Here’s another reason why:
Excerpt, “A Full Life”. Jimmy Carter, p 136-7
… A scholarly analysis of presidential news coverage revealed that, overall, I had negative coverage in forty-eight months that I served — the only exception being the first two months, including when my family and I walked down Pennsylvania Avenue. This was a problem we could never understand or resolve but we just decided to accommodate what we couldn’t correct. Some of the most influential analysts never anticipated my election, and others could not accept having a governor from the Deep South in office. There was a running debate about whether I was a liberal or a conservative, with the conclusion that I was being devious about my basic philosophy. Also, a negative attitude toward the presidency carried over from the Watergate revelations about President Nixon, with perhaps a suspicion that we too had something unsavory to hide. We remember most vividly that “The Washington Post” had a full page of derisive cartoons showing me, my mother, and other members of our family with straw coming out of our ears, frequently outdoor privies, and associating with pigs. At the end of my term, on of the most prominent columnists wrote that finally the Reagans would “restore grace to the White House.” One of my top advisors, Charles Kirbo, referred to my pledge never to lie as throwing down the red flag. He said, “We just lost the liar vote.”
… During the first two years I had broad congressional support among Democrats, ands Senator Ted Kennedy was especially helpful. This changed dramatically late in 1978, when he decided to run for president. He became one of my most persistent opponents, seemingly determined to minimize my achievements. Kennedy recruited a number of more liberal Democrats to support him.
The most memorable occasion of Kennedy’s opposition to my proposal came in 1979, concerning our national health plan, which was the result of months of work my cabinet officers, economic advisors, White House staff, and congressional leaders. Except for Kennedy, we had full support from chairmen of the six key committees fin the house and Senate, and all six had been involved in its preparation. Out plan protected all Americans from catastrophic illness costs; extended comprehensive health coverage to all low-income citizens; gave total coverage to all mothers and babies for prenatal, delivery, postnatal, and infant care; promoted competition and cost containment; and provided a clear framework for phasing in a universal, comprehensive national health plan. Its total startup cost were included in my annual budget proposal, and it was to be fully implemented over a period of four years, with funding assured. Senator Kennedy had his own preferred plan which was so expensive that there was no prospect of congressional support, but his committee member participated with us until the week of announcement, when he decided to oppose the legislation. Kennedy’s opposition to our plan proved fatal; his was a powerful voice, and he and his supporters were able to block its passage. We lost a good chance to provide comprehensive national health care, and another thirty years would pass before such an opportunity came again, with just partial implementation.