Former President Donald Trump has resorted to an old Republican playbook, making frequent references to the 39th president, Jimmy Carter, in an attempt to disparage the current administration under President Joe Biden.
“Biden is the worst president in the history of our country, worse than Jimmy Carter by a long shot,” Trump asserted in his campaign rhetoric. This familiar critique has been a recurring theme in Trump’s arsenal throughout the 2024 campaign. Trump even quipped, “Jimmy Carter is happy because he had a brilliant presidency compared to Biden.”
It was once common for Republicans like Trump to lampoon Carter. Many Democrats, including Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, kept their distance for years, too, after a roiled economy, energy shortages and an extended American hostage crisis led to Carter’s landslide defeat in 1980.
However, this tactic has been met with skepticism and criticism. “It’s just a very dated reference,” stated pollster Zac McCrary, who has worked for Biden.
Like Carter, Biden is seeking reelection at a time when Americans are worried about inflation. But today’s economy is not the same as the one Carter faced. The post-pandemic rebound, fueled by stimulus spending from the U.S. and other governments, has been blamed for global inflation. The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates in response.
But the effective federal funds rate is 5.33% right now, while the benchmark was above 17% for a key period before the 1980 election. Rates for a 30-year mortgage are about half what they were at the peak of Carter’s administration; unemployment is less than half the Carter peak. The average per-gallon gas price in the U.S., topping $3.60 this month, is higher than the $3 peak under Trump. It reached $4.50 (adjusted for inflation) during Carter’s last year in office.
Beyond the economic comparison, Trump’s strategy introduces an ironic layer considering both he and Carter were one-term presidents. However, their post-presidential paths diverged significantly. Carter quietly returned to Georgia where he and his wife Rosalynn established The Carter Center and engaged in humanitarian work. Conversely, Trump has never conceded his electoral defeat and remains an active political figure.
Despite Trump’s negative rhetoric, many Americans have come to view Carter’s post-presidential work and his overall contributions in a more favorable light. Amber Roessner, a University of Tennessee professor who studies collective public memory, has suggested that Carter’s presidency offers a lens through which to reevaluate the measures of success or failure for any administration.
Relevant articles:
– Donald Trump is running against Joe Biden. But he keeps bringing up another Democrat: Jimmy Carter, local10.com, 04/28/2024
– Donald Trump is taking on Joe Biden. But he keeps bringing up another Democrat: Jimmy Carter, The Bharat Express News, Sun, 28 Apr 2024 12:40:20 GMT