Jimmy Carter spent his entire life helping people.
Habitat is a great organization. Carter didn’t start it. But his support has ensured the growth the organization has today.
Link Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity veterans remember working alongside Jimmy Carter
Link Jimmy Carter and Habitat for Humanity: Post-presidency volunteerism
Link Carter Work Project | Carter Work Project
2012 is only 12 years ago. Carter was 88.
My friend and I had this mental picture of Jimmy getting to a Habitat for Humanity site and telling the Secret Service agents “put your guns down, pick up a tool and get to work”.
Carter had some success as a president, too. He was responsible for making peace between Israel and Egypt, and i believe he lays the foundations for (and sometimes helped negotiate) later middle eastern peace deals, as well. And he didn’t start any wars. And u suppose the oil embargo forced his have to some extent, but he was the first president to put the limited nature of fossil fuels into the public eye.
It must have been nice to live long enough that folks could forget that your Presidency led directly to a decades long war in the Middle East and the worst terrorist attack on your country.
Speaking of the Secret Service, I just dug out my paperback of The Dead Zone. Published 1979, so Carter was still president and Reagan wasn’t yet. In one sequence, it’s 1976, and presidential campaigns are starting. Johnny Smith, the Christopher Walken character, is in Maine, close enough that he can drive over to New Hampshire and attend candidate meet’n greets: Ronald Reagan, Sargent Shriver and some others. Johnny doesn’t get much of a signal from any of them, though. “It was as if they had made the act of touching such a ritual thing that their true selves were buried beneath a layer of tough, clear lucite.”
Then one morning, he drives past a shoe factory, where a bunch of important-looking vehicles are parked. And there’s Jimmy Carter, “shaking hands with the men and women going on shift…Carter had a word for each of them. His grin, then not so publicized as it became later, was tireless and fresh.” Johnny ambles up and hears Carter reassuring one worker about taxes. “There was a serene self-confidence in his voice that struck Johnny and made him a little uneasy.” Johnny shakes his hand and ZAP.
“‘What the hell was that?’ Carter asked, very softly.” Secret Service guy wants to intervene, but Carter overrules.
“‘You’re going to be President.’”
“‘Yes.’”
“‘Fellow, I want you to move on,’ the agent said. Carter looked at him and the agent subsided.”
The real Jimmy Carter had to have read that scene sometime, and I wonder what he thought.
I’d have to see your timeline. (Preferably in another thread.)
Absolutely in another thread!
Moderating
I think my sister has that book, I read it once and don’t remember that scene. But now I want to look at it. The move made from that book was arguably the best book to film version of any of the King stories.
Summary
Obama Was What We Aspire To Be, Trump Is Who We Are.
– D.L. Hughley
Moderating:
Once again, please keep this thread about President Carter and not Trump or anyone else for that matter.
I will hide your post.
Rest in Peace, Mr. President. And thank you for all you have done.
If you want a stark contrast, read Carter’s Christmas message and then read Trump’s.
You might want to read the moderators’ notes.
Deleted and thanks.
CNN has a nice photogallery of his life: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/01/politics/gallery/jimmy-carter/index.html
National Day of Mourning for Carter on 9 January.
But why a Thursday?
Why not? Why any particular day?
Given that it’s a day off for the majority of federal employees, picking the middle of the week rather than a Monday or a Friday seems a bit odd. That’s all.
A lot precedes the state funeral, including going to the Georgia State Capitol briefly, lying in repose at the Carter Center for several days, going to Washington DC, going to the Navy Memorial and then lying in state at the Capitol Building. Presumably all of this was laid out years ago according to his wishes and that of his family.