Jimmy Carter

=== 1980 presidential campaign ===
{{main|1980 United States presidential election}}
[[File:ElectoralCollege1980.svg|thumb|upright=1.35|alt=Electoral Map of the 1980 election. Almost all the states are Red.|Electoral map of the 1980 election]]

Carter's reelection campaign was based primarily on attacking Ronald Reagan. The campaign frequently pointed out and mocked Reagan's proclivity for gaffes, using his age and perceived lack of connection to his native California voter base against him.<ref>Zeizler, p. 112-113.</ref> Later, the campaign used similar rhetoric as [[Lyndon B. Johnson 1964 presidential campaign|Lyndon Johnson's 1964 presidential campaign]], portraying Reagan as a warmonger who could not be trusted with the nuclear arsenal.<ref>Zeizler, p. 115.</ref> Carter attempted to deny the [[Ronald Reagan 1980 presidential campaign|Reagan campaign]] $29.4 million ({{Inflation|index=US|value=29,400,000|start_year=1980|fmt=eq}}) in campaign funds, due to dependent conservative groups already raising $60 million to get him elected—an amount that exceeded the limit of campaign funds. Carter's attempt was later denied by the [[Federal Election Commission]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Md1JAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yx0NAAAAIBAJ&pg=2024%2C3677501|title=Bid by Carter to deny Reagan funds rejected|date=July 25, 1980|access-date=September 5, 2021|work=The Michigan Daily|archive-date=May 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525125539/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Md1JAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yx0NAAAAIBAJ&pg=2024%2C3677501|url-status=live}}</ref>

Carter later wrote that the most intense and mounting opposition to his policies came from the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, which he attributed to [[Ted Kennedy]]'s ambition to replace him as president.<ref>{{cite book |last=Carter |first=Jimmy |title=Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis |url=https://archive.org/details/ourendangeredv00cart |url-access=registration |year=2005 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |page=[https://archive.org/details/ourendangeredv00cart/page/8 8] |isbn=978-0-7432-8457-8}}</ref> After Kennedy announced his candidacy in November 1979,<ref name="bg-series-4">{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/02/18/chapter_4_sailing_into_the_wind/ |title=Chapter 4: Sailing into the Wind: Losing a quest for the top, finding a new freedom |author=Allis, Sam |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=February 18, 2009 |access-date=October 24, 2017 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303174031/http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/02/18/chapter_4_sailing_into_the_wind/ |url-status=live }}</ref> questions about his activities during his presidential bid were a frequent subject of Carter's press conferences during the [[1980 Democratic Party presidential primaries|Democratic presidential primaries]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/the-presidents-news-conference-975 |title=The President's News Conference (13 February 1980) |website=The American Presidency Project |last1=Peters |first1=Gerhard |last2=Woolley |first2=John T. |access-date=September 1, 2021 |archive-date=August 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818021455/https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/the-presidents-news-conference-975 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/the-presidents-news-conference-973 |title=The President's News Conference (14 March 1980) |website=The American Presidency Project |last1=Peters |first1=Gerhard |last2=Woolley |first2=John T. |access-date=September 1, 2021 |archive-date=August 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815070107/https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/the-presidents-news-conference-973 |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite winning key states such as California and New York, Kennedy surprised his supporters by running a weak campaign, and Carter won most of the primaries and secured renomination. Kennedy had mobilized the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, which gave Carter weak support in the fall election.<ref>Hayward, p. 497.</ref>

Carter and Mondale were formally nominated at the [[1980 Democratic National Convention]] in New York City.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-accepting-the-presidential-nomination-the-1980-democratic-national-convention-new |title=Remarks Accepting the Presidential Nomination at the 1980 Democratic National Convention in New York (14 August 1980) |website=The American Presidency Project |last1=Peters |first1=Gerhard |last2=Woolley |first2=John T. |access-date=September 1, 2021 |archive-date=October 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211011214303/https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-accepting-the-presidential-nomination-the-1980-democratic-national-convention-new |url-status=live }}</ref> Carter delivered a speech notable for its tribute to the late [[Hubert Humphrey]], whom he initially called "Hubert [[Horatio Hornblower]]",<ref>{{cite news |title=Carter Blows the Horn Of the Wrong Horatio |work=The New York Times |date=August 15, 1980 |access-date=September 5, 2021 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E03E2DB113BE732A25756C1A96E9C94619FD6CF |archive-date=March 17, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317003621/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E03E2DB113BE732A25756C1A96E9C94619FD6CF |url-status=live }}</ref> and Kennedy made "[[The Dream Shall Never Die]]" speech, in which he criticized Reagan and did not endorse Carter.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1980/08/13/kennedy-rips-reagan-electrifies-convention/e095b296-247a-425d-8ef4-05bdfed24c9a/|title=Kennedy Rips Reagan, Electrifies Convention|first1=T. R.|last1=Reid|first2=David S.|last2=Broder|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=August 13, 1980|access-date=February 18, 2023|archive-date=August 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828171503/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1980/08/13/kennedy-rips-reagan-electrifies-convention/e095b296-247a-425d-8ef4-05bdfed24c9a/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Along with Reagan and Kennedy, Carter was opposed by centrist [[John B. Anderson]], who had previously contested the [[1980 Republican Party presidential primaries|Republican presidential primaries]], and upon losing to Reagan, reentered the race as an independent. Anderson advertised himself as a more liberal alternative to Reagan's conservatism.<ref>{{cite news|date=December 4, 2017|title=John Anderson, Independent Who Ran for President, Dies at 95|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-04/john-anderson-third-party-candidate-for-president-dies-at-95|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204215128/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-04/john-anderson-third-party-candidate-for-president-dies-at-95|archive-date=December 4, 2017|access-date=December 4, 2017|newspaper=Bloomberg.com}}</ref> As the campaign went on, Anderson's polling numbers dropped and his base was gradually pulled to Carter or Reagan.<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 30, 2017|title=Gallup Presidential Election Trial-Heat Trends, 1936–2004 Gallup|url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/110548/gallup-presidential-election-trialheat-trends-19362004.aspx#4|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630070844/http://www.gallup.com/poll/110548/gallup-presidential-election-trialheat-trends-19362004.aspx#4|archive-date=June 30, 2017|access-date=May 25, 2021}}</ref> Carter had to run against his own "[[stagflation]]"-ridden economy, while the hostage crisis in Iran dominated the news every week. He was attacked by conservatives for failing to "prevent Soviet gains" in less-developed countries, as pro-Soviet governments had taken power in countries including Angola, Ethiopia, Nicaragua and Afghanistan.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Galster|first=Steve|date=October 9, 2001|title=Afghanistan: Lessons from the Last War|url=https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB57/essay.html|url-status=live|access-date=September 1, 2021|website=The National Security Advisor|archive-date=September 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906203727/https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB57/essay.html}}</ref> His brother, Billy Carter, caused controversy due to his association with [[Muammar Gaddafi]]'s regime in [[Libyan Arab Jamahiriya|Libya]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/frenzy/billy.htm|title=Billygate – 1980|access-date=September 5, 2021|newspaper=The Washington Post|archive-date=August 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810085616/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/frenzy/billy.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> He alienated liberal college students, who were expected to be his base, by reinstating registration for the military draft. His campaign manager and former appointments secretary, [[Timothy Kraft]], stepped down five weeks before the general election amid what turned out to have been an uncorroborated allegation of [[cocaine]] use.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,952778,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308003653/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,952778,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 8, 2008 |title=Nation: Kraft Drops Out |magazine=Time |date=September 29, 1980 |access-date=June 29, 2013}}</ref>

On October 28, Carter and Reagan participated in the sole presidential debate of the election cycle in which they were both present, due to Carter refusing to participate in debates that included Anderson.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/presidential-debate-cleveland |title=Presidential Debate in Cleveland (28 October 1980) |website=The American Presidency Project |last1=Peters |first1=Gerhard |last2=Woolley |first2=John T. |access-date=September 1, 2021 |archive-date=October 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009082657/https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/presidential-debate-cleveland |url-status=live }}</ref> Though initially trailing Carter by several points,<ref name="NYT Reagan McCain">{{cite news |first=John |last=Harwood |title=History Suggests McCain Faces an Uphill Battle |date=October 12, 2008 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/us/politics/13caucus.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=October 24, 2017 |archive-date=November 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171104061104/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/us/politics/13caucus.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Reagan experienced a surge in polling after the debate.<ref name="Where the Polls Went Wrong">{{cite news |first=John F. |last=Stacks |title=Where the Polls Went Wrong |date=December 1, 1980 |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,924541,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009152724/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,924541,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 9, 2008 |magazine=Time |access-date=October 24, 2017}}</ref> This was in part influenced by Reagan deploying the phrase "[[There you go again]]", which became the election's defining phrase.<ref>{{cite news|title=Other stars emerge other than those on the presidential ticket|work=Gannett News Service|date=November 4, 2008|url=http://www.news-press.com/article/20081104/NEWS0107/81104001/1075|access-date=September 5, 2021}}{{Dead link|date=March 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It was later discovered that in the final days of the campaign, Reagan's team [[Debategate|acquired classified documents]] Carter used to prepare for the debate.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2009/10/new-book-pins-debategate-on-dem-028317?o=1|title=New book pins 'debategate' on Dem|work=Politico|access-date=September 5, 2021|archive-date=May 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517041941/http://www.politico.com/story/2009/10/new-book-pins-debategate-on-dem-028317?o=1|url-status=live}}</ref>

Reagan defeated Carter in a landslide, winning 489 electoral votes. The Senate [[1980 United States Senate elections|went Republican]] for the first time since 1952.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kazin |first1=Michael |last2=Edwards |first2=Rebecca |last3=Rothman |first3=Adam |title=The Princeton Encyclopedia of American Political History. (Two volume set) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4hqpJEJp7cUC&pg=PA311 |date=November 9, 2009 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-1-4008-3356-6 |page=311 |access-date=March 21, 2022 |archive-date=July 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705120117/https://books.google.com/books?id=4hqpJEJp7cUC&pg=PA311 |url-status=live }}</ref> In his concession speech, Carter admitted that he was hurt by the outcome of the election but pledged "a very fine transition period" with President-elect Reagan.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/1980-presidential-election-remarks-the-outcome-the-election |title=1980 Presidential Election Remarks on the Outcome of the Election |website=The American Presidency Project |last1=Peters |first1=Gerhard |last2=Woolley |first2=John T. |access-date=September 1, 2021 |archive-date=September 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901212451/https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/1980-presidential-election-remarks-the-outcome-the-election |url-status=live }}</ref>