How long could Jimmy Carter be relevant as president?

Of course, in OTL, Carter bore the brunt of many issues facing the US, and was voted out after one term. But what if, somehow, that didn't happen? How long could he still be relevant as the Democratic president, amongst the Democratic base? I'd say 1988, with him hanging on until 1992, amongst a pro-choice democratic base.
 
Of course, in OTL, Carter bore the brunt of many issues facing the US, and was voted out after one term. But what if, somehow, that didn't happen? How long could he still be relevant as the Democratic president, amongst the Democratic base? I'd say 1988, with him hanging on until 1992, amongst a pro-choice democratic base.

Huh? He'd have been termed out in '84.

Had he been a two-term president, he'd be more respected and seen in a better light politically. And that would likely give him some extra influence and regard among Democrats instead of being a somewhat marginalized figure. But Carter's own prickly personality and independence from the party might make him a less influential ex-president anyway than, say, Bill Clinton became.
 
Of course, in OTL, Carter bore the brunt of many issues facing the US, and was voted out after one term. But what if, somehow, that didn't happen? How long could he still be relevant as the Democratic president, amongst the Democratic base? I'd say 1988, with him hanging on until 1992, amongst a pro-choice democratic base.

Well, if you buy the theory that it was the Fed that engineered the early 1980s economic recovery, getting him reelected in 1980 is all you really need. There are a number of PODs that get you there: no hostage crisis, a hostage crisis with a more forceful response (Eagle Claw succeeds?), Reagan makes a disqualifying gaffe, etc. That said, over many threads discussing a different outcome in 1976, I think the consensus generally is that anyone who won that election was basically doomed in 1980. There were simply a huge number of problems that were more or less beyond the control of any President.

While Carter's campaign was very shrewd in securing the '76 nomination, Carter was also incredibly lucky. 1976 was such an odd year in politics that a complete unknown could win the nomination. I'm not sure that formula works in any other year.

Carter has been incredibly relevant as a former President in any case and over time is very well regarded among the Democratic base. The news of his recent cancer diagnosis is just awful to hear. He was ahead of his time on a lot of issues and my personal opinion is that history will be kinder to him than his contemporaries.
 
Huh? He'd have been termed out in '84.

Had he been a two-term president, he'd be more respected and seen in a better light politically. And that would likely give him some extra influence and regard among Democrats instead of being a somewhat marginalized figure. But Carter's own prickly personality and independence from the party might make him a less influential ex-president anyway than, say, Bill Clinton became.

No. What I'm asking is:

1. What if he runs later in this ATL

2. What if, somehow (you might think it's ASB), but what if he gets voted out, and then somehow gets voted in
 
No. What I'm asking is:

1. What if he runs later in this ATL

2. What if, somehow (you might think it's ASB), but what if he gets voted out, and then somehow gets voted in

1. I can't see Carter running any later than '76. He owes his entire Presidency to Watergate, and that's going to be pretty irrelevant in election cycles after '76, and if for whatever reason he sits out '76 and runs later, what appeal does he have in a later election?

2. To have Carter voted out and voted back in later, the only way I can think of doing it is to have him lose to Reagan in '80 like OTL, have Reagan fire Volcker and appoint a supply sider to chair the Federal reserve, preventing or delaying the economic recovery of '83-'84, and have it revealed that the Reagan campaign secretly cut deals with the Iranians in 1980 to prolong the hostage crisis until after the election. If all that or worse happens, making Reagan's term a disaster equivalent or worse than Carter's OTL, Carter just might have a shot at being re nominated by his party and pulling a Cleveland and winning a second non consecutive term in 1984.
 
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