I’m a huge fan of the man despite the fact that I wasn’t alive when he was president. He strikes me as possibly the kindest, humblest and most compassionate man who has possibly ever occupied the Oval Office.
The complaints about him that I’ve heard from the older generation of my family is that he was too nice and naive to run a superpower like the US.
I WAS alive — though a child - and I think you’re likely right. The only President of this era who I think might be as kind and compassionate is Obama.
But Carter’s post-presidential years stand alone in their profound decency and generosity.
I agree but feel Obama may not be an apt comparison. He spearheaded or allowed and covered for a lot of shady progression of the MIC in his time, from domestic surveillance and big bumps in prosecutions of whistleblowers to the prevelance of drone strikes on non combatants, including known extra judicial strikes of Americans overseas.
That said I’m not sure a modern president can really go through a tenure without having to make some tough choices and having some black eyes on their record. They are a hostage to many factors they don’t control, ranging from economic to even world affairs. Biden for all his faults is in a lose/lose when it comes to a situation like Ukraine/Russia. Even doing nothing is villifying, direct intervention is vilifying and could trigger larger conflicts. Discreet support is villifying too. There’s no win in such a situation.
Obama was also quick to use the office of president to cash in. Something I find truly disasteful and only wrecks his credibility, in my view. Carter still lives in a relatively modest home in Georgia where he grew up. This shows a great deal of discipline against temptation. It truly is a mark of great character.
In what ways was Obama "quick to cash in," and how does doing so (assuming the options he took are legal) impact an assessment of his kindness and character?
So, you think those enormous speaking fees are because of his "kindness and character" ? Sure, they are legal. But let's not pretend they were for anything other than what he did for them while in office and the influence he currently carries to influence government policies. This is why, at one time, it was considered sacrilege to do so. I think Carter and Reagan (and maybe Bush Sr.) were the last presidents to observe this rule.
I actually recommend reading on Carter's domestic and foreign policy, maybe if you're a bit like me you'll be dumbfounded at the comments here about the huge amounts of historical revision being done, just because the man is on his deathbed
I consider him one of the greatest human in recent history. It is a damn shame the current climate is so politically difficult; he is not going to get the recognition he deserves for quite a while. Yes, there will be recognition, but the magnitude of what he took on, gripe-less all the while, is yet to be realized.
Oh, I don't know. I think he will get plenty of recognition. But he will get it precisely because he doesn't expect it and doesn't ask for it. I did not like his policies, but just the fact that he didn't cash in on the office of president like so many do now holds great value in my book. Clinton, Gore and Obama all became mega-millionaires within a few short years of leaving office. Carter puts them to shame with his austere simplicity.
The complaints about him that I’ve heard from the older generation of my family is that he was too nice and naive to run a superpower like the US.