Jimmy Carter is widely admired today for his work to eradicate Guinea Worm disease and River Blindness, his work to build homes for low-income people, his deep and inclusive Christian faith, his election monitoring and efforts to peacefully resolve conflicts. However, since the 1980 election as often as not his fellow Democrats have treated the former President and his life partner, Rosalynn, as if he was a political embarrassment and the black sheep of the Democratic Party. During the 2008 Democratic Convention the Obama campaign yanked Carter from the program at the last minute and denied him the opportunity to deliver a speech he had prepared for the occasion. Bill Clinton never forgave Carter because Cuban refugees were housed at an unused federal facility in Arkansas in 1980. Ted Kennedy also never forgave Carter for beating him in most Democratic primaries in 1980. Almost all major Democratic politicians, including Nancy Pelosi, publically pilloried Carter after his controversial book “Peace, not Apartheid.” Never mind that Carter did more for peace in the Middle East at Camp David than any President ever, of either party.
These days, Carter is popular among grassroots Democrats but at best he is ignored by party leaders. Carter was never popular with the “Georgetown Crowd” who still yearn for Camelot and considered Carter an ignorent hillbilly who was never invited to Sally Quinn’s parties. President Obama always had kind words for Carter but rarely asked for advice from the elder statesman. Thousands of public buildings, airports, schools are named for Ronald Reagan but outside of Georgia, Carter is invisible. No one ever does much to laud Carter’s environmentalism and visionary alternative energy policies while in the White House. In contrast, Reagan is held up as a demigod by Republicans. Every primary season Republicans line up to praise Reagan even if they can’t cite much in the way of actual accomplishments by him.
Democrats need heros too. Jimmy Carter is a real hero, while Ronald Reagan just played the part. Jimmy Carter was a key in the development of nuclear submarines. Jimmy Carter pronounced an end to segregation when he was inagurated as Governor of Georgia in 1971. Jimmy Carter also stood up to the White Citizens Council when it really mattered, in the early 1960’s in South Georgia. And that was all before he was President or Ex-President. Carter was even the only politician to show up when Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record and he put up a picture of Dr. King in the Georgia Capitol. I don’t have time to list his accomplishments during and since his Presidency.
I’m out, loud and proud to have worked on the Carter Campaigns in 1976 and 1980. Every year I visit the Plains Peanut Festival (third weekend in September) and Jimmy always signs my books. And every year on a September Sunday I get up at 5:00 am to get in line at Marinatha Baptist Church in Plains. Democrats need to be publically proud of Jimmy Carter too.