Jimmy Carter, a forever president who brought decency to American politics
Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
President James Earl “Jimmy” Carter, who died on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, at the age of 100, will best be remembered for bringing two Middle Eastern foes to the table at Camp David and facilitating the signing of a historic peace accord along with his post-presidency humanitarian actions. But the Jimmy Carter I knew as a teenager growing up in Louisiana was a governor of a Southern state who advanced civil rights and the legal protection of all Americans.
Back in those days, I listened to a lot of talk radio and 1230 AM WBOK kept us informed on the latest news and information in our community. One day while catching up on the local news and weather, I overheard Vernon Jordan, the civil rights icon and then-president of the National Urban League, talk about the upcoming presidential election during which he mentioned all the Democratic candidates running for office. He might have mentioned President Gerald Ford, but I wasn’t much interested in the party of Richard Nixon.
Vernon Jordan — like Carter, a native son of Georgia — had helped to push his beloved home state into the modern era. He understood the old South and was relentless in the struggle for civil rights. So, in our household, we listened to “Uncle Vernon,” and my real Uncle Floyd would often liken him to the new Frederick Douglass. I didn’t know anything, but Uncle Floyd (a Korean War veteran) and my Uncle Johnny (a Vietnam veteran and second-generation Tuskegee Airman) were both active in civil rights and local politics. They also spoke highly of the Southern governor. Among other compliments, they described Jimmy Carter as a person of faith.
So, right off the bat, I knew I needed to know more about him. When I heard then-Gov. Jimmy Carter was coming to New Orleans, I made plans to catch the bus downtown to listen to what he was saying that inspired so many Black leaders to call his name.
I wasn’t disappointed. Carter seemed to understand that the country was ready to move beyond the “law and order” days of Richard Nixon. Carter’s message inspired us to not only register to vote but to advocate on his behalf. From the moment I saw Jimmy Carter in person, I began to encourage my older sister Cheryl, who was turning 18 in 1976, to register herself and get more of her friends active in the campaign.
The 1976 convention that nominated Carter also inspired me when then-RepCongresswoman Barbara Jordan, the first Black woman from the South elected to Congress, took the stage. Jordan, who was also the first African-American to deliver the keynote at the Democratic National Convention, was so inspiring that I wrote in my diary that I wanted to one day become a campaign manager for a presidential candidate.
My friend John Rendon, who knew the former president well and considered him a friend, along with my mentor, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, whom President Carter appointed to serve as the chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, would want us to remember the 39th president as someone who helped usher in a new era in American politics and as a devout servant leader of his time.
But, here’s what else President Carter should be remembered for:
— This week, if you drink a beer from your local microbrewery, you should toast to Carter because he deregulated the beer sector.
— If your survival during the pandemic was a result of UPS or FedEx, then thank Carter because he deregulated the trucking sector.
— If you spend time in our national security environment, many of the tools and technologies used by the brave men and women who wear the uniform began under Carter’s administration.
— If you live and rural America and can fly from a small airport to a bigger airport, thank Carter because he deregulated the airline sector.
— If you enjoy national parks, he did, as well, which led to the signing of legislation to protect millions of acres across the country, including more than 100 million acres in Alaska.
— President Carter transformed and modernized the presidency, making the vice president an integral part of the presidency, beginning by moving the office from exile in the Old Executive Office Building to the West Wing, where every vice president since then has worked.
He also told the staff that a call from the vice president was to be treated as if it were a call from him.
— President Carter and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, who died in November 2023, transformed both the office and the role of the first lady, which began with the first-ever diplomatic mission undertaken by a first lady (Rosalynn Carter traveled to Latin America).
Every single day, President Carter reminded his staff and his administration that they worked for the American people, not for themselves.
Jimmy Carter believed that love should be our national driver, not hate. He recognized and respected people from every walk of life.
Jimmy Carter believed in the American people whether they were from Harvard or a small, rural town.
Jimmy Carter believed that the true strength of our great nation was its people, from many lands, all religions and all races. He believed our national strength came because of our diversity, not despite it.
One word captures what Jimmy Carter has meant in American politics: Decency.
As we contemplate the life of our 39th president, his genuine concern and respect for all Americans regardless of party affiliation, color or gender should be at the forefront of our minds. He progressed our social consciousness and stood for genuine peace above all else. While you may have disagreed with some of his policies, you cannot dispute that he was a true servant leader and national statesman. Let’s hope that his style of leadership and worldview inspire current and future public servants.
Donna Brazile is an ABC News Contributor, veteran political strategist, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, and the King Endowed Chair in Public Policy at Howard University. She previously served as interim Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and of the DNC’s Voting Rights Institute. She managed the Gore campaign in 2000 and has lectured at more than 225 colleges and universities on race, diversity, women, leadership and restoring civility in politics. Brazile is the author of several books, including the New York Times’ bestseller “Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House.” @DonnaBrazile.
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