“Reagan won because he ran against Jimmy Carter. If he ran unopposed he would have lost.”

Politics

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Reagan won because he ran against Jimmy Carter. If he ran unopposed he would have lost." by Mort Sahl?

Mort Sahl photo

Mort Sahl11

American comedian and actor 1927–2021

Related quotes

“In 1980, Reagan had to do just one thing: pass the threshold test for acceptability. He won that election because he did, especially in the debate with Jimmy Carter in which Reagan showed himself to be genial, self-assured and, above all, nonthreatening. You may not like all his policies, but you could safely entrust the nation to him. Trump badly needs to pass that threshold. If character is destiny, he won’t.”

Charles Krauthammer (1950–2018) American journalist

2010s, 2016, Donald Trump and the fitness threshold (2016)

“I’ll distract them,” Carter said. “You search. The Trophy room is through there.”
“Carter!”
But the fool ran off to protect me. I hate when he does that.”

Rick Riordan book The Red Pyramid

Source: The Red Pyramid

“I only remember a few things about Jimmy Carter. He had big lips and liked peanuts. I now know that Jimmy Carter was and is a good man.”

Kurt Cobain book Journals

Source: Journals

“Reagan finally won the nomination by promoting "Reaganomics", an economic program based on the theory that the government could lower taxes while increasing spending and at the same time actually reduce the federal budget by sacrificing a live chicken by the light of a full moon. Bush charged that this amounted to "voo-doo economics," which got him into hot water until he explained that what he meant to say was "doo-doo economics." Satisfied, Reagan made Bush his vice-presidential nominee. The turning point in the election campaign came during the October 8 debate between Reagan and Carter, when Reagan's handlers came up with a shrewd strategy: No matter what Carter said, Reagan would respond by shaking his head in a sorrowful manner and saying: "There you go again." This was brilliant, because (a) it required the candidate to remember only four words, and (b) he delivered them so believably that everything Carter said seemed like a lie. If Carter had stated that the Earth was round, Reagan would have shaken his head, saying, "There you go again," and millions of voters would have said: "Yeah! What does Carter think we are? Stupid?”

Jimmy Carter (1924) American politician, 39th president of the United States (in office from 1977 to 1981)

Dave Barry, Dave Barry Slept Here: A Sort of History of the United States (1989), p. 167

“Jimmy Carter is not only a terrorist sympathizer and an Israel hater—he’s also awesomely, mind-bogglingly stupid…”

Charles Foster Johnson (1953) American musician

April 21, 2008 http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/29686_Carter-_Hamas_Wants_Peace&only

“If you find yourself despairing about the state of our great country, just think about how unlikely it would have seemed, back in the malaise days of 1979, that Jimmy Carter would one day return to Washington via Reagan Airport.”

James Taranto (1966) American journalist

From Best of the Web Today for October 1, 2010 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703859204575525930539967268.html

“Jimmy Carter Calls Condi Rice a Liar … Jimmy Carter continues to plumb new depths of disgraceful behavior: Carter says Secretary Rice ‘not telling truth’.”

Charles Foster Johnson (1953) American musician

April 23, 2008 http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/29712_Jimmy_Carter_Calls_Condi_Rice_a_Liar&only

“[On Jimmy Carter] "Huck Finn. Loss of identity drives people to nostalgia. Electronic man has no physical body, so he puts nostalgia in its place."”

Marshall McLuhan (1911–1980) Canadian educator, philosopher, and scholar-- a professor of English literature, a literary critic, and a …

Brand, Stewart. "McLuhan's last words". New Scientist, 29 Jan 1981.
1980s

“Just when you think there's nothing to write about, Nixon says, "I am not a crook." Jimmy Carter says, "I have lusted after women in my heart." President Reagan says, "I have just taken a urinalysis test, and I am not on dope."”

Art Buchwald (1925–2007) journalist, humorist, United States Marine

Time magazine (29 September 1986).

“My name is Jimmy Carter, and I'm not running for president.”

Jimmy Carter (1924) American politician, 39th president of the United States (in office from 1977 to 1981)

Post-Presidency, DNC address (2004)

Related topics

Carter