Carter, a trained nuKULAR engineer,
pronounced it “nyukular” as well.
No disparagement from the left, of course.
I have always suspected “nucular” was a secret presidential joke that was passed on from one to the next.
WASHINGTON: “Ay! I am fairly out and you are fairly in! See which of us will be the happiest!”
ADAMS: “Ummmm....okay....”
WASHINGTON: “And don’t forget to pronounce it as ‘nuc-u-lar’. They all expect it from you...”