Remembering Jimmy Carter

I’m sitting in my hotel room in New York thinking about the last time I interviewed former President Jimmy Carter. We lost him yesterday at the age of 100.

I had interviewed him a few times over the years about his work with Habitat for Humanity. I had a sit down interview with him at the Carter Center in Atlanta. He was always kind and gracious.

The last time I interviewed him though was by satellite on the release of his new book “Sources of Strength.” It was a collection of Bible lessons he had taught in his church in Plains, Georgia. (One of my biggest regrets, by the way, is not getting in a car and making the drive to Plains to see him teach a Sunday school class. Dumb, lazy me.)

I can’t remember which particular Sunday school lesson I brought up in the interview. It was clear though that I had read his book and not just the notes sent out by the publisher.

When we were done, I thanked him. President Carter responded, “Thank you. I have enjoyed it and thank you for reading my book.”

That thrilled me beyond measure. Jimmy Carter knew I had done my homework!

Much is being written today and will be in the coming days about Jimmy Carter’s presidency. It is a lot of good and bad.

Much is being written today and in the coming days about his post presidency. I don’t think you can say much bad about that.

I have always said Jimmy Carter was our best former president.

Why? I think he was a good person to start with. Not that our other former presidents were not, but Jimmy Carter seemed to have an every man quality to him. He never forgot where he came from.

He was humble. He was willing to serve in any capacity. Maybe it was building a house for someone who couldn’t afford it. Maybe it was traveling to a country to ensure a fair election was taking place.

I hope we remember the good things Jimmy Carter did. I know I will.

I’ll especially remember that time he thanked me for reading his book.

Thank you, Mr. President.