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Wit the advantage of the damage inflicted on the Republican Party as a result of Watergate, and the worsening of this as a result of Gerald Ford's pardoning of Richard Nixon, Carter's victory appeared to be a certainty at first. But Ford soon made up ground and Carter's lead in the pols began to melt. On election day however, Carter won the popular vote by 50.1 percent to 48.0 percent for Ford, and Carter received 297 electoral votes to Ford's 240.
Carter's presidency began at a time of continuing inflation and recession, as well as an energy crisis. He began his transition period by visiting Washington, D.C. on November 22, 1976. He met with Director of the Office of Management James Lynn and United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld at Blair House, and later by holding an afternoon meeting with President Ford at the White House. The following day, Carter conferred with congressional leaders. He told the media that his meetings with cabinet members had been "very helpful" and he said that Ford had requested he seek out his assistance if anything was needed.
On December 3, 1976, during a news conference, Carter announced his choice of Cyrus R. Vance for United States Secretary of State and Bert Lance as his budget director. On December 9, Carter held a meeting at Blair house with his domestic advisors and was presented plans for reform on housing, transportation, and urban development.
On December 13, Carter's election was confirmed by the Electoral College. A week later, on December 20, Carter announced his choice of Juanita M. Kreps for United States Secretary of Commerce, Griffin Bell for United States Attorney General, and Robert Bergland for United States Secretary of Agriculture.
On January 4, 1977, Carter told reporters that he would free himself from potential conflicts of interest by leaving his peanut farming business in the hands of trustees. On January 6, Carter expressed his choice of former Governor of Maine Kenneth M. Curtis as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. On January 13, Carter set up an economic summit meeting for non-Communist countries in a call with foreign leaders from Japan, France, Germany, and Great Britain. The conference was set for April.
On January 18, Carter named John F. O'Leary for Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration, William Nordhaus and Lyle E. Gramley for membership on the Council of Economic Advisors, Anthony M. Solomon for Undersecretary of the Treasury for Monetary Affairs, C. Fred Bergsten for Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Monetary Affairs, and Kenneth S. Axelson for Deputy Secretary of the Treasury.
In his inaugural address given on January 20, 1977, Carter told his audience: "We have learned that more is not necessarily better, that even our great nation has its recognized limits, and that we can neither answer all questions nor solve all problems." He had campaigned on a promise to eliminate the trappings of the "Imperial Presidency" and in keeping with the spirit of that promise, on Inauguration Day, he broke with security protocols by walking from the Capitol to the White House in his inaugural parade.
On his first day in n office Carter cut the size of the 500-member White House staff by one-third and reduced the perks for the president and cabinet members. He also fulfilled a campaign promise by issuing a "full complete and unconditional pardon" (amnesty) for Vietnam War-era draft evaders, which he was able to do by issuing an executive order declaring unconditional amnesty for Vietnam War-era draft evaders, Proclamation 4483.
As part of his new cabinet, Carter appointed Patricia Roberts Harris, the first African-American woman to serve in the cabinet, as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He also appointed several close associates from Georgia to staff the Executive Office of the President. He initially offered the position of White House Chief of Staff to two of his advisers, Hamilton Jordan and Charles Kirbo, but both declined. Carter decided not to have a chief of staff, instead implementing a system in which cabinet members would have more direct access to the president. Other appointees from Georgia included Jody Powell as White House Press Secretary, Jack Watson as cabinet secretary, and Stuart E. Eizenstat as head of the Domestic Policy Staff.
To oversee the administration's foreign policy, Carter relied on several members of the Trilateral Commission, including Cyrus Vance and National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski. Brzezinski emerged as one of Carter's closest advisers, and Carter made use of both the National Security Council and Vance's State Department in developing and implementing foreign policy. Brzezinski frequently clashed with Vance over the issue of detente with the Soviet Union.
Carter also promised (and ushered in) a change in protocol by expanding the role of Vice President Walter Mondale, who served as a key adviser on both foreign and domestic issues. First Lady Rosalynn Carter would also sit in on several Cabinet meetings.