Peter Baker

He's diagnosing a larger problem with the American public, not just politics.

He talks about the notion that we worship self-indulgence and consumption. This is a very much of a preacher's speech in some ways rather than a president's speech. And these wounds he's talking about are very deep. And he's also talking about himself in a way that presidents generally don't do.

He talks about the notion that we worship self-indulgence and consumption. This is a very much of a preacher's speech in some ways rather than a president's speech. And these wounds he's talking about are very deep. And he's also talking about himself in a way that presidents generally don't do.

He quotes some of the people who come through Camp David, telling him how he's getting it wrong, how he's not doing it right. You don't see the people enough anymore.

He quotes some of the people who come through Camp David, telling him how he's getting it wrong, how he's not doing it right. You don't see the people enough anymore.

And it's this remarkable self-critique that I think in some ways really actually resonates at first with the audience, that they've never heard a president open up like this and admit that he isn't leading to his own satisfaction, that he's willing to accept that his presidency is not going the way he wants it to be.

And it's this remarkable self-critique that I think in some ways really actually resonates at first with the audience, that they've never heard a president open up like this and admit that he isn't leading to his own satisfaction, that he's willing to accept that his presidency is not going the way he wants it to be.

Imagine a modern president doing that today.

Imagine a modern president doing that today.

It is exactly right. He is the truth teller in this instance. In his view, he is being very honest with the American public about how he sees the problems of the country. And it goes over well at first because it is so unusual, because it is so refreshing in its own way. It was sort of celebrated for its candor.

It is exactly right. He is the truth teller in this instance. In his view, he is being very honest with the American public about how he sees the problems of the country. And it goes over well at first because it is so unusual, because it is so refreshing in its own way. It was sort of celebrated for its candor.

And at first people think he has actually broken through, but then he does something to undermine the whole purpose of it. Which is what? He fires his whole cabinet. He fires his whole cabinet? Yeah. He asks for all of the resignations, all of them. He ends up keeping most of them, but he ends up using it as a way of cleaning out a few of them.

And at first people think he has actually broken through, but then he does something to undermine the whole purpose of it. Which is what? He fires his whole cabinet. He fires his whole cabinet? Yeah. He asks for all of the resignations, all of them. He ends up keeping most of them, but he ends up using it as a way of cleaning out a few of them.

And it sends a statement that he may not have intended to the country. It may have been meant as a cleansing idea, a fresh start, but it actually caused a lot of Americans to doubt his judgment. They don't think he knows what he's doing and

And it sends a statement that he may not have intended to the country. It may have been meant as a cleansing idea, a fresh start, but it actually caused a lot of Americans to doubt his judgment. They don't think he knows what he's doing and

Even his own vice president, Walter Mondale, was so upset about this that he started contemplating whether he was going to stay on the ticket or maybe even resign as vice president. He thought this was such a hand-handed, badly handled move. It was amateurish in his mind.

Even his own vice president, Walter Mondale, was so upset about this that he started contemplating whether he was going to stay on the ticket or maybe even resign as vice president. He thought this was such a hand-handed, badly handled move. It was amateurish in his mind.

Yes. And after all that drama, that self-critical speech that he delivered that so many people originally connected with suddenly looked different through a different lens. People started to see the speech as a sign of weakness. And it becomes known as the malaise speech, even though he never even uses the word malaise in it. But it's a marker at this point for his presidency.

Yes. And after all that drama, that self-critical speech that he delivered that so many people originally connected with suddenly looked different through a different lens. People started to see the speech as a sign of weakness. And it becomes known as the malaise speech, even though he never even uses the word malaise in it. But it's a marker at this point for his presidency.

For years to come, people would remember that speech as an example of somebody who couldn't lead.