Is it just me or has Carter become a gifted public speaker

[dsc]

in retirement. I was pretty young when he was President but he never seemed to be all that good at giving speeches while President. As much as I hated Reagan's policies I felt he was a much better messanger for his policies than Carter was for his. But lately Carter has given some terrific speeches. The one he gave today was terrific. Am I misremembering his speaking ability while in office or has he gotten a lot better?

[FreedomAngel82]

1. I have no idea

I'm only twenty-three so I don't know. I have seen some older video's of his, such as his inauguration speech, and I think he probably has gotten better.

[dsc]

4. 38 here so he was in office from about 3rd to 7th grades for me

I was literally blown away by his speech today. He has to be pushing 85 and he spoke circles around Bush.

[CottonBear]

2. President Carter has always been a geat public speaker & a great American.

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Peace. CB, proud Georgian

[dsc]

5. I never doubted his greatness as a person

but I just never thought of him as a gifted speaker. Looking at tapes of Johnson he wasn't either but he was an indispensible President. Maybe I just was too young to really get it back then.

[BuyingThyme]

3. I know Larry King probably doesn't count, but I saw him talking

Iraq on the Larry King show this weekend, and I was very pleased.

He understands that the Chimp's plan is ultimately to install permanent U.S. bases. I didn't know that this message was getting through to people like him, so it was comforting. (He said he got the info from Arab leaders.)

[cdsilv]

10. My parents and us kids worked on Jimmy's gubernatorial and pres.

...campaigns. He's always been a good public speaker, and he's always been HONEST.

The honesty part really clashed with the beltway elites. He was and is too honest and too good for the corrupt DC establishment so they did their best to destroy him. Guess what, he did not get re-elected (see the reagan iran hostage scandal...), but he probably has more credibility with the US public than any other politician - he's what I'd call an 'Elder Statesman'.

If only we could get him to run for pres. again. He might win. He would certainly 'elevate' the level of 'political discourse' - perhaps remove the sh*t from the political bullsh*t.

[KT2000]

15. Agree

he was the outsider in Washington and the Democrats in Congress did not support him. I thought then that Carter was problably too honest and did not play the game, in other words dangerous for the establishment.

[madeline_con]

6. Here's a place to start...

It has some great quotes by Carter.

http://home.att.net/~jrhsc/jimmy.html

One relevant to today...


"I believe that the very essence of a worthwhile life
is the striving. I do not fear the possibility of
failure so much as the resigned acceptance of what is
mediocre or wrong."

Jimmy Carter May 1976
'A Government as Good As Its People'

[RoyGBiv]

7. He always has been ...

Carter has always been an exceptional public speaker, and almost all his words inspired people. His one and only problem with a public speech -- and it was not his problem so much as an indictment of the American public -- was that he told the truth and was condemned for it. Reagan was an actor who knew how and was willing to tell people what they wanted to hear, not what they needed to hear. Carter was the opposite. That does not mean he was ever a poor public speaker, just that he wasn't willing to spout bullshit just to get elected.

It's called spine. He has it.

[renate]

19. boy howdy do I agree with you

I love Jimmy Carter. Has there been a president since him who told the American people what they NEEDED to hear rather than what they WANTED to hear? (That's a rhetorical question.)

I was pretty young when he was president so I didn't have the ability to tell whether he was a good public speaker, but I've always known that he was honest, even when it was to his detriment. What an absolutely wonderful and deeply good man.

[cmd]

22. People did not want to face responsibility

Carter had an energy plan that helped America. In that plan, Americans had to make some sacrifices. In the ME, ME, ME world; sacrifice is unacceptable. Carter lives responsiblity. I have always admired him. Yes, he has always been a great speaker. That's what got him elected in the first place.

[ClayZ]

8. Here is the text to Pres. Carter's M.L. King Jr. Medal of Honor speech!

and great pictures.... Scroll down a bit for Carters speech.

http://www.medaloffreedom.com/MartinLutherKingJr.htm

[madame defarge]

9. Not only is he a great speaker...

but he's also a man who his truly dedicated to his faith. Check out his book "Our Endangered Values" -- regardless of your faith, you're bound to be impressed at his.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

14. DU February book of the month discussion....

check it out here. :)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=209x3300

[BrotherBuzz]

11. Carter always spoke well in public, but where he was really gifted...

was communicating one on one, or off the cuff. His press secretary never needed to interpret or explain what he said.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

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[MnFats]

13. he has always been a fine speaker....but..

...he was far too kind to Ronald Reagan in their debate.
...he should have just cut loose on the senile old bastard.

[democrank]

16. Carter has always been eloquent.

The depth of his principles always come through as does a simple, straightforward honesty.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

18. I'm thinking you're not really feeling sorry for saying that

maybe you're just sorry all the way around. Carter was a great pres. and has done more for the world than any other since leaving office.

[bowens43]

20. He's always been a great speaker and a great man.

[Kahuna]

21. He's always been good. He speaks from the heart. Always..

That's why he couldn't make it in D.C.

[BlueEyedSon]

23. After years of W, Porky Pig would sound like Shakespeare!

[OnionPatch]

24. I was young too

and not paying much attention, but I think he's always been able to speak well.

[ScreamingMeemie]

25. He always was, and his new book is excellent. Anyone over the age

of 14 can read it and understand it. Not a man of big words, but a man who is easy to understand. :hi:

[AndyA]

26. Carter was an underrated President

Whose presidency was fogged over by the Iranian hostage situation, a despicable situation where Americans were held hostage.

He is one of the few presidents who did more after he left office than before. He is a good man, with a good heart, and he speaks the truth. Even when the truth isn't the most popular option.

My respect for President Carter has grown since he left office, mostly because he's done something with his life, instead of writing memoirs and playing golf.

[YOY]

28. and when he leaves us that will be brought to the public's eye

That this great man is not going quietly into the night and scuttling under his failures (cough-cough-Nixon-cough-cough) but took the time to show the world that Americans are/can be compasionate and caring people.

and the real Christians are wonderful people.

[Maru Kitteh]

27. He's beautiful and I've ALWAYS loved him

He's a good and kind soul.

[Lerkfish]

29. no, he was always a fine speaker.

he just suffered from the reagan smear machine (sound familiar?)
He was constantly hounded about his miscreant brother, and mercilessly blamed for doing nothing about the hostages, which was untrue, many brave men lost their lives in a helicopter rescue attempt that exploded.
and, of course, we all know now that reagan, through Bush I, coerced Iran to hold on to the hostages until it was politically expedient for Reagan to release them.

He was, and continues to be, my favorite president in my lifetime.

now, I think Clinton was the best speaker, on script or off the cuff.
I'll give Reagan chops for best teleprompter readings.
I can't give Bush II anything at all, he's an abysmal failure at appearing presidential.

[Chiyo-chichi]

30. He was always a gifted speaker. * has lowered the bar...

and makes fence posts look good by comparison.

[gordianot]

31. Carter was right with his malaise speech. Truth is hard to listen to.

We all want to feel good and comfortable "not worry" when we should. When drastic problems are on the horizon it is hard to work up concern when our bellies are full and we can still spend like there is no tomorrow. It is tomorrow and * is the perfect expression of the old grasshopper and ant fable.

Carter was a detail man as an engineer he looked at the long term, the last person we had with this type of focus was Al Gore and he was also criticized in similar terms. Carter and Gore look much better today even though they have not changed their message. This is what happens when you are ahead of your time and those whose message resonates with the public live in the past with Radical Conservative Reactionary ideology.

[Triana]

32. I remember him always being an excellent speaker...

...people made fun of him because he lacked charisma but he was an excellent speaker, fine president, and he is a fine, kind and intelligent man. He didn't win the Nobel Peace Prize for nuttin!

I really miss the days when we had REAL Presidents.

[Pacifist Patriot]

33. I never understood the "Great Communicator" monikor for Reagan.

I have always thought Jimmy Carter was a much better speaker.

[Samantha]

34. I agree with all the fine comments made here about Carter

I have four political heroes -- he is one. Yes, he was always a very fine public speaker. His intelligence was always evident. His honesty was never under question. I read that term above "real president" and I almost cried. This is what five years of Bush* has done to me. That's exactly what we need again -- a "real president."

What made Carter more of a standout yesterday even moreso to those of us who have always recognized his inherent greatness was the passion of his conviction and his unquestionable willingness to be candid in front of a worldwide audience when political "candor" was not the word of the day. I thoroughly agree with EarlG's thread about the right-wing's attack on the speakers at Coretta King's funeral, but the absolutely rivoting thing about Carter is that he played the intelligence card over the political card and used the television cameras to say EXACTLY what Ms. King WOULD HAVE WANTED HIM TO SAY even if the only opportunity to get the message out was at her funeral. I am not sure if I am saying this clearly but perhaps a better way to phrase the thought is this:

If there had been any immortal possibility Ms. King could have said anything personally herself yesterday to Carter, it would have been this: President Carter, I am presenting you with this golden opportunity to get OUR MESSAGE out, use it. And as if he heard her, so he did.

[upi402]

35. Always has been! Time tells clearer truths.

Compared to the "impared" that we hear all the time now, all the real public servants make the current hacks seem like idiot savants.

[cdsilv]

36. We really need Jimmy to run again, or perhaps Amy or Jack...

The Carters are really more than just peanut farmers.

I worked on his campaigns for governor and president - against Bo Calloway and Herman Talmadge.

Jimmy is a really true 'salt of the earth' Georgian - as am I. We're democrats in our bones, but we do disagree with some of the democrat ideals.

No matter.

We all believe in honesty, fiscally responsible government and ethics/morality in politics.

I used to work for a company whose overriding directive to employees was -

"In all situations, whether dealing with an employee, contractor, vendor or customer - do what is right".

We were expected to know "what is right". Many of us did, enough did not.

Of course that company got purchased by another company, which got purchased by yet another company.

RIP - Digital Equipment Corporation. Long may the PDP, VAX, ALPHA Tru64 and VMS live!!!

There are still customers running ALL-IN-1! 18 years ago I wrote an A1 application...the customer is still using it....!!!!!!

Oh yeah, there are OpenVMS systems that have been running for tens of years without a reboot. Can Windoze or Unix make that claim? NO!