‘October Surprise’
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For the Democratic Party to infer that President Carter lost the 1980 election because of the Iranian hostage situation is an insult to the intelligence of the American voter. Carter lost the election because inflation, interest rates and unemployment had risen to unprecedented heights.
At the time of the election there was no real evidence that the release of the hostages would be so soon. As this story unfolds, it is becoming clear that the Democrats would have also been willing to sell arms for the release, if their offer had been accepted.
If the Democrats can’t get their act together and come up with some viable reasons for their election, the Republicans will continue to govern from the White House, be it good, bad or indifferent.
LARRY MacINTOSH
Diamond Bar
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