Listeners Remember President Jimmy Carter

[MUSIC - Soulive: Solid]

Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. We have just 10 minutes left in the show and we're going to use them to check in on the funeral for Jimmy Carter, which is taking place right now. President Biden just gave a eulogy. We're going to play a clip from that, an excerpt from that in just a second, but we also want to invite any last thoughts about Jimmy Carter from you. We won't have time for a lot of calls, but we'll have time for a few for you to tell us if you've been thinking about Jimmy Carter in these days since his death, what from his actual presidency or his post presidency will most stick with you about James Earl Carter? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692.

Is it his wearing a cardigan sweater to give some of his televised addresses to move away from an image of president as royalty? You know, Ronald Reagan made a point of restoring formality and regal pomp and ceremony to the presidency as a backlash to Carter in that respect. Was it solar panels he put on the White House roof-- we were just talking about climate, to model using renewable energy? Wasn't so much about climate in the '70s. It was just energy conservation. When there was an oil shock for other reasons, Reagan took those down.

Was it his Camp David peace accord between Egypt and Israel, or more his post presidency where he controversially became one of the most prominent people early on to use the word apartheid to describe the segregation and second class living conditions that he saw Palestinians living under? Was it his failure to win release of the US hostages in Iran in his last year in office, or maybe his patience in not attacking Iran militarily, as some hawks urged him to do? Military restraint so the hostages could eventually come home alive, which they all did. Anything about Jimmy Carter during or after his presidency? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692.

POLITICO has a story called Son of the South: How Jimmy Carter Transformed America. That starts as the former president is laid to rest this week. His critics and enthusiasts are at odds about what his presidency meant to the country and the world, but there should be no debate about what the son of Plains, Georgia meant for the South. Leading a cohort of next generation Southern leaders in both parties, Carter grafted the region back onto the national map by repudiating Jim Crow and firmly putting an end to the George Wallace era. There are some things that you might talk about in the few minutes that we have for it. 212-433-WNYC. What was it for you? 212-433-9692.

We'll play that clip from the Biden eulogy from just minutes ago right after this.

[MUSIC - Marden Hill: Hijack]

Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Here's about a minute of President Biden's eulogy of Jimmy Carter from his funeral just a few minutes ago.

President Biden: As we all know, Jimmy Carter also established a model post presidency by making a powerful difference as a private citizen in America and I might add, as you all know, around the world. Through it all, he showed us how character and faith start with ourselves and then flows to others. At our best, we share the better parts of ourselves, joy, solidarity, love, commitment, not for reward, but in reverence for the incredible gift of life we've all been granted to make every minute of our time here on Earth count. That's the definition of a good life, a life Jimmy Carter lived during his 100 years. To young people, to anyone in search of meaning and purpose, study the power of Jimmy Carter's example.

Brian Lehrer: President Biden just a few minutes ago. We'll have time for just a few phone calls here. Then Alison's going to have Carter biographer Jonathan Alter. As you heard in the break, Fresh Air is going to be devoting their show to him as well. Davita in Manhattan, you're originally from Georgia, right, Davita? Hi. We've got about 30 seconds to go.

Davita: Absolutely. Absolutely. My brother was close friends with Walter Mondale, and my husband and I had breakfast with Walter Mondale after the Carter presidency. He told us a story which shows Carter's political naivete and his sweetness. Like all presidents, he wanted to cut back on expenses, but he started in the White House itself. When people would come for a working breakfast or another meal, they got a bill. When Tip O'Neill came the first time, the Speaker of the House, a very important man, he got a bill. It was either $1.25 or $1.45.

Brian Lehrer: I'm going to leave it there, Davita, but that's a telling story. Maria in Oradell, you're on WNYC. How about a 30-second eulogy from you?

Maria: Hey, he was just such a great man, his work with Habitats For Humanity. The thing that I remember the most, which always makes me smile, is my mother loved him and she had a poster of him up in her bedroom during his presidency.

Brian Lehrer: Maria, thank you. Michael in Forest Hills, you're on WNYC. Hi, Michael?

Michael: Hi as a reporter in 1976, I contacted all the presidential primary candidates on the question of whether they supported decriminalization of marijuana, and Carter was the only one to respond in the affirmative. Then he addressed Congress, when he was elected, and in support of pot decriminalization and that always stayed with me because he was 50 years ahead of his time.

Brian Lehrer: In that respect, yes. Oh, Lori in Ringwood is going to tie the California fires to our eulogy segment of Jimmy Carter. Hi, Lori. You're on WNYC.

Lori: Hi, Brian. Yes, I think Carter often is looked at as having a failed presidency, but as California burns, I think we failed him because if we had got away from Reagan and followed Carter's policies on the environment and caring for each other, we'd be in a better world today, I think.

Brian Lehrer: Lori, thank you very much. One more. Jack in Kearny. We've got about 20 seconds for you, Jack. Hi there?

Jack: Yes, true leadership was shown by Carter with the failed mission in Iran. He took blame for it. He did not blame the military. He didn't blame the troops that were on the ground there. He blamed himself. "It failed and I take full responsibility." That's a great man

Brian Lehrer: Jack, thank you very much. Listeners, thank you so much for chiming in with quick last thoughts about Jimmy Carter. Like I say, Alison will have more with Carter biographer Jonathan Alter. There'll be a lot on Fresh Air at two o'clock as well. Thank you for your calls here. That's The Brian Lehrer Show for today, produced by Mary Croke, Lisa Allison, Amina Srna, Carl Boisrond, and Esperanza Rosenbaum. Juliana Fonda and Milton Ruiz at the audio controls. Stay tuned for All Of It.

New York Public Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline, often by contractors. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of New York Public Radio’s programming is the audio record.

Produced by WNYC