Don Gagne

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

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

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

political crises of the time by bringing together Egypt's President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. He brought them to Camp David. He got these two leaders in the Middle East to sign a peace accord that led to Israel's withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula

political crises of the time by bringing together Egypt's President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. He brought them to Camp David. He got these two leaders in the Middle East to sign a peace accord that led to Israel's withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula

political crises of the time by bringing together Egypt's President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. He brought them to Camp David. He got these two leaders in the Middle East to sign a peace accord that led to Israel's withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula

and the establishment of diplomatic relations between these two countries that had long been at odds, at war, in conflict. So that was a very big deal.