A Good One
Y’all, Jimmy Carter’s cancer has spread. He’s 90 years old so nobody is horribly surprised.
He’s a good man and I hope his passing is peaceful because he’s earned it.
Not one single shot was fired by American troops during his presidency.
Peace, President Carter.
This book is on my bedside table. I think I’ll start reading it tonight. Yes, I still buy books.
Here’s a special treat for you. It is by Leroy Neiman and it’s signed by Carter, Begin and Sadat. Little Bubba got to see it today and sent me picture because he knows I like President Carter.
Jimmy Carter was a true statesman, not a politician.
1I just read on-line that, even at 90 years old, it seems he is going to try to fight this cancer. However, pancreatic cancer has a history with his entire family and, if I read it correctly, none have survived.
2At 90, he has been a good and faithful servant not only to his fellow citizens, but to the Lord he has served for so much of his life.
I, too, would pray for a quick and peaceful passing for him, as well, JJ. He definitely deserves it.
It has always been so interesting that the Christian Right absolutely hates Carter — a man who lives his Christian faith.
3I do so love that man. Thanks. Crying. I know he hasn’t been looking well lately, but I just don’t want him to ever die.
4I too was quite saddened to read this news. I worked, briefly, with Habitat for Humanity here in Colorado on one of their projects. A wonderful group of people.
I always liked him. A great man.
5I will be very sad to hear of Jimmy Carter passing. To me, he is the perfect example of a real Christian. He is one of the few politicians and religious person I respect and admire.
6But he had lust in his heart and admitted as much in an interview in Playboy magazine circa 1976 with St Louis native P atti Maguire (who married tennis stud Jimmi Conners) was the centerfold. Not that I remember. She was Playmate of the Year as well.
So why don’t evil cretins like Nixon,Ford,Raygun or the two dumbass dubyas ever get cancer? Darth Cheney as well?
7President Jimmy Carter was before my time, but I will always admire and respect former President Carter for his post presidential years of humanitarian service.
As Linda Phipps noted, he is a true statesman. We can only hope the grace with which he lives comforts he and his family through this difficult time.
8Mark J, I completely agree. It just confirms my view that many (if not most) religious folks are just hypocrites. How can the Religious Right not adore Jimmy Carter? He lives his faith more than just about any public figure, including priests & pastors.
9I second GLF @5. Jimmy Carter has been one of my heroes — what a remarkably honest man and dedicated servant to humanity. I, too, wish him peace, JJ.
10Jimmy is one of my favorite people. When he first ran for president I was his local campaign chairman for Cheshire,
11and ever since I’ve gotten a Christmas card each year from Jimmy and Rosalind [although I’m sure those cards are
mass-processed by staff]. I’ve also been supporting his Carter Center each year.
One of these years he will be a candidate for sainthood [not likely from the Roman Catholic Church, but at least from the Anglicans, who don’t care which denomination you belonged to].
As a long-time Georgia resident–got to say good people here are so proud of Jimmy Carter.
12One of the perks of believing in the afterlife is that one can console ones self with imagining the person who is gone reuniting with people they loved and missed and meeting people they admired, as well as meeting people who admired them! Also imagining Jesus holding out his arms and saying, “JIMMY! I didn’t think you were ever gonna get here! Come sit down and I’ll pour your wine and you can tell me all about it! You can save a place for Roslynn, she’ll be joining us soon…”
13Dick Cheney is still here because he’s not welcome in either hell or heaven, so he has to stay…
Definitely the best former president of my lifetime, and I don’t mean to detract from his presidency when I say that. The sort of person who makes Christians look good when so many shouty people go out of their way to make them look bad.
Remember when voters were a little nervous about Jimmy Carter because he talked about religion? Boy, we didn’t know when we were well off, before all those fake Christians showed up. I wish they’d all been like Carter.
14Jimmy Carter is the Atticus Finch we all need to believe is real.
15Nobody survives forever, nobody gets out alive. We all die, sooner or later. President Carter has been around a long time, and has long been a force for good. We will mourn his passing, and mourn that there is no one to take his place. Well, maybe Bernie Sanders… We’ll see.
16After what my husband went through in his 70’s fighting cancer, I am absolutely amazed that Jimmy Carter has NOT said “I’m too old and too sick. I’m just gonna sit on the porch and see what happens.” Good luck to him! His experience may actually create new treatment discoveries, bless his heart.
17Jimmy Carter–what a good decent man!
18Tears in my eyes at this sad news.
I keep thinking of all he has given us, in his tireless work around the world for peace and justice and for the least among us. Most of all, in his example of integrity, humility, and compassion.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
And we have been blessed, to number him among our Presidents, our fellow Americans, and yes, our friends.
Let’s tell him how much we love him – you can send a note to
19Jimmy Carter, Plains, GA, 31780
Thanks Laurel! I’m going to do that right now.
20As a native Georgian myself, I consider him one of the very best products of my home state. He truly defines the title of Christian.
21He was not as effective as he could have been as President, but he did nothing bad. He was thwarted as President Obama has been and others took credit for things he did.
I wish I had gotten a chance to shake his hand. I hope his remaining days on this earth are peaceful. I would not fight cancer at his age, but would never criticize him for his choices.
Laurel, thank you. We will certainly send a card to President Carter and his family.
22Jimmy Carter, what a good man. God bless him and his family.
23I still get irritated when some cluck gives Reagan full credit for the release of the Iranian hostages an hour after his inauguration. Like he had anything to do with it. Read the history books. Oh wait….
I always liked President Carter. He was a soothing balm for the country after the horrors of Nixon and company. I’m not ready to say goodbye. I think his optimism is what has brought him this far and he has more to do before God calls him home.
24I think the media’s disdain for Democrats started with Jimmy Carter. He wasn’t Ivy League enough for them.
One of the nicest things I ever heard said was that Jimmy Carter was the only person ever to use the Presidency as a stepping stone to his next career. Unlike so many, who retire to the highly-paid lecture circuit, Jimmy Carter accomplished more after he left the Presidency than he was able to do while President.
25Miss JJ I will have to order the book.
One of my all time favorite books is his memoir Hour Before Dawn. Beautifully written, it is an unvarnished and unapologetic look back into the era the TeaNutters want to take us back to, without having any real comprehension of what life was like in those days.
I liked it so much I bought it in hardcover and I am a notorious cheapskate when it comes to spending on myself.
26So sad when I heard the news earlier this evening. A good, decent, hardworking, intelligent man who has done so much good for so many, and harm, if any, to so few.
Thank you, Laurel, for an address to send a card.
27Jimmy Carter was the most decent president of my lifetime. To me he is the epitome of a Christian. He’s simply a good human being, to his core. The world was better with him in it, and there will be a void when he’s gone, whenever that is.
President Jimmy Carter, you are on a very short list of my heroes, and the only male. I want to be like you when I grow up. Thank you for all the gifts you’ve offered us all.
God bless you and keep you.
28God’s face shine upon you
and be gracious unto you.
God look upon you with favor,
and give you peace.
Amen.
Jimmy Carter, one of my all time heroes. A Highly intelligent, compassionate man. He loves his country, his wife and his church.
29And in his 70s could drive in a 16 penny nail in 3 whacks.
President Carter announced that he has cancer. Maybe I missed something but he’s still alive. May The Lord and The Lady stay with him.
30A truly great man and personal hero.
31Thank you Laurel.
Here is a link to help support Habitat.
http://www.habitat.org/support
John Stewart said – Jimmy Carter is 90 and in Africa pulling worms out of a child’s foot and George Bush is sitting in his sun room with a paint brush.
Jimmy Carter leads by example.
32Proud to say that first vote I was eligible to cast was in 1966 in the Georgia primaries for governor; my vote went to Jimmy Carter! He didn’t win.
33I was privileged to hear President Carter speak at ‘Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant’ 1/30-2/1, 2008 in Atlanta. The Carter Center facilitated this time of great hope for the gathering of “an informal alliance to 30 racially, geographically, and theologically diverse Baptist organizations.” Many seeds of unity were planted at that gathering thanks to President Carter and his commitment to bringing people together for peace and the good of humankind.
As expected, Southern Baptists chose to take their toys and play in another sandbox.
34A good and decent man. An actual Christian who led by example. An ex-president who did us proud. Damn right we wish him a peaceful passing, JJ, he has more than earned it!
35His work with Habitat for Humanity made volunteering cool.
36I met Jimmy Carter once, when I was about 15, more than a year before he became president. At the same time, I met the Washington Post Writers Group (Meg Greenfield, George Will, …).
Carter struck me as a sincere, compassionate, intelligent man.
THE WPWG were sots; it greatly amused me, as a 15 year old, that they all drank as much as they possibly could while attempting to maintain (in their estimation) the appearance of sobriety.
I am very sorry to hear of Carter’s cancer. He’s the best ex-president we’ve had in my lifetime. I hope he beats it, but at 90, his long-term prospects are not good.
I’m guessing that his VP, Walter Mondale, is not doing so well, either. He used to regularly show up for concerts that his son-in-law (ex-pianist for The Suburbs) performed at, but hasn’t the past year or two, and his wife died last year.
37Bananas, on your high recommendation, I just reserved the book at the library. The title’s a little different: An Hour Before Daylight. I’m looking forward to reading it. Thank you. I haven’t read anything of his yet.
38As others above have mentioned, President Carter used his POTUS term to leap into post-POTUS roles that really made a difference in the world. On a personal note, Because of President Carter I have involved myself in Habitat since 1977 or so. And that involvement has given me far more than I have given it.
39Jimmy Carter has already helped almost-accomplish one miracle:eradication of the Guinea worm, surely one of the nastier human parasites around. Maybe he figures his work isn’t quite done yet. It’s taken a lot of work from many people, of course, but it wouldn’t have happened at all, without him. Few people have eliminated such suffering, in one lifetime.
For that, alone, he should be remembered with joy. Thank you for the Carters’ address, Laurel. He’s one of my heroes–and I don’t have many.
40I have to admit that I chose John Anderson in my “not Raygun” vote in 1980. That taught me that not splitting the vote against a candidate I couldn’t stand trumped voting for the candidate I truly desired. Nader and George W proved that…
Jimmy Carter was and is a paragon, an ideal, of what I hope to be as an American and as a person that believes in the promise of Democracy. In sharp contrast to almost all the politicians and candidates we see today, Carter believes in building a better America from the bottom up. One nail at a time.
41I love Jimmy Carter. He knows how to live with cancer, not just survive with it.
42Jimmy Carter is one of my living personal saints, not least because while in the WH he appropriated $900 million from Congress to buy up pieces of the Appalachian Trail that were in private hands, so we’ll always have a walking trail from Georgia to Maine. I’ve hiked the AT since I was seven; I hope to continue into old age. I voted for him, despite my concern that he was born again. I love him and wish him well, and have so many of his books to choose among!
I also benefited from JC’s Comprehensive Education and Training Act. As part of the CETA arts program, I was employed by HAI (Hospital Audiences, Inc.) in NYC, splitting my time between institutions and the office. I love him.
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