This last week 98 year old (former) President Jimmy Carter announced that he will be commencing with hospice "end of life" care, spending his remaining days with his sweetheart of 95 years, wife Rosalynn. (They originally met when he was a toddler and her an infant, then re-connected after his service in the military.) As I read the news, I was struck with both the bitterness of the final farewell and a nostalgic gratitude for this 'servant of the people'. Too young and barely born when Carter was President, my understanding of Jimmy Carter was more than just a former politician but the spear-head of Habitat for Humanity working tirelessly for the care of the less fortunate well into his latter years. The commentary being that he took the loss of his pursuit for second term to continue to serve in a more far reaching arena. With this scant knowledge, I took to my 'Ecosia' search engine to find out all things President Carter in the hopes of discovering the reasons for such esteem and respect.
Pouring through article upon article detailing his political career, to commentary on his faith, beliefs both political and religious, comparing him to the current political climate, conspiracy theories surrounding his loss of the presidency, I concluded that without the efforts and person of Jimmy Carter, both the successes and the failures, the path for other common folk seeking political office would not be readily available. Without Jimmy Carter's reaching the highest office yet maintaining his 'man of the people and peanut farmer' self, I believe the likes of Bernie Sanders, Barack Obama, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Pete Buttigieg, and even those upstarts on the crazy MAGA right (you know who) would not have had access or even the ability to believe they could run for public office.
Born James Earl Carter, Jr on October 1st, 1924 in Plains, Georgia, the son of James Carter, a successful peanut farmer and store owner, and Lillian, a registered nurse who in the 1920s crossed racial division counseling black women on health care issues. The family was deeply religious and active in the Southern Baptist church. In recent years, however, Jimmy Carter has come against the beliefs of the SBC for their discrimination against women in his infamous "Losing my religion for equality op-ed.
Although he attended an all-white high school, Carter espoused beliefs of anti-segregation based on his personal convictions from positive influences through healthy connections to several black loved ones, such as his nanny and childhood friends. Despite the 1954 Brown V. Board of Education case which banned segregation of public schools, those in the rural South disagreed with the ruling and sought to continue the ways of the 'Old South'. However, Carter was the only white town in his town refusing to join the segregation group "White Citizens' Council" resulting in a letter on his front door declaring "Coons and Carters Go Together".
He began his political career on the local board of education which led to his run for State Senator as he saw a need for a 'new southerner' in politics to reflect the rights of the rural poor and those inflicted by racism. In 1962, he won his State Senate campaign as a Democrat against Homer Moore, although due to fraudulent vote counts, Homer was initially declared the winner. Carter appealed the election and this fraudulence was discovered. During Carter's two terms as senator, he was known as tough and independent succeeding to curb wasteful spending and always remaining a steadfast advocate for civil rights. After his terms ended, he briefly considered running for US House of Representatives, but instead decided to run for governor of Georgia. His liberal and progressive stance failed to win him the election as much of the South disagreed staunchly with the Civil Rights Movement. However, Carter would return to fight for the office of governor, this time with an opposing tactic, seeking the approval of the white rural voters who had once rejected him by seemingly to reject his pro-views on desegregation and Civil Rights. This confused many and he was labeled a 'racist southerner', however, after he run the election in 1970, he immediately returned to his progressive beliefs by calling for an end to segregation, increasing the number of Black officials in the political offices by 25 %, and fought for education and prison reform. (When I read this, I laughed because personally I loved how he played the bigots and political schemers at their own game and once elected he stood by his convictions doing what was the most humane for the people. Why not? I feel this can be mimicked by the current politicians, play the players at their own game and win.) https://www.biography.com/political-figures/jimmy-carter
Towards the end of his term of governor in 1974, he announced his bid for United States president. Without much political backing and funding, Carter was tireless in his campaign raising finances on his own and winning over a broad constituency. In the time after the Watergate Scandal, Carter was seen as directly opposite with his honesty and candor, appearing to be 'one of the people'. For himself, he always opposed the Hollywoodization and scheming of politicians, declaring himself an outsider in Washington, DC as a man of strong principles and integrity. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jimmy-Carter/Presidency
His tenure as president was marked with high degrees of success reflecting his position as a 'political outsider'. Because of this, he went into office highly trusted by the people as he refused to play the game and take advice from Washington, DC politicians, instead surrounding himself in his cabinet with Georgian officials of which he had worked with previously. His first action in office was to pardon the draft dodgers of the Vietnam War. Then, he went on to return the control of the Panama Canal to Panama, restored diplomacy with China, and halted the manufacture of nuclear weapons which alienated the conservative Republicans. However, he was not pro-Democrat nor did he choose one side above the other, as he also alienated the liberals when he refused to spend much money to invigorate the economy or fund social programs. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/1970s-america/a/the-presidency-of-jimmy-carter
He continued to market himself as a man of the people, standing up for civil rights and liberties, employing many women in his cabinet and offices, yet despite this and a large Democratic influence, Congress blocked his plan for welfare reform and a long-range energy program. Another mark against him was his views against the oil industry and its influence in politics coupled with his desire for alternate forms of energy as well as environmental concerns. His highest concern and focus was then and has always been for human rights both nationally and throughout the world.
His presidential term was not without scandal and conflict. During his time as president, the country was in a deep recession and despite his best efforts he appeared unable to help the country return to financial stability. In addition, some of his cabinet and closest friends were supposedly linked with shady financial dealings, such as Bert Lance, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, who, was although later found not guilty, marred the public's perception of Jimmy Carter.
These would then be used as fodder to assist those against Jimmy Carter. Being the 'outsider in Washington' along with the alienation of the status quo in Washington, DC would prove his downfall when he ran for re-election. In 1979, a group of angry Iranian students stormed the US embassy holding hostage many Americans, protesting against the arrival of the deposed Iranian shah, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in the United States for medical treatment, an action supported by Iran’s revolutionary government, led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Although Carter remained firm in his negotiations with Iran, he was unable to free the hostages which was the final mark against his winning the election for second term as President.
Thus, former actor and governor of California, Ronald Reagan, took office and his first action was to work with the Iranian government freeing the hostages. This action has been historically mired with much controversy, with many conspiracy theorists professing that Reagan, Bush, Sr, and Kissinger, worked in secret with the Iranian officials to orchestrate the freedom of the hostages, helping to win Ronald Reagan the election. October Surprise conspiracy theory
Jimmy Carter's post-presidential life has been one of much success and admiration, from his work with Habitat for Humanity and other human rights aid, contributing to him winning the Nobel Peace prize in 2002, his coming out against the Southern Baptist Convention's beliefs on women's subservience, his opposition of the conservative Christian's views on homosexuality (Jimmy Carter: ‘I believe that Jesus would approve of gay marriage’), his views that Church and State should be separate, as well as continuing to be a staunch advocate for human and civil rights. His position as Georgian politician stands in stark contrast to the newer Georgian politicians, see: From Carter to M.T.G.: What a Peach State Plummet
President Jimmy Carter was and is a servant for all, a man of the people, and will always be remembered as such.
For more information and to support Habitat for Humanity, https://www.habitat.org/
