a boycott against Russia Tried to boycott the 1980 Olympics in Moscow

Grain embargo not popular with American farmers

Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979 -80 Iranians seized the American embassy in Teheran Ø American embassy personnel were held hostage for over 444 days Ø

April 1980 rescue attempt failed

Carter’s approval rating plummeted Ø Carter froze Iranian assets held in American banks Ø Carter called on the world to engage in a trade embargo

Role of Walter Cronkite ended each evening’s broadcast with the sentence: “And that’s the way it is, the 233 rd day of Americans held hostage in Iran. ” Ø This added to American frustration against Carter Ø