The Carter-Obama Comparisons Grow Walter Mondale himself sees a parallel.

wsj ^ | 9/22/2010 | john fund

[milwguy]

Comparisons between the Obama White House and the failed presidency of Jimmy Carter are increasingly being made—and by Democrats.

Walter Mondale, Mr. Carter's vice president, told The New Yorker this week that anxious and angry voters in the late 1970s "just turned against us—same as with Obama." As the polls turned against his administration, Mr. Mondale recalled that Mr. Carter "began to lose confidence in his ability to move the public." Democrats on Capitol Hill are now saying this is happening to Mr. Obama.

But within a few months, liberals were already finding fault with his rhetoric. "He's the great earnest bore at the dinner party," wrote Michael Wolff, a contributor to Vanity Fair. "He's cold; he's prickly; he's uncomfortable; he's not funny; and he's getting awfully tedious. He thinks it's all about him." That sounds like a critique of Mr. Carter.

[milwguy]

Dems are in total disarray and turning on each other. Just in time for the mid-terms they are in a state of complete panic. The people are rising up, the MSM can't run cover for them anymore in the age of the internet, and the leader of their party has been exposed as an egotistic empty suit. In five weeks, we all need to make our voices heard and sweep the trash out of Washington DC.

I listened to my candidate for Senate on the radio when I was coming to work this morning. He stated so clearly the choice we have between himself and Russ Feingold. Johnson is a businessman, has never run for office, and wants less spending and smaller gov't. He speaks plainly and from the heart, which is why he is 11 pts up on the slippery Harvard educated Russ Feingold.

[workerbee]

You know it’s bad when BamBam is getting advice on how to be president from..... Walter Mondale?

[VRWCmember]

I’d almost forgotten that carter had an idiot for VP too. Another thing carter and obama have in common - they both somehow managed to get one of the dumbest senators in the history of the republic elected to the office of Vice President.

[Genoa]

"Cold, prickly, earnest bore, thinks it's all about him. . . ." There's not a bit of this that wasn't on full display during the campaign. The same people who saddled us with this train wreck are now waxing eloquent about what they've discovered.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Walter Mundane left government and went to work for a Minneapolis law firm. He never did anything and rarely came to the office but the firm was glad to have his name on their letterhead.

[eak3]

I still think everything thats going on is exactly as planned when it comes to the Progressive agenda, which is far different than the Dems. Obama may have to take some heat and criticism but behind closed doors I’m sure he’s loving every minute of the chaos he’s created. Just wait till next year, we havent seen anything yet.

[GonzoGOP]

Dems are in total disarray and turning on each other. Just in time for the mid-terms they are in a state of complete panic.

The timing is not a coincidence. It is like a football team where the quarterback is an arrogant jerk. Nobody cares as long as you are winning. But drop a few games in a row and it will be a race to call for his head. Obama's "I Won" strategy was never about making friends, it was about bullying enemies. Well he now faces the prospect of having no power to bully anyone and at the same time having no friends. And those he was bossing around are venting the anger and frustration that they dared not say when he was at the peak of his power.

[Coldwater Creek]

So, how is it going to look when the first Black president is put out of office after one term? Will there be a race war?

[TomGuy]

The same people who saddled us with this train wreck are now waxing eloquent about what they've discovered.

They are coming to regret that they didn't vet him better. Maybe if they had, they would have Hillary in the White House, instead of the Empty O.

[milwguy]

I excerpted that line because us FReepers have been saying exactly the same thing since the empty suit starting running for POTUS.

[mountn man]

As the polls turned against his administration, Mr. Mondale recalled that Mr. Carter "began to lose confidence in his ability to move the public."

This is the difference between Jimmah and Barry. Barry hasn't lost confidence in HIS ability to move the public.He's lost confidence in the publics ability to follow him.

[FatherofFive]

angry voters in the late 1970s "just turned against us—same as with Obama."

Voters have a tendency to turn against incompetent boobs who ruin the economy.

[N. Theknow]

Gee.

It sounds like 0bama has driven his presidency into the ditch.

[Tallguy]

Quite right. The WH talking points memos all seem to speak of “re-packaging the message”. It’s like they are attempting to sell last year’s clunker of an automobile because the new model isn’t ready for market.

[Vigilanteman]

For all Mondale's far left political positions, I have to confess that, personally, I like the guy. He's genuine and sincere (albeit sincerely wrong), a quality which is rare among liberal Democrats.

I remember his last debate with Reagan when his face telegraphed, for all the country to see, that he knew he was going to lose and lose big. It was the question on age which Reagan answered by saying he had no plans to make his opponent's youth and inexperience an issue. Most liberal Democrats are masters at the art of lying. Mondale never even tried.

Years later, I met him when he was Clinton's Ambassador to Japan. Again, he charmed me as being a genuinely nice guy.

Then there was the final election he lost as the stand-in for Paul Wellstone. No bitterness, just a crack about making history as the first guy to lose elections in all 50 states.

Obummer would be wise to take advice from Mondale. Everyone I know who interacted with Mondale came away genuinely liking the guy, even if they disagreed with his politics. But BamBam is such an ideologue and megalomaniac that he won't.

[mountn man]

Next year the Bush tax cuts expire. Next year employer provided healthcare gets taxed.

You think this economic engine is running downhill now, next year their gowing to throw a lot more wood in the boiler.

[TSgt]

Spot-on.

The Obama intoxication is wearing off as was illustrated by the recent town hall meeting when he was told, “I’m tired of defending you.”

Obama actually set himself up for failure by promising mega-change and a host of wonderful things. It is good that he is so radical and did not take a more measured approach otherwise a second term might be palatable though one would have to wash it down with lots of Hope & Change holy water.

The most dangerous thing Republicans can do is capitulate and or return to their same-old leadership style. Polarization is good, it requires people to maintain their values and pick a side.

[mountn man]

Obummer would be wise to take advice from Mondale.

There is only ONE that Obama takes advice from...Obama.

[workerbee]

Well, I guess it’s fair to say Mondale is of the old-school Democrats — nice but misguided/stupid — versus the new-n-improved version which is hardcore hate-America totalitarian in its vision.

[justlurking]

I’d almost forgotten that carter had an idiot for VP too.

An interesting fact about Walter Mondale:

He never won an elective office that he wasn't first appointed to.

First, he was appointed Attorney General in MN to fill a vacancy, apparently payment for managing the campaign of the governor that appointed him.

Then, he was appointed as US Senator to fill Hubert Humphrey's seat after he became LBJ's VP.

Finally, he was appointed Carter's running mate.