Stuart Eizenstat, Part 1

Stuart Eizenstat, Part 2

Stuart Eizenstat has held a litany of executive and cabinet level positions in the White House, elite law firms, and has written a book about Jimmy Carter’s Presidency. The biographical account of Jimmy Carter’s time in office, “President Carter: The White House Years” as told by White House insider, Stuart Eizenstat recounts this time in which Eizenstat was deeply involved in the inner workings of the White House and offers many untold stories that give understanding to what it was like at the time.

Eizenstat maintains that Jimmy Carter was the most underappreciated United States President. Carter made great progress on the conservation and clean energy front during his time in office. He also removed prohibition on craft beers. He made an effort to meet every week with fellow Democrats and every month with Republicans, a practice which ultimately facilitated the passage of the Panama Canal bill. His administration was the first to pass fuel efficiency standards. Jimmy Carter was also the first President to put solar panels on the White House.

Eizenstat cites Inflation, Iran, Inexperience, and Inter-party war as four of the big factors that negatively affected Carter’s Presidency.

Another issue that Carter contended with was inexperience on his part and that of those he surrounded himself with in his inner circle. Carter ended up overwhelming Congress with too many Bills, because he didn’t have experienced staff who could have advised him to be more judicious.