Obama Cringes at Carter Comparison

GOP sees comeback in portraying new prez as weak, inexperienced
By Wesley Oliver,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 1, 2009 1:15 PM CST
Obama Cringes at Carter Comparison
Less than two weeks into his administration, Barack Obama is being portrayed by opponents as a new Jimmy Carter in an attempt to dim his post-election glow and ensure that he serves only one term.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

You may get away with calling President Obama “Barry,” but don’t call him “Jimmy”—as in Carter, the Times of London reports. Anxious to characterize Obama as weak at home and inexperienced abroad, Republicans have seized on the comparison first made by Hillary Clinton supporters during the primaries. “Carter had the same belief in naïve symbolism,” says a GOP consultant.

But with 75% of voters “confident” Obama will bring “real change” to Washington—an increase of 9 points since November—a Democratic operative insists, “He is no Jimmy Carter.” Still, with Obama’s faltering plans to revive the economy, Republicans sense weakness. “If the stimulus package doesn’t work, it is Obama’s failure. It’s got his name on it,” said the consultant.
(More Jimmy Carter stories.)

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