Jonathan Alter

And that was why he succeeded so well in Iowa and New Hampshire in those caucuses and primaries where meeting voters is what really counts. It wasn't great on TV, but I think where a number of analysts and historians and journalists have gone wrong is they thought that his prickly qualities, which were unappealing on Capitol Hill, that that meant that he didn't get much done.

And actually, that's at odds with the historical record. He got a tremendous amount done as president. So he was a political failure, but a substantive success in many ways.

And actually, that's at odds with the historical record. He got a tremendous amount done as president. So he was a political failure, but a substantive success in many ways.

And actually, that's at odds with the historical record. He got a tremendous amount done as president. So he was a political failure, but a substantive success in many ways.

Yes, but those were instruments for his personal ambition. He was already running for president at that point. And he actually did not do very much to remake the Democratic Party in his image, in a more moderate image. And that was why he was challenged by Ted Kennedy for the nomination in 1980.

Yes, but those were instruments for his personal ambition. He was already running for president at that point. And he actually did not do very much to remake the Democratic Party in his image, in a more moderate image. And that was why he was challenged by Ted Kennedy for the nomination in 1980.

Yes, but those were instruments for his personal ambition. He was already running for president at that point. And he actually did not do very much to remake the Democratic Party in his image, in a more moderate image. And that was why he was challenged by Ted Kennedy for the nomination in 1980.

And when I asked him at one point what his great regrets were, the first one was that his failure to win a second term meant that he couldn't provide a two-state solution in the Middle East, which he was deeply concerned about, what he called the Holy Land. You know, he had completed the Camp David Accords, bringing peace between Israel and Egypt, which we can talk about.

And when I asked him at one point what his great regrets were, the first one was that his failure to win a second term meant that he couldn't provide a two-state solution in the Middle East, which he was deeply concerned about, what he called the Holy Land. You know, he had completed the Camp David Accords, bringing peace between Israel and Egypt, which we can talk about.

And when I asked him at one point what his great regrets were, the first one was that his failure to win a second term meant that he couldn't provide a two-state solution in the Middle East, which he was deeply concerned about, what he called the Holy Land. You know, he had completed the Camp David Accords, bringing peace between Israel and Egypt, which we can talk about.

But he really regretted that he didn't get the Palestinian state that he was the first to advocate. But his second biggest regret was that by his description, he mishandled his relationships inside the Democratic Party. And he was not able to have a unified Democratic Party behind him when he ran for reelection.

But he really regretted that he didn't get the Palestinian state that he was the first to advocate. But his second biggest regret was that by his description, he mishandled his relationships inside the Democratic Party. And he was not able to have a unified Democratic Party behind him when he ran for reelection.

But he really regretted that he didn't get the Palestinian state that he was the first to advocate. But his second biggest regret was that by his description, he mishandled his relationships inside the Democratic Party. And he was not able to have a unified Democratic Party behind him when he ran for reelection.

Yes. And I don't think he could have been president without Watergate. So he was the perfect antidote to Watergate, this honest, moral politician from the outside without any of the stench of Washington, hadn't served in Congress. And he promised that he would never lie and that he would bring a government as good as its people, is the way he put it.

Yes. And I don't think he could have been president without Watergate. So he was the perfect antidote to Watergate, this honest, moral politician from the outside without any of the stench of Washington, hadn't served in Congress. And he promised that he would never lie and that he would bring a government as good as its people, is the way he put it.

Yes. And I don't think he could have been president without Watergate. So he was the perfect antidote to Watergate, this honest, moral politician from the outside without any of the stench of Washington, hadn't served in Congress. And he promised that he would never lie and that he would bring a government as good as its people, is the way he put it.

And it was a very fresh, different kind of message. And he understood from the get-go that without even having to mention Watergate, he could be a figure of healing for the country. And he was.

And it was a very fresh, different kind of message. And he understood from the get-go that without even having to mention Watergate, he could be a figure of healing for the country. And he was.

And it was a very fresh, different kind of message. And he understood from the get-go that without even having to mention Watergate, he could be a figure of healing for the country. And he was.

But in the same way that he was made by Watergate, he was also unmade by Watergate, because when he became president, Watergate had been turned into, or the gate part of Watergate had been turned into a suffix on any little flap that happened. Any little, you know, story of the week would be called something gate. So he had an aide