Gerald Ford v. Jimmy Carter

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1976 rematch in 2008.

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Also, Tarheel? Why on Earth would the most liberal president we have had since FDR

LBJ

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Also, Tarheel? Why on Earth would the most liberal president we have had since FDR

LBJ

Hardly. LBJ was a communitarian style, populist Democrat who happened to like spending. Jimmy Carter was far more liberal.

How was Carter liberal?

The correct answer is that he wasn't.  He upset liberals in the party enough that he faced a primary challenge from the left and would have lost had the hostages not been taken in Iran.  LBJ meanwhile expanded the federal government's size more than anyone has since.

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Hard to believe this, but ... Ford.  Carter was simply too inept and Ford was quite liberal for a Republican.  He would have been the last Republican I would vote for.

Ford was quite 'inept' as well.

A Ford presidency from 1977-1981 wouldn't have looked very different from Carter's.

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Few people have foreign policy as far to the left as Jimmy Carter

You'd have to define 'leftist' foreign policy. (and his foreign policy was pretty identical to that of, say, Ford, prehaps he was even tougher on the Soviets)

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Carter never pushed for health care nationalization as president.  Meanwhile LBJ instituted the largest federal health care programs in the nation's history.

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Finally you have something, but even this is pretty weak.  Marijuana is a very minor issue, and ti say that Carter pushed for it isn't really correct.  He affirmed his support for decriminalization in front of congress but never had any intentions of fighting for progress.

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Oh and since Dole and Mondale are both still alive, they're the VP candidates in this matchup in 2008.  Ages on inauguration day 2009:

Ford 95
Dole 85

Carter 84
Mondale 80