If you’ll indulge me, I got recommended this video today that puts the Carter admin into context perfectly with what we’re talking about. It’s in the beginning of the video so dont feel obligated to sit through the whole thing if you dont want to, but this is a more concise description than I can muster off the dome. It was both an unfortunate circumstance Carter was thrust into eg nixon and a capitulation to the worst instincts of the party allowing the corruption and rot to continue festering and subsequently thrive after his loss to Reagan.