ABC News – 12/10/02 : Carter takes out Nobel Peace Prize
And it is well deserved:
The committee says Mr Carter received the award for “his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights and to promote economic and social development”.
I am too young to remeber what kind of President Carter was, although history has not been very kind to him, and I can think of no ex-President who has done more to promote democracy, decency, and equality than Jimmy Carter.
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Kevin
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Kevin T. Keith
Judd
I liked Carter, and was my first vote for POTUS…while all of my college buds voted for sluggo.
That said, I think he was almost too human for the office. He didn’t seem to understand that when the country is going through tough times people look to the office for strength, decisiveness, black and white thinking, and hope…even if they know it’s just a Hollywood illusion.
I think the award to Carter was less an award for his achievments than a jab at Dubya. The Nobel committee was sending a rather pointed message to the current administration — that was my first thought when I heard that Carter had won, before I read the Yahoo story.
Carter was a pretty good president, if my memory serves. Not great, better than adequate. He didn’t handle the hostage crisis very well, though, and that will be what he’s primarily remembered for.
What most people forget about Reagan is that the hostage release was directly tied to Reagan releasing $8 billion in Iranian funds the same day he was inaugurated… not, as many people like to say, the fact that they were scared what Reagan’s reaction would be.
Carter has done some great work since he left office, it’s good to see him recognized for it, regardless of the motivation.