>> the policies that he rolls out around the speech really don't go anywhere. one of the key reasons for this is that jimmy carter really had poor relations with congress. >> for the producing states i think it would be a catastrophic, cataclysmic calamity. >> he is trying to prepare the public mind to accept only the carter proposal and nothing else. >> carter alienated the powers that be in congress. so when jimmy carter began to falter, he didn't have friends coming out and speaking for him. in fact, i was getting calls from democrats criticizing him. >> i have always heard about the advise and consent role of the congress. so far they have been a little stronger on the advice than they have the consent. >> carter inherits a financial mess, and there was no magic wand to cure it all. he needed a big feather in his cap quickly. >> it's almost a white house cliche that when a president is in trouble at home, his counselors advise a trip abroad.