Jonathan Alter

The only thing I want to say to your audience, Don, because I know that many of the people listening really know a lot about history, is that as a Dutch historian, Van Eyck once wrote, history is an argument without end. And I am interested in opening an argument about Jimmy Carter's presidency and true legacy. I'm not expecting to win it on every particular, but

The only thing I want to say to your audience, Don, because I know that many of the people listening really know a lot about history, is that as a Dutch historian, Van Eyck once wrote, history is an argument without end. And I am interested in opening an argument about Jimmy Carter's presidency and true legacy. I'm not expecting to win it on every particular, but

The only thing I want to say to your audience, Don, because I know that many of the people listening really know a lot about history, is that as a Dutch historian, Van Eyck once wrote, history is an argument without end. And I am interested in opening an argument about Jimmy Carter's presidency and true legacy. I'm not expecting to win it on every particular, but

I do think that he has been badly misjudged and underestimated. And while nobody would nominate him for Mount Rushmore, I think it's a mistake to try to depict him as a saint or try to apologize for his many mistakes. Notwithstanding that, historians have a different mission than journalists. As a journalist, I judge politicians in some cases by

I do think that he has been badly misjudged and underestimated. And while nobody would nominate him for Mount Rushmore, I think it's a mistake to try to depict him as a saint or try to apologize for his many mistakes. Notwithstanding that, historians have a different mission than journalists. As a journalist, I judge politicians in some cases by

I do think that he has been badly misjudged and underestimated. And while nobody would nominate him for Mount Rushmore, I think it's a mistake to try to depict him as a saint or try to apologize for his many mistakes. Notwithstanding that, historians have a different mission than journalists. As a journalist, I judge politicians in some cases by

how popular they are, how successful are they at bringing the American people along with them. But historians have a different mission. We need to look at presidents by how they changed the country and the world. And if you look at something like normalization with China, Deng Xiaoping leaves after meeting with Carter in 1979. He goes home, he legalizes private property.

how popular they are, how successful are they at bringing the American people along with them. But historians have a different mission. We need to look at presidents by how they changed the country and the world. And if you look at something like normalization with China, Deng Xiaoping leaves after meeting with Carter in 1979. He goes home, he legalizes private property.

how popular they are, how successful are they at bringing the American people along with them. But historians have a different mission. We need to look at presidents by how they changed the country and the world. And if you look at something like normalization with China, Deng Xiaoping leaves after meeting with Carter in 1979. He goes home, he legalizes private property.

And China goes from a country with a GDP like that of a sub-Saharan African nation to the greatest, fastest growth in human history. None of that is possible without this bilateral relationship that Carter and Deng Xiaoping initiated. So Carter thinks that will be the most long-lasting accomplishment of his presidency. My point is that you have to look at what changed.

And China goes from a country with a GDP like that of a sub-Saharan African nation to the greatest, fastest growth in human history. None of that is possible without this bilateral relationship that Carter and Deng Xiaoping initiated. So Carter thinks that will be the most long-lasting accomplishment of his presidency. My point is that you have to look at what changed.

And China goes from a country with a GDP like that of a sub-Saharan African nation to the greatest, fastest growth in human history. None of that is possible without this bilateral relationship that Carter and Deng Xiaoping initiated. So Carter thinks that will be the most long-lasting accomplishment of his presidency. My point is that you have to look at what changed.

What were the downstream effects? And that's a complicated historical... project. So just to take one other small example that I think people can relate to, before Carter, you couldn't drink craft beer. The brewery industry was under these ancient regulations. If you wanted to fly from New York to LA, it would cost you $1,300 or $1,400.

What were the downstream effects? And that's a complicated historical... project. So just to take one other small example that I think people can relate to, before Carter, you couldn't drink craft beer. The brewery industry was under these ancient regulations. If you wanted to fly from New York to LA, it would cost you $1,300 or $1,400.

What were the downstream effects? And that's a complicated historical... project. So just to take one other small example that I think people can relate to, before Carter, you couldn't drink craft beer. The brewery industry was under these ancient regulations. If you wanted to fly from New York to LA, it would cost you $1,300 or $1,400.

In today's dollars, when Carter deregulated the airline industry, that changed. There are so many things that not just Carter, but that any president does or doesn't do that look different later, that we need to resist superficial judgments like, Mediocre president, great former president.

In today's dollars, when Carter deregulated the airline industry, that changed. There are so many things that not just Carter, but that any president does or doesn't do that look different later, that we need to resist superficial judgments like, Mediocre president, great former president.

In today's dollars, when Carter deregulated the airline industry, that changed. There are so many things that not just Carter, but that any president does or doesn't do that look different later, that we need to resist superficial judgments like, Mediocre president, great former president.

And just look in a little bit more of a sophisticated way at how a complex, decent man governed in what you accurately described as very complicated, fraught times in the 1970s.

And just look in a little bit more of a sophisticated way at how a complex, decent man governed in what you accurately described as very complicated, fraught times in the 1970s.