It was arguably the most politically disastrous speech from a president in the nation's history. Against a backdrop of quarter-mile-long lines at gas stations, soaring inflation, and nationwide strikes by independent truckers disgruntled by fuel prices and energy regulations, President Jimmy Carter gave what historians call his "national malaise" address.
Carter didn't actually use that term, but he prattled about Americans' "crisis of confidence" and detailed policies that helped lay the groundwork for Ronald Reagan's 1980 landslide presidential victory. The main issue centered on the grueling national energy crisis.
