The "crisis of confidence" speech

Near the end of his term Jimmy Carter addressed the American people from the Oval Office on inflation, energy, and what he called a “crisis of confidence.”

In a book review in the New Yorker, George Packer writes, “the level of honesty is shocking and deflating.  No President has ever spoken that way since.  The lesson he [Carter] taught all his successors was not to tell the American people hard truths.”

Actually, I think President Obama has tried to tell us some hard truths.  America can’t be the policeman of the world.  We can’t bomb every country we don’t like.  We have problems with race relations.  Our schools aren’t doing well.  Global climate change is a problem.

Nevertheless, the Carter lesson is still valid.  If you don’t believe that, look at Obama’s approval ratings.  Obama should have learned lessons from Reagan.  Be optimistic.  Smile.  Lie.  Talk about “morning in America.”