Karine Delafosse
February 26, 2023
Jimmy Carter’s life after the presidency eclipsed his time in the White House and earned him the praise of the progressive left – a more dominant segment of the Democratic Party 42 years after his presidency ended.
Carter, 98, is a figure loved by many Democrats in 2023 despite his administration’s troubles. He is respected for leaving his footprint as a global humanist and peacemaker in a bitterly divided world.
For liberals, his influence on their movement is particularly profound.
“President Carter promoted progressive issues long before they became mainstream,” said Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of Our Revolution, a grassroots group formed with Senator Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) first presidential campaign. “His continued interest in public service laid the groundwork for modern day activists to address concerns ranging from environmental justice to workers’ rights to universal health coverage.”
While Carter’s reputation as a single-term president is tarnished by ongoing national and international turmoil and what critics denounce as uncertain leadership, his community service is widely viewed as altruistic and urgent.
Also read: Jimmy Carter receives hospice care, Carter Center says
It has enabled a quiet renaming of the 39th President’s legacy that is unique in American history.
Progressives feel particularly connected to his efforts.
“I love the guy,” said Cenk Uygur, host of leftist TV show The Young Turks, who has had numerous conversations with Carter. “I think he’s the most misunderstood president.”
Some of the liberal Democrats, who are Carter’s more palatable priorities, particularly raising awareness of climate justice and the risks of foreign fuel dependency, agree with many of what they are pushing for today.
“While we do not agree with all of his political positions, he was way ahead of his time on what is now an urgent need to protect the environment and expand the social safety net,” said Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working Families Party.
Carter’s humble beginnings as a raw, unpretentious Georgia peanut farmer make him an unlikely holder of the nation’s highest office and a likable figure on the left.
Parts of Carter’s personal identity and unorthodox approach are reflected symbolically in some of today’s leading progressive figures. He also laid the groundwork for dozens of insurgent working-class candidates to enter government.
Before-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) defeated the entire Democratic field at the Iowa caucuses, and before Sanders gave Hillary Clinton a real fight for her money in the 2016 Democratic primary, Carter finished better than expected in the same rural area early nomination contest.
“In his post-presidency tenure, he pushed the founding of the Democratic Party to think outside of the DC bubble,” said Rahna Epting, executive director of MoveOn. “His legacy of progressive people-first politics is enduring.”
Some argue that this redesigned campaign model and vision for what is possible has fueled the aspirations of many under the modern progressive tent, where underrepresented candidates can rise through unconventional means and test new ideas.
When the country was still reeling from Watergate and the end of the Nixon era, Carter had an alternative approach to tackling the country’s problems, including an affinity for Southern-style retail politics. He convinced enough voters to give a relatively unknown governor a chance in the White House and eventually won the Democratic primary against the odds, fueled in part by the momentum of his local start.
“Jimmy Carter really was one of the first grassroots presidents,” Epting said. “His 1976 election marked the end of the top-down primaries. It was a turning point in raising the voice of the people.”
Carter’s ability later in life to garner praise from both liberals and moderates, including President Biden, after a shaky presidency makes him an anomaly.
“Jimmy Carter’s legacy is complex and doesn’t fit well into contemporary ideological frameworks,” Mitchell said. “Carter led by instinct, regardless of the political consequences.”
Carter is a progressive from a different era and time, and his policies when he served in the White House don’t all qualify as liberal in today’s climate — at least for some.
“After he left office he was wonderfully progressive, but during his tenure he was economically too conservative,” Uygur said.
His presidency was marked by inflation and many criticized his approach to the economy and unemployment.
His tenure was particularly marked by the Iran hostage crisis, a traumatic event for Americans living through that time.
But he also had great foreign policy successes, including the Camp David peace accords with Egypt and Israel.
“He was great at foreign policy in an underestimated way,” argued Uygur. “He literally made peace in the Middle East and brought Israel and Egypt a peace deal that lasted for decades.”
Youngkin says Biden should go to Ohio instead of Virginia to talk healthcare.
In later years, the former President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate rallied global support for democratic reform through the Carter Center and significant contributions to the housing movement through Habitat for Humanity. Progressives say he also had a lasting impact on public health.
“His life after the presidency was an exercise in service and selflessness. He has spoken openly about injustices in the United States and abroad, and was among a small group of officials who were willing to speak out when naming those injustices was uncomfortable,” Mitchell said.
“All lives and presidencies are complex and Carter’s was no different. However, his commitment to living in a fairer, greener world will live on,” he added.
Source
Jimmy Carter’s life after the presidency eclipsed his time in the White House and earned him the praise of the progressive left – a more dominant segment of the Democratic Party 42 years after his presidency ended.
Carter, 98, is a figure loved by many Democrats in 2023 despite his administration’s troubles. He is respected for leaving his footprint as a global humanist and peacemaker in a bitterly divided world.
For liberals, his influence on their movement is particularly profound.
“President Carter promoted progressive issues long before they became mainstream,” said Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of Our Revolution, a grassroots group formed with Senator Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) first presidential campaign. “His continued interest in public service laid the groundwork for modern day activists to address concerns ranging from environmental justice to workers’ rights to universal health coverage.”
While Carter’s reputation as a single-term president is tarnished by ongoing national and international turmoil and what critics denounce as uncertain leadership, his community service is widely viewed as altruistic and urgent.
Also read: Jimmy Carter receives hospice care, Carter Center says
It has enabled a quiet renaming of the 39th President’s legacy that is unique in American history.
Progressives feel particularly connected to his efforts.
“I love the guy,” said Cenk Uygur, host of leftist TV show The Young Turks, who has had numerous conversations with Carter. “I think he’s the most misunderstood president.”
Some of the liberal Democrats, who are Carter’s more palatable priorities, particularly raising awareness of climate justice and the risks of foreign fuel dependency, agree with many of what they are pushing for today.
“While we do not agree with all of his political positions, he was way ahead of his time on what is now an urgent need to protect the environment and expand the social safety net,” said Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working Families Party.
Carter’s humble beginnings as a raw, unpretentious Georgia peanut farmer make him an unlikely holder of the nation’s highest office and a likable figure on the left.
Parts of Carter’s personal identity and unorthodox approach are reflected symbolically in some of today’s leading progressive figures. He also laid the groundwork for dozens of insurgent working-class candidates to enter government.
Before-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) defeated the entire Democratic field at the Iowa caucuses, and before Sanders gave Hillary Clinton a real fight for her money in the 2016 Democratic primary, Carter finished better than expected in the same rural area early nomination contest.
“In his post-presidency tenure, he pushed the founding of the Democratic Party to think outside of the DC bubble,” said Rahna Epting, executive director of MoveOn. “His legacy of progressive people-first politics is enduring.”
Some argue that this redesigned campaign model and vision for what is possible has fueled the aspirations of many under the modern progressive tent, where underrepresented candidates can rise through unconventional means and test new ideas.
When the country was still reeling from Watergate and the end of the Nixon era, Carter had an alternative approach to tackling the country’s problems, including an affinity for Southern-style retail politics. He convinced enough voters to give a relatively unknown governor a chance in the White House and eventually won the Democratic primary against the odds, fueled in part by the momentum of his local start.
“Jimmy Carter really was one of the first grassroots presidents,” Epting said. “His 1976 election marked the end of the top-down primaries. It was a turning point in raising the voice of the people.”
Carter’s ability later in life to garner praise from both liberals and moderates, including President Biden, after a shaky presidency makes him an anomaly.
“Jimmy Carter’s legacy is complex and doesn’t fit well into contemporary ideological frameworks,” Mitchell said. “Carter led by instinct, regardless of the political consequences.”
Carter is a progressive from a different era and time, and his policies when he served in the White House don’t all qualify as liberal in today’s climate — at least for some.
“After he left office he was wonderfully progressive, but during his tenure he was economically too conservative,” Uygur said.
His presidency was marked by inflation and many criticized his approach to the economy and unemployment.
His tenure was particularly marked by the Iran hostage crisis, a traumatic event for Americans living through that time.
But he also had great foreign policy successes, including the Camp David peace accords with Egypt and Israel.
“He was great at foreign policy in an underestimated way,” argued Uygur. “He literally made peace in the Middle East and brought Israel and Egypt a peace deal that lasted for decades.”
Youngkin says Biden should go to Ohio instead of Virginia to talk healthcare.
In later years, the former President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate rallied global support for democratic reform through the Carter Center and significant contributions to the housing movement through Habitat for Humanity. Progressives say he also had a lasting impact on public health.
“His life after the presidency was an exercise in service and selflessness. He has spoken openly about injustices in the United States and abroad, and was among a small group of officials who were willing to speak out when naming those injustices was uncomfortable,” Mitchell said.
“All lives and presidencies are complex and Carter’s was no different. However, his commitment to living in a fairer, greener world will live on,” he added.
Source
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