Carter got in mostly because Ford was appointed by Nixon, and he was never elected to the office of V.P. Other folks didn’t like it that he pardoned Nixon.
Carter was a lucky man that year. Based on his merits, I’d like to think he’d never have been elected.
In hindsight we might have been better served if we had elected Ford. Oh well, four years of Carter brought us Reagan so I guess it was worth it.
Unfortunately, things have gone downhill from there. Bush I, Clinton I, Bush II,... Clinton II? I don’t know. That’s a long ways down the hill, perhaps over the edge. I hope we don’t go there but unless we get our act together and stop all this unneccesary bickering we’ll get the opportunity to see what life in free-fall is like. Whatever happens, may the best MAN win!