RIP Jimmy Carter

 Upon the passing of Jimmy Carter, I couldn't help but think back to the Spring of 1975...nearly 50 years ago.  Connie and I were having dinner at her Father's house and (surprise!) the conversation turned to politics.  Since I never have an opinion (right?), we were discussing the events of the last couple of years including Watergate, Gerald Ford's ascendancy to becoming the first President to not be elected to either the Presidency or Vice-Presidency and whether he could win the next election.

It was then that Connie's Father, Abe, made the most outlandish statement he could possibly make:  "Jimmy Carter will be the next President of the United States."  Jimmy Carter had just wrapped up his time as Governor of Georgia, and this peanut farmer from Plains, Georgia, was relatively unknown on the National level.  Besides, a Southern Democrat?  Come on, that was never going to happen.

When I stopped laughing at this absurd statement, Abe explained that he had just read the entire Marketing and Advertising strategy that would get him elected.  Abe headed up a small advertising agency in Atlanta and had just agreed to merge his company with Rafshoon Advertising and become President of this new agency.  That would free up Gerald Rafshoon to become Jimmy Carter's campaign manager and eventually his White House Communication Director.  The rest is history...shortly after our dinner, Carter announced his candidacy and Rafshoon's strategy got this peanut farmer from Plains, Georgia elected President.

Watching the ceremonies from the Capitol today, I reflected on our politics today as compared to our politics 50 years ago.  On his first day in office, Jimmy Carter stated "I promise I will NEVER lie to you."  Today's politics are rooted in lies, innuendos and "alternative facts."  Jimmy Carter was not a perfect President...there has never been a "perfect" President.  However, he deeply cared for this Country and the people in it.  His accomplishments, including the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, the establishment of the Departments of Education and Energy (which tRump is proposing to get rid of), his conservation efforts(which tRump want to decimate), the Panama Canal Treaties (another tRump target) and the establishment of diplomatic relations with China (again, a tRump target) were weighed against his failures. The Iran Hostage situation, the 1979 Oil Crisis, the boycotting of the 1980 Olympics (which he later said was a mistake) and inflationary concerns stopped him from defeating Reagan in 1980.

But it was his Peace efforts, Humanitarian efforts and fight for Democracy across the World that earned him the respect of any thinking person AFTER he left office.  The work of The Carter Center in helping to eradicate diseases in Latin America and Africa, monitoring of Democratic elections in troubled Countries and his work for Habitat for Humanity all helped him EARN The Nobel Peace Prize AFTER he left office.

Jimmy Carter was a good person and we should all strive to have his humility, his giving heart and care for his fellow man.

Rest In Peace, Mr. President!