I'm not sure about all the "strategery" but I will note that President Reagan was gracious to Carter once he got him out of the Oval Office
But Carter wasn't the ragin' lunatic he is now. He was still lickin' his wounds from getting utterly thrashed.
See my post above http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1568153/reply?c=61 proving Carter was always a raving lunatic.