Obama had this to say today:
"The whole notion was that if we showed courtesy or opened up dialogue with governments that had previously been hostile to us, that that somehow would be a sign of weakness... [but] it doesn't make sense."
Let's see ... which post-WWII US president does this most resemble? Could you imagine these words in the mouth of a Reagan? Of either Bush? Of Nixon? of Clinton? Of Kennedy? Anyone? Let's face it, there's only one possible candidate: Carter. Read on. You may well see a few other things that remind you of Obama, or which foreshadow events to come.
Let's see how that worked out shall we? Let's have a look at world events during Carter's watch from 1977 to 1981.
1978: Californian voters stage tax revolt and pass Prop 13 against property taxes.
Vietnam attacks Cambodia
Carter permits home brewing of beer in USA (chalk one up on the plus side).
1979: Iranian revolution. One of USA's strongest allies in the middle-east becomes her worst enemy.
US ambassador to Afghanistan is kidnapped and later killed during fight between police and kidnappers.
Mr Ed, the talking horse, dies. (Damn you Carter!)
Wildlife strikes back: Carter attacked by bunny.
Britain changes direction: Margaret Thatcher elected Prime Minister of Britain.
Saddam Hussein becomes President of Iraq
Sandinista revolt establishes Marxist government in Nicaragua.
Chrysler asks US government for $1billion.
Iran hostage crisis begins with invasion of embassy on Nov 4th.
US embassy in Pakistan attacked by mob who set fire to it.
Soviet troops invade Afghanistan.
1980: Carter gives $1.5 billion in loan guarantees to Chrysler.
Robert Mugabe becomes Prime Minister of Zimbabwe.
Finally in April USA severs diplomatic relations with Iran.
Operation Eagle Claw (attempt to rescue hostages) ends in chaos with 8 US servicemen dead, April 24-25th.
Carter signs Proclamation 4771 which made 19 & 20 year old males register for peacetime military draft.
Reagan wins Republican Party nomination to contest next presidential election.
Military coup in Turkey.
Iran-Iraq War begins.
Reagan defeats Carter in presidential election.
OPEC decides to raise price of oil by 10%.
1981: In January, USA and Iran finally come to agreement to release hostages.
Reagan comes to power, Jan 20th 1981, ending four dismal years of Carter.
[Update] It looks like I'm ahead of the curve. A day after I posted this, Pajamas Media has a story comparing Obama to Carter. (via Instapundit)
[Further Update] This just in: the empire strikes back! US President bites bunny.
Of course, it was a complete and utter coincidence that the hostages were released the very day Reagan took office.
There was no connection whatsoever to the rumors that he was weighing two options: a high-yield, low-altitude, vs. low-yield, high-altitude.
Comment by Prof X — April 20, 2009 @ 10:22 pm
Apparently it's the 30th anniversary of Carter's encounter with the killer bunny.
On the subject of Reagan threatening to nuke people, it is of course a well known feature of bargaining theory that you can gain a lot by appearing to be distinctly unreasonable.
Comment by Dr. Strangelove — April 21, 2009 @ 2:36 am