DUBYA'S BIG WORRY IRAQ & THE CARTER 1980 PRECEDENT

New York Post ^ | October 14, 2004 | ERIC FETTMANN

[OESY]

...To date, President Bush hasn't suffered the kind of political harm that Carter did from his ineffectual handling of the Iran hostage crisis. The main reason: Despite widespread misgivings over the way the postwar is going, voters have by and large accepted the administration's contention that going after Saddam Hussein was an integral part of the War on Terror.

Which, of course, explains Kerry's "wrong war, wrong time, wrong place" argument: He's trying to convince the public that Iraq was an unwise diversion from the genuine War on Terror, which he believes should be limited to Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda....

Fact is, presidents who face the voters amidst an unresolved war always find themselves in deep political trouble....

Many recall only Reagan's eventual landslide — and forget that polls showed the two major candidates neck-and-neck with days to go. But that's when perhaps the greatest seismic shift in U.S. political history occurred: In the last few days, undecided voters and many of Carter's "soft" supporters shifted en masse to Reagan — with Iran the major reason why....

[T]here are plenty of ways the Carter precedent doesn't apply this year. Chief among them: George W. Bush is no Jimmy Carter and (as Rich Lowry pointed out on these pages yesterday) John Kerry is no Ronald Reagan.

...Bush (unlike Carter) has a deep reservoir of supporters who are firmly committed to his re-election, while Kerry's base (unlike Reagan's) seems composed largely of Bush foes.

...Bush has clearly articulated genuine goals in Iraq, ones most voters surely agree with: First, the war to oust Saddam, a declared enemy of America and a clear threat; second, the current campaign to stabilize Iraq into a model for the rest of the region — a decent society that doesn't breed terrorism....

[Carry_Okie]

This is the most apt analogy for John Kerry's foreign policy: Jimmy Carter, on steroids.

[funkywbr]

Boy comparing Iraq to the Iranian hostage crisis leads me to believe it's a slow news day.

[Flux Capacitor]

The comparison's been made before, and it doesn't wash.

"Of course, there are plenty of ways the Carter precedent doesn't apply this year. Chief among them: George W. Bush is no Jimmy Carter and (as Rich Lowry pointed out on these pages yesterday) John Kerry is no Ronald Reagan.

"In part because of who they are, Bush (unlike Carter) has a deep reservoir of supporters who are firmly committed to his re-election, while Kerry's base (unlike Reagan's) seems composed largely of Bush foes.

"Most important of all is that Bush has clearly articulated genuine goals in Iraq, ones most voters surely agree with: First, the war to oust Saddam, a declared enemy of America and a clear threat; second, the current campaign to stabilize Iraq into a model for the rest of the region — a decent society that doesn't breed terrorism."

[elli1]

Pretty good article. Worth clicking on the link & reading in its entireity.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Iran was only one of the long list of Carter failures.

[Aussie Dasher]

How could anyone even mention the Dem nominee's name in the same sentence as that of The Great Ronald Reagan?

[AJS]

To use John Kerry's name in the same sentence as Ronald Reagan (except as antithesis) is a nonstarter.

[MoJo2001]

Welcome to Free Republic!

Congratulations to all our Liberal Party friends in Australia for a stellar election result.

God Bless Australia and Prime Minister Howard!

(Oh! GO WALLABIES! Just wanted to annoy my Kiwi cousins this morning. Hehe!)

[Sooth2222]

....gas lines, "malaise" and hyperinflation are some other problems of the most incompetent US President, ever, that come to immediate mind.

[Carry_Okie]

Iran was only one of the long list of Carter failures.

Nicaragua, El Salvador, Zimbabwe/Rhodesia, Panama, Namibia, South Africa, Libya, Angola...

And a Russian military build-up funded by Carter's energy policy. Jimmy Carter's presidency left this nation looking into the face of defeat. John Kerry would be far worse.

[Conspiracy Guy]

That is a light start.

[Carry_Okie]

How could anyone even mention the Dem nominee's name in the same sentence as that of The Great Ronald Reagan?

The Slave Party knows no bounds when it comes to political posturing. They win or they don't eat.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Yep.

[raptor29]

'polls showed the two neck and neck'........and then a seismic shift toward Reagan, with Iran as the issue.'??

Sounds like the same biased, agenda-driven polling we have today was alive and well back in 1980. Carter was done early in that one, c'mon.

[daviscupper]

I agree with you. Also, the analogy is flawed for several reasons. First, Reagan had a positive solution for resolving the hostage crisis: We will use whatever means are necessary to gain the release of our envoys. Everyone knew Reagan was "dead" serious, including the Iranians.

John Kerry's prescription for ending the War in Iraq is "Retreat and Defeat." Even though many are frustrated with the slow progress in Iraq, most Americans are no where near accepting "Retreat and Defeat." And in their guts Americans know that is what electing Kerry will achieve. Besides the recent elections in Afghanistan give Americans hope that freedom is possible in the Middle East. Hope is still alive and Bush is the leader with a positive outlook.

Also, my gut is starting to tell me that Kerry has peaked and people will start looking at the "Liberal" from Massachusetts with a renewed suspicion. Remember Mrs. Kerry's last words to her son were "interity, integrity and integrity. you would think that she would not have to tell her 60 year old son that intergrity is important. I think she knew her son only too well.

Anything is possible but I believe Dubya is on his game right now and things are moving our way. GLTY and America.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I pray for voter sanity every day.

[Aussie Dasher]

Thank you MoJo for your welcome and congratulations on the re-election of the Howard Government. It's been quite some time since I partied like I did last Saturday night!

Being from Melbourne, I don't really understand that rugby game. We're into Australian Football here (www.afl.com.au), so I'll throw in a quick "Carna Tige's"!!!

It's good to find you. I've been a bit lost since Abuzz shut-up shop.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Kerry mentions RR every chance he gets. He couldn't carry the Gip's jockstrap.

[Aussie Dasher]

Too true.