Composition

Jimmy Carter begins his “Crisis of Confidence” speech by greeting the audience and by recalling the date on which he was nominated to run for President. From the beginning of the speech, Carter acknowledges the country’s failure to address the energy crisis. 

In the first part of his speech, Carter lists several critical comments he received from Americans all over the country. The comments focus on advice for the president, the condition of the nation, and the energy crisis. This section of the speech shows that Carter is interested in what the Americans want and that he will listen to them regardless of social position. 

In the second part, Carter addresses the problem of the American nation and concludes that the “fundamental threat to American democracy...