Stephen Presents: President Jimmy Carter

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert – "Stephen Presents: President Jimmy Carter"

Episode Information:

• Title: Stephen Presents: President Jimmy Carter
• Host: Stephen Colbert (CBS)
• Release Date: July 3, 2025
• Description: In this special episode, Stephen Colbert welcomes the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, for an engaging and insightful conversation. The episode delves into Carter's perspectives on leadership, his ongoing humanitarian efforts, and reflections on his presidency.

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1. Introduction and Personal Updates [00:00 – 04:33]

Light Banter and Context: Stephen Colbert opens the episode with a casual and humorous exchange with Becca, a producer on the show, discussing the Fourth of July celebrations. Colbert shares his plans to be on a boat sailing around, marking a departure from his usual beach routines in South Carolina.

Notable Quote:

• Stephen Colbert [02:00]: "I'm actually gonna be on a boat this time. It's the first time in forever that I'm not gonna be on the beach."

This segment sets a relaxed tone, preparing listeners for the upcoming interview with Jimmy Carter.

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2. Welcoming President Jimmy Carter [04:33 – 04:56]

Introduction of the Guest: Colbert formally welcomes Jimmy Carter, highlighting his achievements and ongoing contributions through the Carter Center and his literary work.

Notable Quote:

• Stephen Colbert [04:33]: "Folks, I am honored tonight to welcome a Nobel Prize-winning nuclear engineer. Ladies and gentlemen, the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter."

Carter responds warmly, expressing his pleasure in being back on the show.

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3. Reflections on Age and Longevity [04:57 – 05:58]

Discussion on Carter's Age and Health: Colbert acknowledges Carter's age, mentioning his resilience in overcoming cancer and his continuous efforts to improve the world.

Notable Quote:

• Stephen Colbert [05:00]: "You're an extraordinary man. You're 93 years old. And am I correct at 93?"
• Jimmy Carter [05:06]: "Going on 94."

Carter modestly downplays his age, emphasizing his active engagement in various humanitarian projects.

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4. Speculation on a Presidential Run [05:59 – 07:12]

Joking About Another Presidential Bid: Colbert humorously asks Carter if he plans to run for president again, to which Carter replies with a lighthearted reference to age limits.

Notable Quote:

• Jimmy Carter [05:56]: "I think there's an age limit."
• Stephen Colbert [06:08]: "Cause I know it's 35 to get in, but I think you can go anywhere you want."

This playful exchange underscores Carter's long-standing commitment to public service without serious intentions of another run.

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5. Leadership Qualities and America's Preferences [07:03 – 07:27]

Carter on Presidential Leadership: Colbert probes Carter on what qualities make a good president. Carter reflects on his evolving views, initially believing honesty was paramount but reconsidering its role in leadership.

Notable Quote:

• Jimmy Carter [07:12]: "I used to think it was, to tell the truth, but I've changed my mind lately."

Carter hints at the complexities of honesty in political leadership, suggesting that other qualities may also be essential.

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6. Truthfulness and Personal Integrity [07:28 – 08:00]

Carter on Telling the Truth: Colbert asks Carter if he was ever criticized for his honesty. Carter shares a personal anecdote about telling "little white lies" as a child, illustrating his lifelong commitment to truth with occasional minor deviations.

Notable Quote:

• Jimmy Carter [07:40]: "I think I told the truth almost all the time and... my mother said I used to tell little white lies."

This segment highlights Carter's self-awareness and humanizes his public persona.

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7. Interaction with Other Ex-Presidents [08:00 – 08:26]

Carter's Relationship with Fellow Former Presidents: Colbert inquires about Carter's interactions with other ex-presidents. Carter mentions upcoming meetings with George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, indicating a camaraderie among former leaders.

Notable Quote:

• Jimmy Carter [08:08]: "In fact, I'll be with two of them tomorrow. Who with? George W. Bush and with Bill Clinton."

This showcases the ongoing relationships and mutual respect between former presidents.

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8. Prayers for President Donald Trump [08:27 – 09:23]

Carter's Prayers for Current Leadership: Colbert asks whether Carter prays for President Donald Trump. Carter responds with sincere hopes for Trump's conduct, emphasizing desires for peace, human rights, and the judicious use of power.

Notable Quote:

• Jimmy Carter [08:35]: "I pray that he'll be a good president and that he'll keep our country at peace and that he'll refrain from using nuclear weapons and that he will promote human rights."

Colbert acknowledges the importance of these prayers, adding a humorous touch about their potential efficacy.

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9. Controversial Statements and Political Gaffes [09:24 – 10:30]

Discussion on Political Language: Colbert references a past incident where Carter reportedly threatened to "kick [Ted Kennedy's] ass," exploring similarities with contemporary political rhetoric. Carter confirms the incident, clarifying it was directed at a congressman and later reported to a journalist.

Notable Quote:

• Jimmy Carter [10:02]: "I did. That is true."

This revelation adds depth to Carter's public image, showing a more assertive side contrary to his "nice guy" reputation.

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10. Criticism of Sanctions and Foreign Policy [10:31 – 11:41]

Carter's Views on Sanctions: Colbert asks Carter about his stance on international sanctions. Carter explains his opposition to sanctions that disproportionately harm the general populace under authoritarian regimes, using North Korea and Cuba as examples.

Notable Quote:

• Jimmy Carter [10:42]: "We get blamed for all the things that go wrong in the country and it exalts the dictatorship. ... it hurts the average person who's already suffering under the dictator."

Carter argues that such sanctions exacerbate the suffering of ordinary citizens while entrenching dictatorial power, advocating for more humane foreign policies.

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11. Cardinal Virtues and Personal Growth [11:42 – 13:51]

Exploring Virtues: Colbert engages Carter in a philosophical discussion about cardinal virtues, particularly focusing on courage, love, faith, and hope. Carter posits that love requires more courage, especially when it involves loving those who are different or considered enemies.

Notable Quote:

• Jimmy Carter [12:10]: "It takes courage to have love for people who are different from you."

Carter emphasizes that while faith is inherent and unconditional in many aspects, love, especially self-sacrificial love, demands deliberate courage and effort.

Managing Political Enmity: The conversation shifts to how Carter handles political adversaries. Carter humorously notes that he deals with former enemies by "forgetting about them or ignoring them," adding a light-hearted perspective on political reconciliation.

Notable Quote:

• Jimmy Carter [13:44]: "I've tried to get rid of all my political enemies by forgetting about them or ignoring them."

This reflects Carter's commitment to peace and personal growth beyond political conflicts.

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12. Closing Remarks and Book Promotion [13:52 – 15:05]

Promotion of Carter's Book: Colbert introduces Carter's new book, "A Journey for All," available to listeners, and gifts him a humorous "Carter 2020" present, acknowledging Carter's eligibility for future political endeavors in a playful manner.

Notable Quote:

• Stephen Colbert [14:07]: "Just in case you change your mind, we have a present for you. It's Carter 2020."

Final Remarks: The episode concludes with Carter delivering a brief, cryptic message about a tragic incident, hinting at serious news, followed by promotion of the show’s streaming content.

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Key Takeaways and Insights

• Leadership and Integrity: Carter underscores the complexity of honesty in leadership, balancing truthfulness with diplomacy.

• Humanitarian Focus: Emphasizes the importance of policies that protect ordinary citizens rather than punitive measures that harm the populace.

• Virtue and Courage: Highlights love, especially for adversaries, as a cornerstone of ethical leadership, requiring significant courage.

• Personal Growth: Demonstrates Carter’s commitment to personal reconciliation and moving beyond political animosities.

• Enduring Influence: Despite his age, Carter remains actively engaged in global humanitarian efforts and continues to influence contemporary discussions on leadership and policy.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Stephen Colbert [02:00]: "I'm actually gonna be on a boat this time. It's the first time in forever that I'm not gonna be on the beach."

• Jimmy Carter [05:06]: "Going on 94."

• Stephen Colbert [05:00]: "You're an extraordinary man. You're 93 years old. And am I correct at 93?"

• Jimmy Carter [07:12]: "I used to think it was, to tell the truth, but I've changed my mind lately."

• Jimmy Carter [08:35]: "I pray that he'll be a good president and that he'll keep our country at peace and that he'll refrain from using nuclear weapons and that he will promote human rights."

• Jimmy Carter [12:10]: "It takes courage to have love for people who are different from you."

• Jimmy Carter [13:44]: "I've tried to get rid of all my political enemies by forgetting about them or ignoring them."

---

This episode offers a profound glimpse into President Jimmy Carter's enduring commitment to peace, humanitarianism, and ethical leadership, all wrapped in the engaging and witty conversational style of Stephen Colbert. Listeners gain valuable insights into Carter's philosophies on governance, personal integrity, and the importance of compassion in both personal and political realms.

Transcript

[Stephen Colbert]

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[Becca]

Buying a car in Carvana was so easy. I was able to finance it through them. I just.

[Stephen Colbert]

Whoa, wait, you mean finance?

[Becca]

Yeah, finance. Got pre qualified for a Carvana auto loan, entered my terms and shot from thousands of great car options all within my budget. That's cool. But financing through Carvana was so easy. Financed, done. And I get to pick up my car from their Carvana vending machine tomorrow. Financed, right? That's what they said.

[Stephen Colbert]

You can spend time trying to pronounce financing or. Or you can actually finance and buy your car today on Carvana financing, subject to credit approval.

[Becca]

Additional terms and conditions may apply. Hey, everybody. You're listening to the Late show Pod show. I'm Becca. I'm a producer here.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm Stephen Colbert. I'm the host.

[Becca]

He's the host with the most. Thanks so much for doing this evening, Stephen.

[Stephen Colbert]

I so enjoy it.

[Becca]

I'm just a little guy here at the show. Can't stress that enough to the people listening.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm just a big guy at the show.

[Becca]

We have a lot of fun. We have a lot of fun.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah. I look forward to these every five weeks. Something like that.

[Becca]

5Ish weeks. Yeah. Well, today it's the 4th of July week.

[Stephen Colbert]

Happy 4th of July.

[Becca]

Happy 4th of July. Hope you're having a nice time on a beach somewhere.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm actually gonna be on a boat this time.

[Becca]

Nice.

[Jimmy Carter]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

It's the first time in forever that I'm not gonna be on the beach. In South Carolina. I mean, honest guy since college or something like that. But we're visiting. My son's traveling overseas, and we're gonna visit him over there.

[Becca]

Oh, nice.

[Stephen Colbert]

And then we're gonna get on a boat, and we're gonna sail around.

[Becca]

Oh, awesome. Yeah, awesome. That's living the life. Well, to celebrate, I have a president on the podcast today, and it's gonna be really easy for you to guess, but I just thought it'd be a nice interview.

[Stephen Colbert]

Is it Barack Obama?

[Becca]

It's not.

[Stephen Colbert]

Is it Donald Trump?

[Becca]

No, of course not.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, I mean, I did interview him once. I mean, he is technically president.

[Becca]

I know. Nobody wants to lose that.

[Stephen Colbert]

I know. I didn't want to do it at the time. I mean, I did want to do it at the time, but he turned out to be a big disappointment. It was kind of boring. And then. So it was Biden. No, it's Clinton. Wait, hold on, hold on, hold on. Wait a second.

[Becca]

I could say a word.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, but it's not a president of America. It's a president of a different country.

[Becca]

Peanuts.

[Stephen Colbert]

Jimmy Carter.

[Becca]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Did I interview Jimmy Carter on this show?

[Becca]

You did. You did. In 2018.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, yeah. That was good. That was interesting.

[Becca]

Young, spry man of 93.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow. Yeah, sure.

[Becca]

Yeah. But great little interview. I wanted to put it on for just a little presidential patriotic moment.

[Stephen Colbert]

And he's. He's fun and he's funny.

[Becca]

Yeah. Yeah. You have a good time with him that time?

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, I guess that was. I think I interviewed him, I think, three times over the years.

[Becca]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Very cool.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Becca]

Very cool part of the job for you.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yes. I mean, there are many parts of the job that are cool. That is among them. Yeah.

[Becca]

Getting meat lovers pizza sent to rewrite, you know, occasionally. Thank you for that. Thank you for the cinnamon stinks.

[Stephen Colbert]

Hey, you don't have to thank me for that. It's the least I could do. It's the least good. Occasionally, I order food for the rewrite room, but you have to be careful what you order because it's a tiny room.

[Becca]

Yeah. Not very well ventilated.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah. You don't want to smell it up. You don't want to stake it up with some sort of like, we were thinking about a bucket of chicken, but I mean, as great as it is, a bucket of chicken makes. That room smells like a bucket of chicken for a long time.

[Becca]

Yeah. I did get into postmortem, which is the meeting we have in the rewrite room. After taping, I got in there a little early. And there are people who didn't know what had happened. And they were like, there's cheese and there's something sweet. Like they were like trying to identify what had been ordered that day. It's really funny, but delicious. Thank you, Steven.

[Stephen Colbert]

Thank you to Pizza Hut for their meat loving.

[Becca]

Oh, yeah, please. All right. This is President Jimmy Carter on the Late Show Pod Show.

[Stephen Colbert]

Welcome back, everybody. Folks, I am honored tonight to welcome a Nobel Prize winning nuclear engineer. Ladies and gentlemen, the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter. Well, sir, thanks for being here. It's nice to see you again.

[Jimmy Carter]

Good to be with you again.

[Stephen Colbert]

How have you been?

[Jimmy Carter]

Been fine, thank you. You're.

[Stephen Colbert]

You're an extraordinary man. You're 93 years old. And am I correct at 93?

[Jimmy Carter]

Going on 94.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, going on 94. O. You have beaten cancer. And you are still, you're still working to make the world a better place through the Carter center and through your books. You've got a new one called Faith. And a lot of people will release a book as a trial balloon before they run for president.

[Jimmy Carter]

Yes, I've heard about that.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah. Is there, is there any chance you're running in 2020? Because we could use a nice guy in the Oval Office.

[Jimmy Carter]

I think there's an age limit.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, is there?

[Jimmy Carter]

I think there's an age limit.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, is there? Cause I know it's 35 to get in, but I think you can go anywhere you want.

[Jimmy Carter]

I think 93 is the age limit.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, you are known to be a nice guy. You've certainly proven it. You were sort of the first president of the 20th century to have a career after the White House with the Carter center and your work for the Habitat for Humanity and certainly eradicating diseases around the world as President of the United States. You were the president after Nixon and Ford, and America felt like they wanted a nice guy in there because those guys, you know, Nixon didn't seem, he seemed like, you know, pardon the expression, you know, were you too nice to be president because people criticized you for your demeanor and you might say the energy that was brought to the job. Does America want kind of a jerk as president?

[Jimmy Carter]

Apparently from his recent elections.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Carter]

I never knew it before.

[Stephen Colbert]

What do you think? What do you think it takes to be president? What's the one of quality that it requires to be a good president?

[Jimmy Carter]

I used to think it was, to tell the truth, but I've changed my mind lately.

[Stephen Colbert]

Do you think that you criticized for telling truth to the American people?

[Jimmy Carter]

Well, I think I told the truth almost all the time and.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, almost all the time. I think I just got a broke news there. When did you not tell the truth to the American people?

[Jimmy Carter]

Well, my mother said I used to tell little white lies.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's what Hope Hicks says, too.

[Jimmy Carter]

And one time she had an interview and a woman came in to interview Mama and she said, oh, little white lies. So Jimmy does tell what little white lies? What is that? She said, well, you know, when you came in the door, and I said, I'm glad to see you, and you look very nice. So a little white lie every now and then.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's the level. That's the level. Now, as an ex president, have you. Do you speak to the other ex presidents?

[Jimmy Carter]

In fact, I'll be with two of them tomorrow. Who with? George W. Bush and with Bill Clinton.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay. Now, do all the ex presidents feel kind of good that since Trump's in office, all of you have gone up the ranks? You've all just been pushed up one level there.

[Jimmy Carter]

I don't know about the rest of.

[Stephen Colbert]

Them, but you feel pretty good about it. You pray a lot. Do you pray for Donald Trump?

[Jimmy Carter]

I pray that he'll be a good president and that he'll keep our country at peace and that he'll refrain from using nuclear weapons and that he will promote human rights. So, yeah, pray for him.

[Stephen Colbert]

How are the. Thank you for your prayers. First of all, thank you for your prayers. We do need them. But do you think your prayers are being answered so far?

[Jimmy Carter]

Well, we used to have a pastor who would say, when you pray, God has three answers. One is yes, the other one is no, and the third one is, you got to be kidding. So I'm not sure which one it is yet.

[Stephen Colbert]

Donald Trump's gotten in some trouble for some of the rough language, and people have criticized him for that. And I've certainly made some jokes about it.

[Jimmy Carter]

I've heard about that.

[Stephen Colbert]

You've heard about it? You got in a little bit of trouble back in 1980 in that campaign when it looked like Ted Kennedy might run. You famously said to a reporter, I will kick his ass. And at the time, that was unimaginable that a president, any president, that that would be. He would say that to a reporter. It seems pretty true.

[Jimmy Carter]

I didn't say that to a reporter. I said it to a congressman, and he reported to a reporter.

[Stephen Colbert]

So he threw you under the bus?

[Jimmy Carter]

He did, yes.

[Stephen Colbert]

Who was the congressman?

[Jimmy Carter]

I won't say his name. He's out of office now.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay, but still living?

[Jimmy Carter]

Yes. He's still living.

[Stephen Colbert]

We'll find him.

[Jimmy Carter]

No, but it was. It was. But it was true. And I did. That is true.

[Stephen Colbert]

So you're not as nice as people think.

[Jimmy Carter]

My wife could tell you that you've.

[Stephen Colbert]

Been critical of sanctions against North Korea. Why is that? Why is the isolation, you think, a wrong thing to do?

[Jimmy Carter]

Well, because when we impose sanctions, like for 70 years against North Korea and about that long against Cuba, we get blamed for all the things that go wrong in the country and it exalts the dictatorship. The dictators are already punishing people. They're already under duress and under punishment. Not enough food, not enough freedom, that sort of thing. And when we put some additional stress on them, like not any food aid and destroy their economy, it hurts the average person who's already suffering under the dictator. And the dictators control the news media completely. So they blame all of their problems that they impose on the people, on us. So we get blamed in Cuba and in North Korea for everything bad that goes on in the country. So it exalts the dictators and it hurts the people.

[Stephen Colbert]

So do you think, are you against sanctions for all countries like Iran, Cuba, Russia?

[Jimmy Carter]

I'm against any kind of sanctions that hurt the people who already suffer under a dictator, yes.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay. Well, the book is called A Journey for All. I often wonder what the most important of the cardinal virtues is. And do you think any of them are achievable? Faith or hope or love without courage. Do you think courage is the most important? Because it always seems to me that all of them take courage to achieve.

[Jimmy Carter]

It does. I think love takes more courage perhaps than faith, because we can't avoid having faith. When we are babies, all of us have faith in our mothers. We'll say, and we have some degree of faith in ourselves, right? And we have to have faith in our close friends or things that we cherish, like the truth or faith in education or faith in America or faith in whatever country we live in, faith in freedom. So we have faith in different things that we can't avoid. But it doesn't take any courage to have those kinds of faith. But it takes courage to have love for people who are different from you. It has faith for it takes faith of courage rather to have faith in people that we consider to be inferior to us or enemies of ours. Of course, Jesus says we should, you know, love our enemies as well as our friends and have so called agape love or self sacrificial love, Love for people that are not lovable, love for people that don't love us back. That takes a lot of courage, I think.

[Stephen Colbert]

Have you been able to have that for your. That is. That is the most difficult form of love. To love your enemies or to love the people who love don't agree with you. How have you been able to find that for, say, your political enemies?

[Jimmy Carter]

I've tried to get rid of all my political enemies by forgetting about them or ignoring them.

[Stephen Colbert]

So there. I thought you had a hit squad.

[Jimmy Carter]

No, I can.

[Stephen Colbert]

I got rid of them. I think I love them where they are.

[Jimmy Carter]

Well, you know, since I've been out of politics, I've tried to get rid of those animosities that I used to cherish.

[Stephen Colbert]

Sure. And you've outlived most of them, I'm guessing.

[Jimmy Carter]

That's another secret to my success.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, just in case, sir, just in case you change your mind, we have a present for you. It's Carter 2020. Still constitutionally eligible. This is for you, young man. Thank you very much. The book is A Journey for All. It's available now. President Jimmy Carter, everybody. Thank you for listening to the Late Show POD show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see more of me, come to the late show YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives.

[Jimmy Carter]

911 stage emergency.

[Becca]

Yes.

[Jimmy Carter]

Somebody killed two girls. My grandbabies and her friends.

[Becca]

They did. They're dead.

[Stephen Colbert]

A Paramount plus original.

[Jimmy Carter]

She wants to find more young women for him to kill.

[Stephen Colbert]

The untold stories of the real cases.

[Jimmy Carter]

Each one he gets away with. He's emboldened.

[Stephen Colbert]

The FBI can't shake. It's very satisfying to be able to look at a bad guy and go, we never forgot you. An all new season of FBI True streaming now on Paramount Plus.