The F-4 was a great bird. It really could fill most of the roles even a bit imperfectly. It was (is) a great airplane.
The F-35 is a turkey. We threw away a winner to take on a loser. It's the equivalent of the F-111 Aardvark. Robert McNamara would be proud...
It was a great plane. It fit more with the AF than the Navy though. A single plane to fill all roles is a great idea if it can be done. It hasn’t been done yet