Peter Baker

It's a complete political disaster. The secretary of state resigns, says he never thought that was a good idea in the first place. People question his effectiveness as a commander in chief. He looks weak and people begin to lose faith in him. And so, you know, the crisis just continues to go on and on for day after day, week after week, month after month. 1979 drags into 1980.

And while at first voters were kind of supportive of him because they were rallying around their president in a time of crisis, as the ordeal goes on and drags on and on, they lose faith in him. He loses support among the public.

And while at first voters were kind of supportive of him because they were rallying around their president in a time of crisis, as the ordeal goes on and drags on and on, they lose faith in him. He loses support among the public.

Right. He's facing a challenge in the primaries from Ted Kennedy. He beats him back, but then he has to face this charismatic former actor and governor of California, Ronald Reagan. And Reagan is attacking him for failing to end this crisis, basically saying he will be the one to end it himself. if he is elected president. And it just puts Carter on the defensive.

Right. He's facing a challenge in the primaries from Ted Kennedy. He beats him back, but then he has to face this charismatic former actor and governor of California, Ronald Reagan. And Reagan is attacking him for failing to end this crisis, basically saying he will be the one to end it himself. if he is elected president. And it just puts Carter on the defensive.

He has a hard time arguing the case of his presidency when he feels so much under siege by the day-to-day diplomacy and this failed military operation. So he runs what is called a Rose Garden campaign, which is to say that he doesn't leave the White House that much.

He has a hard time arguing the case of his presidency when he feels so much under siege by the day-to-day diplomacy and this failed military operation. So he runs what is called a Rose Garden campaign, which is to say that he doesn't leave the White House that much.

to do the traditional stump speeches and, you know, rallies and so forth, because he feels that would be inappropriate with these American diplomats facing life and death in Tehran. And he ends up losing by a wide margin. Reagan ends up winning a pretty substantial landslide and... then, of course, is going to take office in January of 1981.

to do the traditional stump speeches and, you know, rallies and so forth, because he feels that would be inappropriate with these American diplomats facing life and death in Tehran. And he ends up losing by a wide margin. Reagan ends up winning a pretty substantial landslide and... then, of course, is going to take office in January of 1981.

And I'll never forget that day because on that day, the inauguration, Carter is trying up until the last minute to get these hostages out. And he thinks he finally has a deal. Around 6.30 in the morning, they tell him, yes, we've got a deal. The hostages are going to be released before noon, before you leave office. And he's excited. He calls Reagan to tell him.

And I'll never forget that day because on that day, the inauguration, Carter is trying up until the last minute to get these hostages out. And he thinks he finally has a deal. Around 6.30 in the morning, they tell him, yes, we've got a deal. The hostages are going to be released before noon, before you leave office. And he's excited. He calls Reagan to tell him.

But Reagan is asleep and the aides won't wake up the president-elect to tell him. So he's frustrated by that. And he goes with Reagan later in the morning to the Capitol. And even then, the postures are still on the plane, but the plane hasn't been released yet. It hasn't been allowed to take off. He's watching his watch. He's waiting for the word. Nothing happens.

But Reagan is asleep and the aides won't wake up the president-elect to tell him. So he's frustrated by that. And he goes with Reagan later in the morning to the Capitol. And even then, the postures are still on the plane, but the plane hasn't been released yet. It hasn't been allowed to take off. He's watching his watch. He's waiting for the word. Nothing happens.

And there is Reagan taking the oath of office and ending the Carter presidency.

And there is Reagan taking the oath of office and ending the Carter presidency.

And

And

...did the Iranians finally let the plane take off. One last cruel indignity meant to torture Jimmy Carter that he could not release them on his watch. They were released in the first minutes of the Reagan presidency. The last indignity for a humbled president.

...did the Iranians finally let the plane take off. One last cruel indignity meant to torture Jimmy Carter that he could not release them on his watch. They were released in the first minutes of the Reagan presidency. The last indignity for a humbled president.

Well, it definitely felt that way at the time. And Carter certainly felt that way, you know, that they were tormenting him in effect, that they were adding insult to injury. Look, it's important to remember there were other factors going on in that election as well. And it's possible Carter would have lost anyway. I mean, there was kind of an exhaustion with him at this point.