Jimmy Carter was unjustly shit on for years.

[Tommy Carcetti]

People would not forget his loss to Reagan, the challenges from within his own party, the hostage crisis, having to deal with the leftover economic stagflation from the Nixon years, etc.

He was made out to be the epitome of a failed, one-term presidency.

The public image on him softened a bit when people realized all the good he was doing in his post-presidency and what a remarkable human being he was. But even then, people tended to focus only on that, as opposed to re-evaluating a lot of the things he did as President.

As it turns out, Jimmy Carter did a lot of great things as President. His lasting legacy was far better than what his detractors claimed. There's the Camp David accords, of course. And the Department of Education. And a lot of positive environmental policy. And greater diversity in terms of race and gender than we had ever seen before.

Now, we are looking at another one-term Democratic President being similarly dragged through the mud and attacked, even though he did a tremendous job during his time in office. That we avoided a recession under his watch is nothing short of a miracle on his part, and people forget that too easily.

Unfortunately for Joe Biden, he will not likely have the same benefit of time that Jimmy Carter did--Carter was 56 years old when he left office, as opposed to Biden's 81.

But I can only hope that he lives long enough to see proper justice done to his legacy as President, as opposed to this disgusting hit job that exists at the current moment.

[Easterncedar]

1. You've got that exactly right.

I think the dems should have run on Biden’s successes and the great programs that pulled us out of the Covid economy and made ours the envy of the world. His protection of the environment and his support for the underprivileged. He was wonderful. We let the media tell us otherwise.

[CrispyQ]

2. Also, dems let repubs paint him as a simple peanut farmer, when he was also this:

from Google:

Which president had a degree in nuclear engineering?
President Jimmy Carter

A trained nuclear engineer, Carter worked under famed Admiral Hyman Rickover, the father of the Navy's nuclear program, on the "Sea Wolf," an atomic submarine. He also studied nuclear physics at Union College in New York.

I knew people who didn't know that, when he was running against Reagan, & you couldn't just pull your phone out & show them back then.

You could say the dems dropped the ball on messaging but really, they never picked it up.

[NNadir]

8. He wasn't really a trained "nuclear engineer."

He was a well educated graduate of Annapolis, but in the 1950's nuclear engineering was a highly specialized field limited largely to physicists.

[CrispyQ]

21. Thanks for the correction. -nt

[NNadir]

25. Everybody seems to have a huge misunderstanding of his role...

...in nuclear technology.

My least favorite exaggeration is how he "saved Ontario" (or even "Saved Canada and "saved Detroit" ) from the Chalk River CRX meltdown.

What he did was to work with a team to briefly go into the core for a few seconds to loosen a bolt so the reactor could be repaired and restarted. He was very honest about what he did. The reactor was restarted and ran for years afterwards. He did get exposure to radiation but obviously not enough to impair his health.

I note he was physically present at two reactor meltdowns, CRX and TMI. It should tell people something that he lived to 100. I note that his family apparently had a rare genetic mutation that led all three of his siblings as well his father to dying young of pancreatic cancer. His mother died late in life from the same disease. The mutation is unusual in that it is dominant so heterzygous holders of that genome get the cancer. It is possible that he was homozygous for the recessive nonpathogenic gene, which is more likely than his survival being from radiation hormesis, which is an area under active investigation. A sample size of N=1 is meaningless but the fact that he was exposed to more radiation than most of us certainly is interesting in light of his long and productive life.

His nuclear policies in particular as well as his general energy policies as President, while often praised were unwise in my view.

[chouchou]

3. I remember the day when Reagan was voted into office.

I also remember the reality that the majority of the United States citizens were not as intelligent as I thought.
Also, a great friend of mine, who worked in the film industry..had these words >> "Not very sharp and deep down mean""

[dchill]

28. In other words, a true Republican.

[ShazzieB]

42. And because he was so genial and charming, people thought he was too "nice" to do anything bad.

That fake "aw, shucks!" charm of his used to set my teeth on edge. He was both phony and hypocritical, two of my least favorite things. 😬

Looks and charm fueled his movie career (which is fine) and his political career (not so fine, because a political career should ideally be based on something more substantial).

[leftyladyfrommo]

51. And one day later Iran let the hostages go.

He just got such a bum rap. And it was so obvious he had been played.

It really was awful.

[OLDMDDEM]

4. You are spot on.

[Paladin]

5. Couldn't agree with you more. Thanks! (nt)

[Rhiannon12866]

6. Jimmy Carter was the first candidate who I paid attention to and really liked

And having gone through his autobiography ("A Full Life: Reflections at 90" ) several times, I realize how right I was back then - and learned so many more things to admire him for. And that's never changed.

[LittleGirl]

31. Hi, I voted for him in 80 for my first presidential vote after turning 18 in '78

I liked Jimmy Carter and everything he was doing. I made sure I voted that year. When he lost and Reagan started raising taxes on my waitress pay, I got furious. When Carter started working on habitat for humanity, I wanted to join in but had to work. Carter helped build several homes in my home town and returned often. A great and honorable saint in my opinion. I didn't vote from 1980 until 2007 because of my disgust. Remember, I came of age while Nixon was in office and left disgraced. I'll never forgive Ford for pardoning Nixon. But I do have to say one thing, Nixon went into hiding and we never heard about him until he died. I wish history would have repeated that silence between 2020 and 2024. Instead, look how we ended up in 2025. ugh.

[calimary]

35. I voted for him, too.

I’m very proud to say I NEVER voted for reagan. Not EVER.

[NNadir]

7. The Biden Presidency was a golden age right after a disaster.

The propaganda outfits that call themselves "journalists" can carry on endlessly with all kinds of personal attacks, but the results show clearly that he was a successful and honorable President.

[Clouds Passing]

9. Fuck the media, they own all the hate they generate. May it hit them back tenfold.

[Butterflylady]

13. Oh...it will......and hard!

[tman]

10. Biden did a lot of great things as president....but

I don't think his decision to run again and the disastrous debate that followed, will be looked at as anything other than a historic mistake.

It doesn't matter what we all think. That's just the reality of it.

[Greybnk48]

11. Exactly. It's sickening to see this happening again to our best President in years.

Meanwhile, the Republicans aggressively name airports, ships, Army bases, and buildings after criminals and racists. They hang awards around the necks of lowlife's like Limbaugh (a racist pedophile). AND they elect a racist convicted felon and treat him like a God.
How do we fight this. I'm 76, and this has gone on for decades.

[calimary]

36. Well, when we regain power, we scrub ALL those names

and restore the originals.

[Butterflylady]

12. He will always be my favorite president.....

[LoisB]

14. Joe Biden pulled this country out of the ditch IT left it in. He will always have my respect

and gratitude. The best President of my lifetime.

[Karadeniz]

15. Totally agree !

[greatauntoftriplets]

16. Great post.

[brer cat]

17. Thanks for this great post, Tommy.

[CaptainTruth]

18. Remember he sold his peanut farm? To avoid conflicts of interest?

That's integrity.

Now look at Traitor Trump.

JFC

[3auld6phart]

22. Absolutely

No comparison. That orange slug shit is absolute filth. he can’t buy the farm fast enough and leave this Vale of Tears…

[peggysue2]

19. It is amazing how quickly the turnaround occurred

I remember the days when Joe Biden was being declared "The best president of our lifetimes, the closest we'd come to resurrecting FDR." His policies to Build Back Better were celebrated and the economic 'soft landing" after the Covid/Trump debacle was heralded as nothing short of miraculous.

Now?

The man couldn't get a cup of coffee if he begged.

Despite all the criticism and dragging, Joe Biden was a very good president. Neither perfect nor flawless, Biden was a leader who actually knew what leadership meant. He was accountable, responsible and loved the country and her people. I don't recall a single moment when President Biden denigrated America, attempted to rewrite our history or spit on the service of our military and/or those who sacrificed their lives.

I dearly hope that Biden's legacy will take the trajectory of Jimmy Carter's: spurned in the moment but celebrated in the future.

We were lucky to have him. The right man at the right time.

Let's hope we find a future leader, someone as good, decent and fair-minded as Joe Biden, to walk us back into the light.

[Self Esteem]

20. Unfortunately, Carter only rehabilitated his image through his private endeavors.

His presidency was still largely seen as a failure.

When he passed, it was not uncommon to hear people proclaim that he wasn't a good president but clearly a good man.

As you said, Biden likely won't have the time to recreate himself in the public eye like Carter did as a humanitarian.

[Johnny2X2X]

23. Two best presidents of my lifetime were Biden and Carter

Biden was phenominal!

Carter was great too and was a victim of corporate owned media and a corrupt military who literally was bribing out enemies to hold US citizens hostage longer so Reagan could beat Carter.

[Martin Eden]

24. Well said!

And true.

[Scubamatt]

26. Unfortunately,

the media can't allow any president who champions any left of center policies - or even shows that government can work and be a positive force in people's lives - to be viewed as popular or successful. So, the hit jobs against Biden have to continue.

[calimary]

37. Then so should the pushback.

Never, and I do mean NEVER let the bad guys get the last word.

[Scubamatt]

40. Well said

[azureblue]

44. correction

or a man who puts the welfare of the people of America, first. Like Carter, he followed what Jesus taught - take care of the sick, the elderly, the poor, the immigrant, the rich use their money to help those in need.

The fact the GOP absolutely HATES that, says it all.

[spanone]

27. K&R

They can't mention the Biden Administration without shitting on them.

I hate these fuckers with a passion.

[emiami]

29. Reality

The experience and intelligence of his chosen cabinet; all well qualified for their positions spoke volumes for Biden's integrity, seriousness and true patriotism. Biden allowed for peace of mind, as opposed to the constant anxiety we feel every woken hour with trump and his idiot evil jokers.

[FalloutShelter]

30. Ageism is the only accepted prejudice.

Period.

[moondust]

32. Media demand govertainment!

GQP are happy to play that superficial game with their low-grade TV actors (Raygun, TSF, Hogsbreath, Dr. Oz, Drunk Jeanine, etc.).

[nowforever]

33. Big money

is greed driven so any politician who advocates for the majority is seen as the enemy. Money buys allegiance and clearly their is a good number of people who will sell their souls for a buck. Capitalism is where a few capitalize on the many.

[Polybius]

34. "Carter was 56 years old when he left office, as opposed to Biden's 81"

Biden was 82 when he left office on January 20th. His birthday is November 20th.

[BurnDoubt]

38. Thank You, Joe.

For not making America about "Me... Me... Me". And if Deplorable-the- First cared about anybody else there might be hope. He has moved Heaven and Earth for his own selfish aggrandizement and NOT a twitch for the People. It's high contrast material time.

[happy feet]

39. Exactly

Americans focus on unimportant at the expense of importance and competence. Just want to nit pic w/out any credit for accomplishments for the people.

[mdbl]

41. That is how they keep the cult going

they have to hate someone (s)

[azureblue]

43. Carter was persecuted

For being a true Christian - a man who lives by the teachings of Jesus. The GOP could not stand that at all.

[Joinfortmill]

45. Carter was a soft spoken guy, with nerves of steel.

Did a tango with with a nuclear reactor

[KT2000]

46. The country was outraged over

him talking about a malaise in America, lusting after women, hitting a swimming rabbit, and trying to make America energy independent.
These issues were championed by the media, especially James Fallows' column called the Passionless President. Memes handed to the RW on a sliver platter.

[Hassler]

47. He made homebrewing possible. If he'd done

Nothing else he'd be a winner for me.

[soldierant]

48. All of that.

Bear with me as I slip off topic - I'll get back.

I' allergic to wheat and avoided wheat free bread for years because it was so much like cardboard, but I've been trying some again. Rudi's makes a gluten free Brioche Style bread which I have tried and it is edible. When I read the label this passed through my mind - "Brioche - that's what Marie Antoinette said, not cake - if indeed she said anything at all and it wasn't just a made-up thing like Hillary sex trafficking children in a pizza parlor basement."

Other maligned historical figures include Richard III of England and the emperor Nero. I pray that doesn't happen to Joe, or Hillary

[DiverDave]

49. He absolutely

Was.
The last truly decent person elected President.

[pansypoo53219]

50. smoke + mirrors to help their golden SQUIRREL ratings pig, drumpf.

fuck teevee gnewz.