Carter, Reagan, and America’s “Crisis of Confidence” Reference: Reagan, Ronald. An American Life. 1990. Reprint, New York: Threshold Editions, 2011. In the summer of 1979, Democratic President Jimmy Carter addressed the nation and described what he called a “crisis of confidence” facing the country. What was that crisis? Who did he feel was to blame, and how would the crisis be resolved? Later that year, former California Governor Ronald Reagan announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. How did he interpret the problems facing America in his speech? How did he differ from President Carter in both tone and vision?

Carter, Reagan, and America’s “Crisis of Confidence” Reference: Reagan, Ronald. An American Life. 1990. Reprint, New York: Threshold Editions, 2011. In the summer of 1979, Democratic President Jimmy Carter addressed the nation and described what he called a “crisis of confidence” facing the country. What was that crisis? Who did he feel was to blame, and how would the crisis be resolved? Later that year, former California Governor Ronald Reagan announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. How did he interpret the problems facing America in his speech? How did he differ from President Carter in both tone and vision?