Congratulations to former President Jimmy Carter, our longest-lived chief Executive, who turns one hundred on October 1, 2024. When he was nominated and elected in 1976, he was the unlikeliest public official to be chosen in the 20^th century, perhaps ever. 

In the Nineteenth century, unknown political, particularly presidential, candidates were deemed a ‘Dark Horse.’ This included James K. Polk (1848), James Garfield (1880), and Warren G. Harding (1920). 

Jimmy Carter grew up in rural Southwestern Georgia without electricity or running water. He was nominated to attend the Naval Academy and graduated in 1946. His naval career was primarily in the nuclear submarine services headed by Hyman Rickover, a very influential man in his young life. In 1953, Carter’s father developed pancreatic cancer and died, prematurely ending a promising naval career. He left the service due to family hardship and returned to his hometown of Plains, Georgia to run the family farm. 

After a decade Carter became restless as the business succeeded. Racial issues were always controversial in the South, and in 1962 decided to run for the state senate. His wife Rosalyn was not content to be the political wife in the background and was very active in her husband’s career. In 1966 he ambitiously ran for governor and lost to segregationist Lester Maddox. Four years later he ran again and won, conducting a more sophisticated and better organized campaign. 

In the Governor’s mansion, he met with many prospective presidential candidates and was not impressed. Whatever you pay think of Carter, his intelligence cannot be denied. After the 1972 Democratic convention and nominee George McGovern’s thrashing by Richard Nixon, his staff and friends suggested he seek the White House himself offering Why not Jimmy?”

Two notable quotations emerged from the early campaign. A headline in the Atlanta Constitution read “Jimmy Who is Running for What?” His mother Lillian, a fascinating Southern woman who joined the Peace Corps at the age of sixty-eight reportedly said “President of what?”
These were the obstacles an unknown had to overcome, but running as an outsider following Vietnam and Watergate became a tremendous asset. There were polls though showing him at zero percent at first. 

Carter’s campaign aides Hamilton Jordan Peter Bourne wrote strategic memos outlining their game plan. They planned to get a boost from the relatively new (then) Iowa Caucus. He was not too proud to stay in supporters’ homes to save money. His genuine smile and willingness to campaign tirelessly was an asset; he even carried his luggage. Jimmy was folksy and told voters “I will never lie to you.”  Fellow Georgian supporters traveled the country in support and were known as the “Peanut Brigade.” They also expected to have to defeat better-known Ted Kennedy (who didn’t run) and George Wallace/  

The unknown candidate bested a dozen rivals and at the New York convention, he made a strong VP pick with Minnesotan Senator Walter Mondale. He left the convention with a 62-29 lead over President Gerald Ford. Carter’s general election strategy was as ineffective as his effort in the primaries worked. An ill-advised interview with Playboy magazine saw the born-again Christian admitting to “lust in his heart.” He won in November, in a very close election.

He struggled in the White House. His ‘Georgia Mafia’ lacked Washington experience and the Iranian hostage crisis, inflation, interest rates, and an insurgency from Ted Kennedy against his party’s incumbent cumulatively brought him down. After losing to Ronald Reagan in 1980, he began the longest and arguably best post-presidency, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and many causes internationally. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

Happy Birthday Jimmy!