Jimmy Carter's complex legacy

Summary

Consider This from NPR: Jimmy Carter's Complex Legacy

Introduction On December 30, 2024, NPR's "Consider This" reported the passing of the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, at the age of 100. Carter had been in hospice care since February 2023. The announcement set the stage for a reflective exploration of his multifaceted legacy.

Immediate Remembrances Stephen Feller visited the Carter Center in Atlanta upon hearing the news. He described the atmosphere as "understated," reflecting Carter's own legacy. "Somebody just came by, dropped off a jar of peanut butter and lit a candle because Jimmy Carter was the peanut farmer from Plains" (00:18). Feller highlighted the planned days of remembrances in Georgia and Washington, D.C., marking the quiet yet profound impact of Carter's life.

Presidential Achievements President Carter is remembered for significant achievements during his tenure, including the Camp David Accords and the Panama Canal Treaty. Andrew Limbong emphasized these accomplishments: "Carter will, of course, be remembered for his achievements in office, the Camp David Accords, for example, where he helped Israel and Egypt seal a historic peace deal" (00:45).

Post-Presidency Contributions Carter's legacy extends far beyond his four-year presidency. Stephen Feller noted, "He did more in his time and his decades out of office than in his four years in the White House" (01:06). Through the Carter Center, he focused on peace-building, disease eradication, monitoring democracy and elections, advocating for human rights, and contributing to Habitat for Humanity. His dedication to public service remained unwavering well into his advanced age.

Political Correspondents’ Insights The episode featured insights from NPR's national political correspondent Mara Liasson and senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, who provided a comprehensive analysis of Carter's enduring impact.

Reactions from Political Leaders Mitch McConnell, a prominent Republican figure, read a heartfelt statement from President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. He highlighted their long-standing friendship with Carter and his enduring legacy:

"To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning, the good Life study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith and humility. He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people, decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong" (03:44).

Carter’s Impact on Politics Mara Liasson articulated Carter's lasting political influence:

"He had an incredibly long post White House career where he devoted himself to public service, to eradicating diseases, to building homes for people who couldn't afford them, and for basically living a life that was rooted in simple American values" (05:35).

She further discussed the economic challenges during Carter's presidency—stagflation, high unemployment, and inflation—and the Iran hostage crisis, which contributed to his single-term tenure. Despite these hurdles, Carter's post-presidential achievements have redefined what it means to serve after leaving office.

Bipartisan Perspectives on Carter’s Legacy McConnell contrasted Carter’s legacy with current political figures, emphasizing Carter's holistic contributions:

"Jimmy Carter serves as our commander in chief for four years, but he served as the beloved, unassuming Sunday school teacher at Marantha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia for 40. And his humble devotion leaves us little doubt which of those two important roles he prized the most" (08:22).

Historical Re-evaluation Liasson noted that Republican perspectives often focus on Carter's single term and the challenges he faced, such as the unresolved hostage situation and economic woes. However, recent historical analyses and biographies, like Jonathan Alter's work, suggest a more nuanced view, portraying Carter as "the most misunderstood president in American history" who was ahead of his time in areas like renewable energy and civil rights (10:09).

Carter’s Integrity and Values Liasson reflected on Carter's personal integrity, recalling his presidential campaign promise, "I'll never lie to you." This commitment to honesty was a stark contrast to the political climate post-Nixon and remains a defining aspect of Carter's character.

Broader Reactions The podcast also highlighted responses from various political figures. Former President Donald Trump acknowledged Carter's service and challenges:

"Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as president understand this is a very exclusive club and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the greatest nation in history. He did everything in his power to improve the lives of Americans" (08:22).

Conclusion Jimmy Carter's legacy is undeniably complex, marked by significant achievements both during and after his presidency. His commitment to public service, human rights, and humanitarian efforts has left an indelible mark on American and global history. As NPR's correspondents Mara Liasson and Tamara Keith elucidate, Carter exemplifies a life dedicated to principles and enduring values, offering a model for future generations of leaders.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "Somebody just came by, dropped off a jar of peanut butter and lit a candle because Jimmy Carter was the peanut farmer from Plains." — Stephen Feller (00:18)
• "He did more in his time and his decades out of office than in his four years in the White House." — Stephen Feller (01:06)
• "To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning, the good Life study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith and humility." — Mitch McConnell (03:44)
• "He had an incredibly long post White House career where he devoted himself to public service, to eradicating diseases, to building homes for people who couldn't afford them, and for basically living a life that was rooted in simple American values." — Mara Liasson (05:35)
• "Jimmy Carter serves as our commander in chief for four years, but he served as the beloved, unassuming Sunday school teacher at Marantha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia for 40." — Mitch McConnell (08:22)

Final Thoughts Jimmy Carter's centenarian life was a tapestry of leadership, humility, and unwavering dedication to service. NPR's "Consider This" episode provides a comprehensive examination of his enduring legacy, inviting listeners to reflect on the profound impact one individual can have both in and out of the highest office in the United States.

Transcript

[Andrew Limbong]

The 39th president of the United States has died at his home in Plains, Georgia. Jimmy Carter was 100 years old. He'd been in hospice care since February of 2023. As soon as he heard the news, NPR Stephen Feller headed for the Carter center in Atlanta, home to his presidential library.

[Stephen Feller]

In a lot of ways, it's a lot like his legacy, kind of understated. Behind the scenes, there's a steady stream of Atlanta traffic going by. Somebody just came by, dropped off a jar of peanut butter and lit a candle because Jimmy Carter was the peanut farmer from Plains. And there's going to be several days of remembrances and events in Georgia, in Plains, where Carter's from, and in Washington, D.C. so things for now are quiet.

[Andrew Limbong]

Carter will, of course, be remembered for his achievements in office, the Camp David Accords, for example, where he helped Israel and Egypt seal a historic peace deal, or the agreement he signed with Panama to transfer control of the Panama Canal to the Central American nation. But it was maybe after he left the White House that Carter seemed to come into his own.

[Stephen Feller]

He did more in his time and his decades out of office than in his four years in the White House. I met the Carter center, where he was known for waging peace through things like fighting diseases. He monitored democracy and elections across the world. He fought for equality and human rights. And he worked for Habitat for Humanity, building houses and volunteering well up into his advanced age.

[Andrew Limbong]

So consider this, Jimmy Carter's legacy is complex. And coming up, we turn to a couple of NPR political correspondents who have spent years covering the White House to hear their take on Carter's Legacy.

[Mara Liasson]

From.

[Andrew Limbong]

NPR, I'm Andrew Limbaugh.

[Tamara Keith]

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[Andrew Limbong]

It'S Consider this from NPR. Former President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. He spent a single four year term in the White House and went on to live more than 40 years after he left office. To hear more on Jimmy Carter, Carter's legacy as president and a former president, we turn to two NPR correspondents who have spent years covering the White House. In a moment, we'll hear from national political correspondent Mara Lyson. But first, here's senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith describing a statement on Carter's passing issued by President Joe Biden and first Lady Jill Biden.

[Mitch McConnell]

They talk about over six decades of friendship with Jimmy Carter, calling him a dear friend, and they talk about his legacy. They also in this statement, the part that stands out to me, and I'll just read you this quick paragraph, it says to all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning, the good Life study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith and humility. He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people, decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.

[Mara Liasson]

Wow. That's a strong statement. What kind of relationship did the two of them have?

[Mitch McConnell]

Yeah, so they go back many, many, many years. President Biden was a young senator when Jimmy Carter ran for president and he was one of the first people to endorse Jimmy Carter way back when. And then they have continued to be in public life together. President Biden visited Jimmy Carter and his now late wife Rosalynn early in the Biden presidency and they had a strong relationship. And you know, there's this idea of President Carter as a one term president as maybe not someone you would want to associate with as a politician. But that certainly wasn't the case with President Biden and certainly wasn't the case with, with Jimmy Carter simply because his legacy, his post presidency is something that essentially every president aspires to and none can quite achieve. He had a 40 year post presidency that really redefined life after the White House.

[Mara Liasson]

Yeah. Mara, what do you see as Jimmy Carter's lasting impact on politics?

[NPR Correspondent]

Well, I think that Jimmy Carter's lasting impact on politics is going to be how he conducted himself as a citizen. He had an incredibly long post White House career where he devoted himself to public service, to eradicating diseases, to building homes for people who couldn't afford them, and for basically living a life that was rooted in simple American values. He taught Sunday school almost his entire life. He lived in the same small town that he grew up in. These are almost bygone values. I think in terms of his presidency, it will be remembered that he governed at a time of stagflation, high unemployment, high inflation. That's one of the main reasons that he lost. We just saw another president lose under a similar economic situation. But also there was the hostage crisis and that was a, was a, his, his presidency was held hostage by Iran, basically, who waited until he was out of office to release the hostages. So he will be considered a much more successful ex president than he was as a president. And we happen to have a metric in this country that you can't really be considered a successful president if you don't serve two terms, which he did not.

[Mara Liasson]

Tam, I want to hit on that point a little bit that Marge just said that how successful of a record he has, you know, after leaving the Oval Office, does that kind of color his legacy with Democrats?

[Mitch McConnell]

Yeah, I mean, I do think that because Jimmy Carter had 40 years to have a post presidency, because he had all of this time to really make a difference in the world, win a Nobel Peace Prize and dedicate himself to public service, it in a way allows him to have maybe the first line is one term president, but then the second line becomes Nobel Peace Prize winner, man who did all of these incredible things. One thing I was talking to a historian about this last week in looking at the parallels between President Biden and President Carter is that President Biden will now also only be a one term president. But unless he vastly over performs all actuarial tables, he's not going to be able to have a post presidency like Jimmy Carter. President Biden's legacy is going to be tied very much to his presidency in a way that Jimmy Carter's isn't as much.

[Mara Liasson]

Yeah. Have we heard any other notable reactions so far since learning of President Carter's death?

[Mitch McConnell]

Yeah, absolutely. They have been rolling in. There is a post on Truth Social from President elect Donald Trump who said that he had just heard the news of Jimmy Carter's passing and said that those of us who have been fortunate to have served as president understand this is a very exclusive club and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the greatest nation in history. He adds, the challenges Jimmy faced as president came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude. Another statement that came in that stood out to me was from Mitch McConnell, the Republican from Kentucky. Former or. Yeah, former majority leader in the Senate. And, and he talked a lot about Carter's simple life, his faith, his American dream, going from being a devoutly religious peanut farmer from a small town in Georgia to someone who was president of the United States and then made a real stamp on the world in his post presidency. He says President Carter served during times of tension and uncertainty both at home and abroad. But his calm spirit and deep faith seemed unshakable. Jimmy Carter served as our commander in chief for four years, but he served as the beloved, unassuming Sunday school teacher at Marantha Baptist Church in plains, Georgia for 40. And his humble devotion leaves us little doubt which of those two important roles he prized the most. That was from Mitch McConnell.

[Mara Liasson]

You know, these are all very kind, measured responses. Mara, what's the usual view of Carter from the Republican side of the aisle?

[NPR Correspondent]

Well, I think that Republicans would say he was a one term president. He failed. He didn't bring the hostages home while he was still in office. But I think that, you know, history has a wide angle view. And I think there have already been a couple of books written that reexamine Carter's legacy. And one of them actually by Jonathan Alter says that Carter was the most misunderstood president in American history and that historians of Jimmy Carter say he was ahead of his time. He put a solar panel on the White House roof. Of course, it was a symbolic solar panel, but he also, he was focused on reducing fossil fuel use way ahead of his time. He expanded the number of people of color who had federal judgeships. But the other thing that was interesting is when Jimmy Carter ran for the presidency, his, his motto or his tagline was I'll never lie to you. And that was very significant because the country had just gone through the experience of Richard Nixon who lied to the country, and he ran that he would never tell a lie. That seems absolutely quaint looking back now because truth is is not telling the truth is not a prerequisite for being president. And lying flagrantly is not a, you know, something that disqualifies you from being president.

[Mara Liasson]

Yeah. That's national political correspondent Mara Liaison. Also with us was NPR's White House correspondent Tamara Keith. Thank you so much to you both.

[NPR Correspondent]

You're welcome.

Thank you.

[Andrew Limbong]

This episode was produced by Brianna Scott, Mia Venkat and Jordan Marie Smith. It was edited by William Troup and Timby Ermias. Our executive producer is Sam Yenigun. It's consider this from npr. I'm Andrew Limbong.

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