My Jimmy Carter story (stories)....

[Dem4life1970]

Last edited Sun Jan 5, 2025, 02:09 PM - Edit history (1)

I was 9 years old when the Iranian hostage situation broke and dominated the news. I remember seeing the nightly news countdown every night with the number displayed, at how long the hostages were being held.

I was 10 years old when Reagan defeated Carter. I remember going into the bathroom and crying.

I followed Pres. Carter's post presidency and was amazed at his selfless, dedication to others. Unlike other former Presidents, he didn't hit the speaking tour and enrich himself, but I saw him building houses with Habitat for Humanity, helping to ensure free and fair elections around the world through the Carter center and working to eradicate diseases in many developing nations around the world. His teaching Sunday School in his home church for 40 years was also an inspiration from a man who actually lived his very real faith and didn't pretend to be a Christian to manipulate evangelicals for political gain (I think you know who I am talking about).

Sometime in the mid 1990s I started a hobby of writing to world leaders and requesting a signed photo of them (pre-internet days). I got a signed photo from then President Clinton and you can tell it was signed by one of those autograph machines. This photo that I received in the mail from President Carter has the look of a signature from a pen that was kind of running out of ink, and I remember thinking to myself, "Wow! I think he actually signed this!" It is one of my treasured possessions now that he has passed.

I wish Kamala had won, which was why he was hanging on to cast his ballot for her which he did. However, his last parting gift, ensuring that the whole world can see the glaring contrast between himself: a decent, honest, principled, selfless caring man, and the incoming (you know who he is, so I will not mess this post up by referring to him by name or anything else). I am very glad that flags will be at half-mast both on January 6th and January 20th. Thank you President Carter....

[Uncle Joe]

1. That's how Nightline got its' start, making a point of counting each day every night.

Thanks for the thread Dem4life

[No Vested Interest]

2. I recall Walter Cronkite saying at the end of each nightly newscast, " It is --- days since the capture

of US citizens by Iranian forces."
Walter Cronkite was the most listened to and respected news broadcaster of the time. His nightly statement seemed to imprint the tragedy on to the national psyche. The tragedy was magnified when the helicopter rescue went bad and did not succeed.
Though I liked and respected Walter Cronkite, I blame that nightly reminder as largely responsible for Jimmy Carter's defeat in 190.