(1) The 1976 general election

(2) “Foreign policy did not help Ford in the 1976 general election…Carter had the advantage of being almost completely unknown outside of his home state before the election began.” Freeman p326

(3) Freeman emhasizes  in this chapter the bitter distust of the American politcal system by citizens during the 1970s. In the post Vietnam era people were very sensitive to the actions the governemnt woukd take as those who both protested and saw atrocities of the war now tried to continue to live in the U.S.. Adding to their distrust scandals like Watergate erupted in the early seventies as the moral stature of politicians and their motives was questioned. As a result we see in the quote that Jimmy Carter, a relatively unknown politician who exuded a normalcy that previous politicians did not have, was elected. His lack of poltitical prowess was over looked and his ideals were what put him into office in the end. It was a sense of trust that Americans desired over a feesible plan for the nation.