While my condolences go out to Jimmy Carter's family -- whom he obviously, deeply loved -- I'm not going to offer platitudes in his memory. Yes, what he accomplished for Habitat for Humanity was admirable, and there have been tens-of-thousands of volunteers who have helped with that endeavor, as well. Carter took great pride in his humility.
Quoting from a piece by Steven Hayward in Powerline: "Part of the mystique of Carter was his careful and successful positioning as someone 'above politics.' He gave off an air that he is too good for us, or certainly better than the rest of his peers in politics. Carter exemplified the paradox of taking pride in denouncing the sin of pride. He also displays (sic) a talent for combining self-pity and self-righteousness, sometimes in the same sentence."
Continuing from Hayward: "He was a maddeningly contradictory figure. He first achieved statewide office in Georgia with a cynical race-baiting campaign, and then immediately proclaimed that the time had come for the South to repudiate its racist ways. An avatar of morality and truthfulness, Carter bent the truth and had a singularly nasty side to his character that ultimately helped cost him the presidency in 1980. David Brinkley observed of Carter: 'Despite his intelligence, he had a vindictive streak, a mean streak, that surfaced frequently and antagonized people.' Eleanor Randolph of the Chicago Tribune wrote: 'Carter likes to carve up an opponent, make his friends laugh at him and then call it a joke. . . [He] stretched the truth to the point where it becomes dishonest to call it exaggeration.' New York Times reporter James Wooten called Carter 'a hyperbole addict.' And Gary Fink, author of a generally favorable study of Carter’s governorship, notes that 'Carter usually claimed the moral and ethical high ground' but 'practiced a style of politics based on exaggeration, disingenuousness, and at times outright deception.' Carter seldom if ever repented of his nastiness or asks forgiveness. Instead, when called out for an egregious personal attack, Carter displayed the advanced skills of evasion that made him such an effective presidential candidate, at least until the public caught on in 1980."
WSB-TV has posted a tribute that features a younger Carter with the quote: "Justice, Truth, Humility, Service, Compassion, Love ... They're The Guiding Lights of Life." Not Jesus -- although He certainly embodied those things. For a man who was Christian, Carter oddly didn't proclaim Christ as his own Guiding Light -- at least, not in that interview.
And let's not forget that Carter's grandson proudly proclaimed that the former president cast his vote by mail in the 2024 election. (Sure, he did. Just like Joe Biden issued all those pardons by his own hand.)
Nope, not participating in the gaslighting on this one. Following the Watergate scandal, the Dems could have run an alpaca in 1976 and won -- and it might have done a better job.
Carter meddled in foreign affairs after he left the White House. In 1990 he sent a letter to the allies in the first Gulf War telling them not to support GHW Bush's coalition to remove Saddam from Kuwait. In 2008 he met with Hamas leaders despite the objection of GWB, who saw it as an attempt to undermine peace talks. Carter was an antisemite and a strong advocate for a Palestinian state.
As Keith Malinak stated on X, Carter "never met a dictator he didn't like." And let's not forget that he sold the Panama Canal for $1. Now Biden is auctioning off pieces of the border wall. When it comes to selling out America's best interests, it's monkey-see-monkey-do with these two morons.
No tomatoes from me. I voted for Carter in 1976 and soon came to regret it. He was a feckless president. One of the happiest days of my life was when Ronald Reagan sent him limping back to Plains. I don't care one whit about his post-presidential humanitarian efforts or his "devout faith." In my mind he was nothing more than a glory-seeking, self-righteous prig.
I have lots of opinions about Carter. None of them are flattering except that he was a man of God. I differ on theology with him I'll wager, but that's academic for him now. His family is in my prayers.
Carter wrote an article for my high school paper in either 1967 or 1968. I tried to find it when he ran for president but apparently that was one I didn’t hang on to. I think our editor-in-chief had volunteered on his state senate campaign, so she had connections. 😉
The 1980 election was my first and I cast my vote for Jimmy Carter, having fallen victim to the media's mockery of Reagan's qualifications - "Ronald Reagan...the ACTOR??" - coupled with their efforts to depict him as a warmonger. I believed them, too, when they said there was little that could be done about gas lines, high energy costs, and out-of-control interest rates. I believed Jimmy Carter when he asked us to accept the new normal by bundling up and turning our thermostats down in the winter. I didn't see it as his fault that Americans were being held hostage, or that the rescue effort failed, or that patriotism was at an all-time low. Then Reagan won and ALL of that changed for the better. As I watched that first year play out, I realized how much the media had gamed us. But more importantly, I learned just how important a strong leader was for the maintenance of American exceptionalism.
Jimmy Carter was not a good president with respect to his performance outcomes. Like all CEOs, there is a lot of luck of timing that contributes to success or failure, but the capable executive figures out what is needed and takes the needed action. Carter did not take the right bold actions. The same can be said for Bush senior.
However, both of these men rose to the top of moral and civil political behavior. Bill Clinton was the first to trash it. We got some of it back with W Bush... and then it went into the gutter with Obama.
Consider organizations like the Lincoln Project as the absolute garbage that continues to take us further and further away from any semblance of political moral civility. For all Trump's flaws, it is clear to me that the old party of Jimmy Carter owns most of the blame for the decline.
I'm curious whether the other presidents not including Carter in any groups says more about Carter's character or their character? I have no idea since I have not met any of them.
I'm convinced Carter held on until he could pass the "The Worst President in Modern History" baton on to Biden. Once Biden sealed his legacy with his murderer's row commutations, Jimmy knew he could let go.
I always try to remember that regardless of my personal assessment, the dearly departed was loved by somebody, and that they may be missed by those closest to them.
I'm tempted to say Carter was better in his post-presidency then as president but some of his efforts (like his overtures to Hamas) have not aged well. The view that he was a good man but not the best President is undoubtedly true, but he was a Christian and I hope he is reunited with his wife in Heaven. One positive from his presidency, he removed regulations on the brewing industry enabling smaller craft breweries to get their start. Next time you find yourself drinking a craft beer, make sure to raise a glass in his honor.
I came of age in the late 70s as Jimmah was exiting office and Reagan was taking over. Had a Peanut Power! t-shirt mainly because as a 16 year old I thought the caricature was hilarious. Yet, even then, I could sense the debilitating impact that interest rates, and the economy in general were having on my parents. It was a dark time in America, and I could see it before my very eyes even as the decade moved to the '80s.
Thanks again Erick for you column on this. Being a believer of the Way, I always was conflicted about his faith and his works. Still am... RIP
Jimmy Carter. He was a good man, but a lousy president.
While my condolences go out to Jimmy Carter's family -- whom he obviously, deeply loved -- I'm not going to offer platitudes in his memory. Yes, what he accomplished for Habitat for Humanity was admirable, and there have been tens-of-thousands of volunteers who have helped with that endeavor, as well. Carter took great pride in his humility.
Quoting from a piece by Steven Hayward in Powerline: "Part of the mystique of Carter was his careful and successful positioning as someone 'above politics.' He gave off an air that he is too good for us, or certainly better than the rest of his peers in politics. Carter exemplified the paradox of taking pride in denouncing the sin of pride. He also displays (sic) a talent for combining self-pity and self-righteousness, sometimes in the same sentence."
Continuing from Hayward: "He was a maddeningly contradictory figure. He first achieved statewide office in Georgia with a cynical race-baiting campaign, and then immediately proclaimed that the time had come for the South to repudiate its racist ways. An avatar of morality and truthfulness, Carter bent the truth and had a singularly nasty side to his character that ultimately helped cost him the presidency in 1980. David Brinkley observed of Carter: 'Despite his intelligence, he had a vindictive streak, a mean streak, that surfaced frequently and antagonized people.' Eleanor Randolph of the Chicago Tribune wrote: 'Carter likes to carve up an opponent, make his friends laugh at him and then call it a joke. . . [He] stretched the truth to the point where it becomes dishonest to call it exaggeration.' New York Times reporter James Wooten called Carter 'a hyperbole addict.' And Gary Fink, author of a generally favorable study of Carter’s governorship, notes that 'Carter usually claimed the moral and ethical high ground' but 'practiced a style of politics based on exaggeration, disingenuousness, and at times outright deception.' Carter seldom if ever repented of his nastiness or asks forgiveness. Instead, when called out for an egregious personal attack, Carter displayed the advanced skills of evasion that made him such an effective presidential candidate, at least until the public caught on in 1980."
WSB-TV has posted a tribute that features a younger Carter with the quote: "Justice, Truth, Humility, Service, Compassion, Love ... They're The Guiding Lights of Life." Not Jesus -- although He certainly embodied those things. For a man who was Christian, Carter oddly didn't proclaim Christ as his own Guiding Light -- at least, not in that interview.
And let's not forget that Carter's grandson proudly proclaimed that the former president cast his vote by mail in the 2024 election. (Sure, he did. Just like Joe Biden issued all those pardons by his own hand.)
Nope, not participating in the gaslighting on this one. Following the Watergate scandal, the Dems could have run an alpaca in 1976 and won -- and it might have done a better job.
(You may lob your tomatoes at me now.)
Great information, much of which I didn't know. Thanks for sharing as I'm sure I'll find need for it in the coming weeks.
Carter meddled in foreign affairs after he left the White House. In 1990 he sent a letter to the allies in the first Gulf War telling them not to support GHW Bush's coalition to remove Saddam from Kuwait. In 2008 he met with Hamas leaders despite the objection of GWB, who saw it as an attempt to undermine peace talks. Carter was an antisemite and a strong advocate for a Palestinian state.
As Keith Malinak stated on X, Carter "never met a dictator he didn't like." And let's not forget that he sold the Panama Canal for $1. Now Biden is auctioning off pieces of the border wall. When it comes to selling out America's best interests, it's monkey-see-monkey-do with these two morons.
No tomatoes from me. I voted for Carter in 1976 and soon came to regret it. He was a feckless president. One of the happiest days of my life was when Ronald Reagan sent him limping back to Plains. I don't care one whit about his post-presidential humanitarian efforts or his "devout faith." In my mind he was nothing more than a glory-seeking, self-righteous prig.
Jimmy Carter-the best former president we have ever had.
I have lots of opinions about Carter. None of them are flattering except that he was a man of God. I differ on theology with him I'll wager, but that's academic for him now. His family is in my prayers.
The fact that Joe Biden was one of the first to endorse Carter as a very junior senator show just how long Biden has been in DC.
Never met a dictator he didn't like
Those Venezuelan elections were top-notch! Thanks Jimmy.
Hostages -Just wondering if Carter had been more firm (kill a few) with IRAN, if we would had less trouble with them and their evil groups.
Carter wrote an article for my high school paper in either 1967 or 1968. I tried to find it when he ran for president but apparently that was one I didn’t hang on to. I think our editor-in-chief had volunteered on his state senate campaign, so she had connections. 😉
The 1980 election was my first and I cast my vote for Jimmy Carter, having fallen victim to the media's mockery of Reagan's qualifications - "Ronald Reagan...the ACTOR??" - coupled with their efforts to depict him as a warmonger. I believed them, too, when they said there was little that could be done about gas lines, high energy costs, and out-of-control interest rates. I believed Jimmy Carter when he asked us to accept the new normal by bundling up and turning our thermostats down in the winter. I didn't see it as his fault that Americans were being held hostage, or that the rescue effort failed, or that patriotism was at an all-time low. Then Reagan won and ALL of that changed for the better. As I watched that first year play out, I realized how much the media had gamed us. But more importantly, I learned just how important a strong leader was for the maintenance of American exceptionalism.
Jimmy Carter was not a good president with respect to his performance outcomes. Like all CEOs, there is a lot of luck of timing that contributes to success or failure, but the capable executive figures out what is needed and takes the needed action. Carter did not take the right bold actions. The same can be said for Bush senior.
However, both of these men rose to the top of moral and civil political behavior. Bill Clinton was the first to trash it. We got some of it back with W Bush... and then it went into the gutter with Obama.
Consider organizations like the Lincoln Project as the absolute garbage that continues to take us further and further away from any semblance of political moral civility. For all Trump's flaws, it is clear to me that the old party of Jimmy Carter owns most of the blame for the decline.
As I quote your last words. "But Joe Biden likes him". And that make total sense for Biden, as he had about the same IQ. One old and the other, newer.
Many family members will miss HIM.
I'm curious whether the other presidents not including Carter in any groups says more about Carter's character or their character? I have no idea since I have not met any of them.
I'm convinced Carter held on until he could pass the "The Worst President in Modern History" baton on to Biden. Once Biden sealed his legacy with his murderer's row commutations, Jimmy knew he could let go.
I always try to remember that regardless of my personal assessment, the dearly departed was loved by somebody, and that they may be missed by those closest to them.
I'm tempted to say Carter was better in his post-presidency then as president but some of his efforts (like his overtures to Hamas) have not aged well. The view that he was a good man but not the best President is undoubtedly true, but he was a Christian and I hope he is reunited with his wife in Heaven. One positive from his presidency, he removed regulations on the brewing industry enabling smaller craft breweries to get their start. Next time you find yourself drinking a craft beer, make sure to raise a glass in his honor.
I came of age in the late 70s as Jimmah was exiting office and Reagan was taking over. Had a Peanut Power! t-shirt mainly because as a 16 year old I thought the caricature was hilarious. Yet, even then, I could sense the debilitating impact that interest rates, and the economy in general were having on my parents. It was a dark time in America, and I could see it before my very eyes even as the decade moved to the '80s.
Thanks again Erick for you column on this. Being a believer of the Way, I always was conflicted about his faith and his works. Still am... RIP
I feel like he wanted Utopia and didn’t understand reality,moral person ? Maybe on some things ,lousy president definitely