Don Gagne

So that's election night. Months later, he takes the oath of office, and he made his values clear right from the earliest moments of his presidency. In fact, he began his inaugural address by acknowledging the man that he had just defeated, Gerald Ford. For myself.

And then on the very next day, his first full day in office, January 21st, 1977, Carter did something else. He issued a mass pardon for all Vietnam War draft evaders.

And then on the very next day, his first full day in office, January 21st, 1977, Carter did something else. He issued a mass pardon for all Vietnam War draft evaders.

And then on the very next day, his first full day in office, January 21st, 1977, Carter did something else. He issued a mass pardon for all Vietnam War draft evaders.

It was not an easy time, and these are all difficult things for a new president to inherit. And as he promised he would do, Carter spoke directly about these things and honestly to the nation. He didn't sugarcoat it. And specifically, he told the public something that presidents don't often tell the public, that they need to sacrifice. In this case, he said they need to conserve energy.

It was not an easy time, and these are all difficult things for a new president to inherit. And as he promised he would do, Carter spoke directly about these things and honestly to the nation. He didn't sugarcoat it. And specifically, he told the public something that presidents don't often tell the public, that they need to sacrifice. In this case, he said they need to conserve energy.

It was not an easy time, and these are all difficult things for a new president to inherit. And as he promised he would do, Carter spoke directly about these things and honestly to the nation. He didn't sugarcoat it. And specifically, he told the public something that presidents don't often tell the public, that they need to sacrifice. In this case, he said they need to conserve energy.

So Carter did not lack self-confidence. That's something also worth noting here. And To that end, politically, he did stuff presidents didn't often do. And sometimes it was to his own detriment politically, right? One prominent example, again, this deals with the energy crisis. As president, he tried to get Americans to wear sweaters.

So Carter did not lack self-confidence. That's something also worth noting here. And To that end, politically, he did stuff presidents didn't often do. And sometimes it was to his own detriment politically, right? One prominent example, again, this deals with the energy crisis. As president, he tried to get Americans to wear sweaters.

So Carter did not lack self-confidence. That's something also worth noting here. And To that end, politically, he did stuff presidents didn't often do. And sometimes it was to his own detriment politically, right? One prominent example, again, this deals with the energy crisis. As president, he tried to get Americans to wear sweaters.

It sounds almost comical now, but he literally encouraged people to wear sweaters so they could turn down the thermostat and save energy. Wow. did that in the White House, turning down the heat of the executive mansion and wearing a sweater and being seen on television wearing a cardigan sweater. But here's the catch. Americans didn't necessarily want to hear this, right?

It sounds almost comical now, but he literally encouraged people to wear sweaters so they could turn down the thermostat and save energy. Wow. did that in the White House, turning down the heat of the executive mansion and wearing a sweater and being seen on television wearing a cardigan sweater. But here's the catch. Americans didn't necessarily want to hear this, right?

It sounds almost comical now, but he literally encouraged people to wear sweaters so they could turn down the thermostat and save energy. Wow. did that in the White House, turning down the heat of the executive mansion and wearing a sweater and being seen on television wearing a cardigan sweater. But here's the catch. Americans didn't necessarily want to hear this, right?

They wanted him to fix things. They didn't want him to tell them what they needed to do. And I think because he was advising conservation rather than a clear set of policy principles that would offer a solution, people maybe began to think of him as not as strong of a leader as he needed to be.

They wanted him to fix things. They didn't want him to tell them what they needed to do. And I think because he was advising conservation rather than a clear set of policy principles that would offer a solution, people maybe began to think of him as not as strong of a leader as he needed to be.

They wanted him to fix things. They didn't want him to tell them what they needed to do. And I think because he was advising conservation rather than a clear set of policy principles that would offer a solution, people maybe began to think of him as not as strong of a leader as he needed to be.

And some of them even saw him as kind of a scold, telling them how they needed to go about their daily lives.

And some of them even saw him as kind of a scold, telling them how they needed to go about their daily lives.

And some of them even saw him as kind of a scold, telling them how they needed to go about their daily lives.

Oh, he absolutely did. Let's just tick off a few of them. He created the Department of Energy and was the first president to really lay out a national energy policy. He signed on foreign policy the SALT II Nuclear Arms Reduction Treaty with the Soviet Union, and he mediated one of the most difficult