WASHINGTON TIMES: DAVID BOSSIE: Understanding the Biden and Carter legacies
With the death of former President Jimmy Carter and the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, this transition period reminds us that history does indeed have a way of repeating itself. Although Carter’s 44-year post-presidential tenure — which included being awarded a Nobel Peace Prize — will be fondly remembered by many, his term in the White House has been widely seen as the worst in history — until now.
The Carter administration’s failures provided a huge silver lining for America and the world. In 1980, the American people chose bold colors over pale pastels in the form of our 40th president, Ronald Reagan. Before that, Reagan had sought the presidency in 1968 and 1976 but fell short on both occasions. When Carter took office in 1977, many believed that Reagan’s time had passed and his political career was over. But no one was prepared for what would unfold during the Carter presidency.
Carter’s projection of weakness around the globe paved the way for an emboldened communist dictatorship in the Soviet Union and the invasion of Afghanistan. Similarly, his inability to end the 444-day Iranian hostage crisis has become a lasting symbol of presidential incompetence and weakness. At home, a malaise had stricken our country with an economic downturn featuring terrible unemployment, high interest rates and suffocating inflation. Carter proved incapable of solving the problem and even went as far as to label what was happening a “crisis of confidence” on national television.
This dire situation ignited the Reagan revolution. Americans wanted something dramatically different from their government, and Reagan aptly filled the vacuum with his decisive victory over Carter, the incumbent. Fast-forward to today, on the eve of Mr. Trump’s second inauguration, after his monumental victory. It’s safe to say that this historic event will become a reality due in part to the stunning incompetence of the Biden-Harris administration, which is truly reminiscent of the Carter-Mondale years.
History will judge whether the failures of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will surpass those of Carter and his vice president, Walter Mondale. Still, for millions of Americans, the past four years have been horrendous. Mr. Biden’s reckless spending policies ushered in crushing inflation that Americans are still struggling with, and his weak-kneed foreign policy destabilized the world in Afghanistan, Ukraine and the Middle East.
What he did regarding our southern border, however, is the defining issue that puts Mr. Biden at the pole position on the list of worst presidents. Immediately upon taking office, Mr. Biden opened the border and purposefully allowed an unprecedented illegal entry of millions of immigrants into our country. Americans will be paying the price for Mr. Biden’s shameful actions at the border for decades to come, and what happened will never be forgotten — or forgiven.
Perhaps the main contrast between Carter’s and Mr. Biden’s presidencies is that Jimmy Carter was an honest man who ran a transparent administration. Mr. Biden, on the other hand, sat atop a deceptive operation that hid the truth about his cognitive decline for four years.
When Mr. Trump left office in 2021, many experts believed his days in politics were over, just as they wrongly predicted about Reagan. But no one could have predicted just how bad Mr. Biden’s term in office would be, and few fully understood the strength and determination of Mr. Trump — or the love he has for his country. Against all odds, in the face of four political prosecutions, lawsuits, a corruptly biased mainstream media, attempts to block him from the ballot and two assassination attempts, Mr. Trump refused to buckle.
Americans saw right through the lies coming from the Trump-deranged left by choosing commonsense policies and a tried-and-tested, one-of-a-kind leader. Mr. Trump secured an overwhelming victory in 2024 because he campaigned on what Americans are starving for. Mr. Trump believes deeply in pro-growth economic policies and prosperity for all regardless of background, a secure southern border powered by putting American citizens first, and a “peace through strength” foreign policy that reassures our allies while putting our adversaries on notice.
Maybe the biggest difference between the epic comeback stories of Reagan and Mr. Trump is that Mr. Trump had the benefit of already having a successful presidency under his belt. Hence, Americans already know what’s in store.
Mr. Trump is focused like a laser beam on economic growth, energy dominance, border security and delivering the next golden age for our exceptional country — something great to look forward to in 2025 and beyond.
David N. Bossie is president of Citizens United and served as deputy campaign manager for Donald J. Trump for President.