1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,720 Hey everyone and welcome back, ready to jump into another deep dive. 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:05,100 Always ready to dive in. 3 00:00:05,100 --> 00:00:09,560 Today we're tackling a figure who I feel like gets simplified in the history books. 4 00:00:10,220 --> 00:00:12,600 You're ready to explore the life of Jimmy Carter. 5 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:13,500 Absolutely. 6 00:00:13,500 --> 00:00:18,720 He's definitely a fascinating guy with a lot more going on than just peanuts in the presidency. 7 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:20,220 That's what we're here to uncover. 8 00:00:20,220 --> 00:00:22,580 We're going way beyond the usual talking points today. 9 00:00:22,580 --> 00:00:23,280 Right. 10 00:00:23,420 --> 00:00:28,820 And to do that, we've got some incredible excerpts from 10 short stories about Jimmy Carter. 11 00:00:28,820 --> 00:00:31,240 This book is packed with surprising stories. 12 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:32,560 Okay, I'm hooked already. 13 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:33,060 Okay. 14 00:00:33,060 --> 00:00:37,960 The intro mentions some pretty intriguing stuff, like his birthplace is unusual. 15 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:40,140 And something about a nuclear reactor. 16 00:00:40,140 --> 00:00:41,580 Oh, you're in for a treat. 17 00:00:41,580 --> 00:00:43,580 And there's even a connection to Elvis Presley. 18 00:00:43,580 --> 00:00:44,940 It's going to be a wild ride. 19 00:00:44,940 --> 00:00:45,920 I am so ready. 20 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:46,820 Let's get started. 21 00:00:46,820 --> 00:00:52,120 So, about that birthplace thing, I have to admit, I don't know a lot about Carter's early life. 22 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:54,120 What's so unusual about where he was born? 23 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:55,000 Well, get this. 24 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,900 Jimmy Carter was the very first US president born in a hospital. 25 00:00:58,900 --> 00:00:59,400 What? 26 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:00,400 Really? 27 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:02,000 That never even crossed my mind. 28 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:03,700 It seems so commonplace now. 29 00:01:03,700 --> 00:01:04,700 I know, right? 30 00:01:04,700 --> 00:01:06,700 But back then, things were different. 31 00:01:06,700 --> 00:01:10,600 Before World War II, hospitals were mainly for poor folks. 32 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:11,400 Interesting. 33 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:14,600 So, wealthier families would have doctors make house calls. 34 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:15,100 Exactly. 35 00:01:15,100 --> 00:01:16,400 They could afford that luxury. 36 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,600 But Carter's family, they lived in rural Georgia. 37 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:21,900 No electricity, no running water. 38 00:01:21,900 --> 00:01:23,900 Hospitals were their only option. 39 00:01:23,900 --> 00:01:25,000 Ah, makes sense. 40 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,800 So, it was more about their economic situation than anything else. 41 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:28,800 It was. 42 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,400 Plus, his mom, Lillian, was a nurse at the local hospital. 43 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:36,400 Giving birth there meant she'd recover quicker and lose less income for the family. 44 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:40,800 It really highlights how different his upbringing was compared to many other presidents. 45 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:41,500 Absolutely. 46 00:01:41,500 --> 00:01:43,400 It gives you a whole new perspective on his background. 47 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:44,800 It definitely does. 48 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:52,300 Speaking of early influences, there's that incredible story about young Jimmy and the Joe Louis Maxx-smelling fight. 49 00:01:52,300 --> 00:01:53,200 Oh, yeah. 50 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:56,000 The fight that captivated the whole nation. 51 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:00,800 Carter always remembered listening to that radio broadcast with his family and some of their black neighbors. 52 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,300 And I think this is where things get really interesting, right? 53 00:02:03,300 --> 00:02:10,000 Because after the fight, which Joe Louis, a black boxer, won, Carter observed something pretty profound. 54 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:10,900 He did. 55 00:02:10,900 --> 00:02:17,900 You see, despite the shared excitement of Louis' victory, Carter's black neighbors, who didn't even own a radio themselves, 56 00:02:17,900 --> 00:02:21,400 stuck to the rigid social norms of segregation. 57 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,500 They thanked his father politely and then headed back home to celebrate on their own. 58 00:02:25,500 --> 00:02:31,000 It's crazy to think about how a seemingly simple event like that could leave such a lasting impression. 59 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:31,900 It did. 60 00:02:31,900 --> 00:02:33,900 That experience stayed with him. 61 00:02:33,900 --> 00:02:39,600 It shaped his views on racial equality and influenced his actions later on as governor and president. 62 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:45,000 It's a powerful reminder of how childhood experiences can have a lasting impact on our worldview. 63 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:46,900 Okay, shifting gears a bit. 64 00:02:46,900 --> 00:02:51,000 I was surprised to learn about Carter's early involvement with the Sumter County Library Board. 65 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,400 A future president passionate about books. 66 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:54,200 That's cool. 67 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,200 His love of reading and learning definitely started early. 68 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:03,200 And get this, as a teenager on that board, he helped create a traveling library, a bookmobile basically, 69 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:05,700 bringing books to folks in his rural community. 70 00:03:05,700 --> 00:03:06,900 That's amazing. 71 00:03:06,900 --> 00:03:09,800 And clearly, that passion stayed with him. 72 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,200 He's written over 30 books himself. 73 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,600 Do we know which one he considered his favorite? 74 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:16,200 He often said, 75 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:23,400 Let us now praise famous men was the one. It's a really powerful look at poverty in the American South during the Great Depression. 76 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,600 Given his own upbringing, I can see why that would resonate with him. 77 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:27,400 Absolutely. 78 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:32,200 It's speaks volumes about his values and how he viewed the struggles of others. 79 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:38,000 Now, for a little bit of a curveball, did you know Carter wasn't his high school's valedictorian? 80 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:39,800 Wait, really? What happened? 81 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:41,500 Senior Ditch Day. 82 00:03:41,500 --> 00:03:44,600 Getting zeros for that day knocked him out of the talk spot. 83 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:48,800 Oh, wow. Guess even future presidents aren't immune to the temptation of Senior Skip Day. 84 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,600 Nope. Looks like everyone falls prey to that one. 85 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:57,500 But even with that little detour, he still graduated the top 10% of his class at the US Naval Academy. 86 00:03:57,500 --> 00:03:59,700 So clearly, the guy was brilliant. 87 00:03:59,700 --> 00:04:02,200 Okay, from academics to something a bit more intense. 88 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,800 Carter's time as a nuclear engineer, he had a pretty harrowing experience, right? 89 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:10,200 Yeah, he was part of a rescue mission after a reactor explosion in Canada. 90 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:14,300 It was incredibly dangerous. We're talking about serious radiation exposure. 91 00:04:14,300 --> 00:04:16,000 How much exposure are we talking about? 92 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:21,400 It's scary to think about, but he basically absorbed a year's worth of radiation in just 89 seconds. 93 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:22,700 Wow, that's intense. 94 00:04:22,700 --> 00:04:25,400 It really speaks to his courage and sense of duty. 95 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:28,300 Okay, let's shift to Carter's political journey now. 96 00:04:28,300 --> 00:04:32,200 He's often seen as this honest, straightforward politician, 97 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:36,200 but his stance on civil rights is a bit more complicated than that. 98 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,200 It is. He was always personally against racism. 99 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:43,900 But in the South, during the 60s and 70s, he had to walk a fine line politically. 100 00:04:43,900 --> 00:04:46,700 Right. Like when he first ran for governor of Georgia, 101 00:04:46,700 --> 00:04:51,100 he was very open about refusing to join the White Citizens Council in his hometown 102 00:04:51,100 --> 00:04:53,500 and campaign on a pro-civil rights platform. 103 00:04:53,500 --> 00:04:58,500 And he lost. Badly. A tough lesson in Southern politics at the time. 104 00:04:58,500 --> 00:05:01,500 So when he ran again a few years later, he changed his approach. 105 00:05:01,500 --> 00:05:05,100 He even criticized his opponent for supporting Martin Luther King Jr., 106 00:05:05,100 --> 00:05:07,800 which is mind-blowing to think about now. 107 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:09,400 Wild, isn't it? 108 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,900 But it shows you the tough decisions politicians sometimes face. 109 00:05:12,900 --> 00:05:18,600 The thing is, after he won that election, Carter made a bold statement in his inaugural address. 110 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:22,300 He declared that racial discrimination was over in Georgia. 111 00:05:22,300 --> 00:05:25,500 He even hung a portrait of MLK in the governor's mansion. 112 00:05:25,500 --> 00:05:29,300 Wow. Sounds like he was trying to thread a very difficult needle. 113 00:05:29,300 --> 00:05:32,300 Appealing to voters while staying true to his principles, 114 00:05:32,300 --> 00:05:35,800 it seems he was finally able to champion racial equality once in office. 115 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:37,000 He was. 116 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:39,300 It reminds us that context matters. 117 00:05:39,300 --> 00:05:43,200 And political journeys rarely follow a straight path. 118 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:45,200 Okay, ready for something a bit lighter? 119 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:47,200 Let's talk about Carter's love of movies. 120 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:48,100 Oh, this I like. 121 00:05:48,100 --> 00:05:51,000 I knew about his love of reading, but a movie buff, too. 122 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:52,000 Big time. 123 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:55,300 I'd say he's right up there with Reagan and Clinton in his passion for cinema. 124 00:05:55,300 --> 00:05:59,000 Remember, deliverance, that movie was huge in Georgia. 125 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,900 And actually inspired Carter to create the Georgia Film Office. 126 00:06:01,900 --> 00:06:02,800 That's incredible. 127 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:05,300 And get this, during his presidency, 128 00:06:05,300 --> 00:06:08,700 he watched over 400 films in the White House screening room. 129 00:06:08,700 --> 00:06:10,000 What was his favorite, you think? 130 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:11,700 He said all the presidents meant. 131 00:06:11,700 --> 00:06:15,100 Interesting choice given his own journey in politics. 132 00:06:15,100 --> 00:06:17,600 Okay, this next one might surprise some people. 133 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:19,100 Carter and rock and roll. 134 00:06:19,100 --> 00:06:20,000 I know, right? 135 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:21,300 You don't picture him rocking out. 136 00:06:21,300 --> 00:06:22,100 Not exactly. 137 00:06:22,100 --> 00:06:23,500 So tell me, what's the connection? 138 00:06:23,500 --> 00:06:29,200 His campaign team realized how powerful rock music could be in reaching young voters. 139 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:32,700 Especially since this was the first election where 18-year-olds could vote. 140 00:06:32,700 --> 00:06:33,600 Smart move. 141 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:35,400 So who did they get involved? 142 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:37,500 Think Southern Rock royalty. 143 00:06:37,500 --> 00:06:43,400 The Almond Brothers Band, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett, even Charlie Daniels. 144 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:45,500 They held benefit concerts for Carter. 145 00:06:45,500 --> 00:06:46,500 That's wild. 146 00:06:46,500 --> 00:06:48,800 Definitely breaks the mold of how we usually imagine him. 147 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:49,300 It does. 148 00:06:49,300 --> 00:06:53,700 He was definitely willing to try unconventional ways to connect with people. 149 00:06:53,700 --> 00:06:57,200 Right, now for a story that caused quite a stir back in the day. 150 00:06:57,200 --> 00:06:59,100 The infamous Playboy interview. 151 00:06:59,100 --> 00:07:01,500 Oh yeah, the one where he talked about lust in his heart. 152 00:07:01,500 --> 00:07:03,500 I remember that making headlines. 153 00:07:03,500 --> 00:07:06,800 But beyond the attention-grabbing stuff, what was the lasting impact? 154 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,300 Well, it definitely shook things up with evangelical voters. 155 00:07:09,300 --> 00:07:12,800 Before that interview, they were solidly behind Carter. 156 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,500 But the Ford campaign, they were savvy. 157 00:07:15,500 --> 00:07:17,400 They used the controversy to their advantage. 158 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:22,200 They held events with evangelical leaders and made sure to emphasize Ford's faith. 159 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:23,300 Exactly. 160 00:07:23,300 --> 00:07:24,600 It was a turning point. 161 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:28,800 The Republican Party realized the power of faith-based campaigning. 162 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,200 Some even call it Southern Strategy 2.0. 163 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:35,100 Wow, that's a pretty significant ripple effect from one interview. 164 00:07:35,100 --> 00:07:38,200 Okay, this next one is a total curveball. 165 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:40,700 Carter's tech savviness. 166 00:07:40,700 --> 00:07:43,300 Are you telling me he was a secret tech geek? 167 00:07:43,300 --> 00:07:46,300 Maybe not a geek, but he was definitely ahead of his time. 168 00:07:46,300 --> 00:07:49,500 Especially during his 1976 campaign. 169 00:07:49,500 --> 00:07:54,000 They had a pretty sophisticated setup on his campaign jet for data analysis and communication. 170 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:55,200 All powered by computers. 171 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:57,600 The computer-driven candidate, they called him, right? 172 00:07:57,600 --> 00:07:58,600 We got it. 173 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,400 It just shows his forward-thinking approach in how he wasn't afraid of new technology. 174 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:08,300 Speaking of defying expectations, Carter was really determined to maintain a down-to-earth image as president. 175 00:08:08,300 --> 00:08:10,200 I've heard stories about that. 176 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:15,800 Being sworn in as Jimmy, walking in the inaugural parades, selling the presidential yacht. 177 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:20,200 He did all that, and he was always mending his own clothes, carrying his own briefcase. 178 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:22,900 Famously, he never owned anything from Brooks Brothers. 179 00:08:22,900 --> 00:08:24,800 Okay, gotta admit, that's pretty endearing. 180 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:29,600 But I wonder, did this common man approach always work in his favor? 181 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:31,000 It's a tough balancing act. 182 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:33,100 It made him relatable to a lot of people. 183 00:08:33,100 --> 00:08:37,000 But some folks thought it made him seem, well, not presidential enough. 184 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,400 Makes you think about the image we expect from our leaders. 185 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:45,100 Okay, this next story really highlights a different time in American politics. 186 00:08:45,100 --> 00:08:48,500 Carter's ability to stay respectful with political opponents. 187 00:08:48,500 --> 00:08:50,200 Something we don't see much of today. 188 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:51,400 It's true. 189 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:56,300 In his inaugural address, he even thanked Gerald Ford for healing the nation. 190 00:08:56,300 --> 00:08:58,600 He was referring to the controversial Nixon, pardon. 191 00:08:58,600 --> 00:08:59,800 Wow, that's incredible. 192 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,500 They even developed a close friendship and worked on a policy report together. 193 00:09:03,500 --> 00:09:06,200 You just don't see that kind of collaboration anymore. 194 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:07,100 It was a different era. 195 00:09:07,100 --> 00:09:10,700 Okay, I'm dying to hear about this Elvis Presley connection. 196 00:09:10,700 --> 00:09:12,600 How on earth are those two linked? 197 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:14,100 It's a wild story. 198 00:09:14,100 --> 00:09:15,500 Picture this. 199 00:09:15,500 --> 00:09:18,400 A phone call from Graceland. 200 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:23,200 Elvis, apparently not entirely sober, calls Carter looking for a pardon for a friend, 201 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:24,800 and help with perceived threats. 202 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,000 Wait, was Elvis a Carter supporter? 203 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:31,300 Actually, his politics were more aligned with Republicans, but he had met Carter before 204 00:09:31,300 --> 00:09:32,800 and tried to use that connection. 205 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:34,000 Wow, that's crazy. 206 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:35,400 What did Carter do? 207 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:39,800 He tried to reason with Elvis, explaining that a party before a trial wasn't possible, 208 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:42,400 but the calls kept coming, getting more and more incoherent. 209 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:43,200 That's so sad. 210 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:45,400 Knowing what we know about Elvis' struggles at the time. 211 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:46,300 It is. 212 00:09:46,300 --> 00:09:50,000 And when Elvis passed away a couple of months later, the White House issued a statement, 213 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,400 praising his contributions to American culture. 214 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,100 Okay, on to another aspect of Carter. 215 00:09:55,100 --> 00:09:56,800 His famous attention to detail. 216 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:02,000 Ah, yes, this guy was meticulously detail-oriented, almost to a fault. 217 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:06,200 Like, he actually personally managed the White House tennis court schedule. 218 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:06,900 No way. 219 00:10:06,900 --> 00:10:09,900 The president of the United States scheduling tennis matches. 220 00:10:09,900 --> 00:10:11,200 Apparently. 221 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:14,800 But sometimes this attention to detail actually work in his favor. 222 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:20,700 Like, his super detailed knowledge of Alaska's geography helped him catch some major flaws 223 00:10:20,700 --> 00:10:22,700 in a proposed conservation bill. 224 00:10:22,700 --> 00:10:26,500 Those were flaws that would have benefited real estate developers at the expense of the environment. 225 00:10:26,500 --> 00:10:27,500 And he lied on. 226 00:10:27,500 --> 00:10:30,200 He used that knowledge to block the bill from passing. 227 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:32,000 So, it was a double-edged sword. 228 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:35,000 Sometimes helpful, sometimes a bit obsessive. 229 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:36,800 Okay, another surprise. 230 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,600 Carter was pretty progressive on marijuana, wasn't he? 231 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:41,100 Especially for his time. 232 00:10:41,100 --> 00:10:42,000 He was. 233 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:46,400 Remember, this was the height of the tough-on-crime era, but Carter had a different perspective. 234 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:48,900 He even mentioned legalization on the campaign trail. 235 00:10:48,900 --> 00:10:49,500 You're kidding. 236 00:10:49,500 --> 00:10:50,600 That's pretty bold. 237 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:51,700 It was. 238 00:10:51,700 --> 00:10:56,900 He also invited John Lennon and Yoko Ono to his inauguration, which was a symbolic move 239 00:10:56,900 --> 00:10:59,900 given their advocacy for drug policy reform. 240 00:10:59,900 --> 00:11:07,400 And in 1977, he formally urged Congress to lower or even eliminate penalties for marijuana possession. 241 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:10,600 His argument was that the punishment shouldn't be worse than the drug itself. 242 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:11,300 Wow. 243 00:11:11,300 --> 00:11:17,000 It's fascinating to think about how things might have unfolded differently if his efforts had been successful. 244 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:17,600 Right. 245 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:19,900 What a different world it could be. 246 00:11:19,900 --> 00:11:25,200 Even though he didn't achieve full-scale reform, there was a small win in this area. 247 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:27,700 Remember that bill that legalized home beer brewing? 248 00:11:27,700 --> 00:11:28,600 Oh, right. 249 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:30,500 I'm sure his brother Billy was thrilled about that. 250 00:11:30,500 --> 00:11:31,200 Absolutely. 251 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:37,100 So, even though his big vision for drug policy change didn't happen, he secured a win for home brewers. 252 00:11:37,100 --> 00:11:38,400 Every little bit counts. 253 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:39,800 Okay, last one for this section. 254 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:41,400 Carter and Outer Space. 255 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:43,500 What's the connection with the Voyager program? 256 00:11:43,500 --> 00:11:46,400 Ah, this is one of my favorite Carter stories. 257 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:53,700 He was such a big supporter of Voyager, which sent those probes out with the golden records filled with info about Earth. 258 00:11:53,700 --> 00:11:58,100 It's basically a message in a bottle for the cosmos meant to travel for billions of years. 259 00:11:58,100 --> 00:11:59,300 Okay, that's just incredible. 260 00:11:59,300 --> 00:12:01,300 What exactly is on these golden records? 261 00:12:01,300 --> 00:12:02,200 You name it. 262 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:08,700 Pictures of people, animals, nature, diagrams explaining science, greetings in 55 languages. 263 00:12:08,700 --> 00:12:10,700 They even put the sound of a baby crying on there. 264 00:12:10,700 --> 00:12:13,900 Wow, it's like a little snapshot of what it means to be human. 265 00:12:13,900 --> 00:12:14,700 What about music? 266 00:12:14,700 --> 00:12:16,200 Did they send music out into space? 267 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:20,200 Oh yeah, they included classical music, folk music from all over the world. 268 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:23,900 And knowing Carter, I'm guessing he pushed for some rock and roll as well. 269 00:12:23,900 --> 00:12:24,900 You know it. 270 00:12:24,900 --> 00:12:28,600 He really wanted American blues and rock to be represented. 271 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:34,300 Initially, they were going to use Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles, but their publisher wouldn't give permission. 272 00:12:34,300 --> 00:12:35,700 Oh, that's a bummer. 273 00:12:35,700 --> 00:12:37,300 So what did they choose instead? 274 00:12:37,300 --> 00:12:40,000 They went with Johnny Be Good by Chuck Berry. 275 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:40,900 Nice. 276 00:12:40,900 --> 00:12:42,300 That's a classic. 277 00:12:42,300 --> 00:12:46,700 It's amazing to think about that song floating out there in the vastness of space. 278 00:12:46,700 --> 00:12:47,800 It's mind-blowing. 279 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:52,100 And get this, Carter also wrote a message that they etched onto the golden records. 280 00:12:52,100 --> 00:12:53,000 Okay, I have to know. 281 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:56,600 What did he say to these potential alien civilizations? 282 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,500 It's a long one, but here's a little piece. 283 00:12:59,500 --> 00:13:07,800 This is a present from a small distant world, a token of our sounds, our science, our images, our music, our thoughts, and our feelings. 284 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:11,800 We are attempting to survive our time so we may live into yours. 285 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:18,100 We hope someday, having solved the problems we face, to join a community of galactic civilizations. 286 00:13:18,100 --> 00:13:24,000 This record represents our hope and our determination and our goodwill in a vast and awesome universe. 287 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:25,100 That's beautiful. 288 00:13:25,100 --> 00:13:27,500 It's so hopeful and aspirational. 289 00:13:27,500 --> 00:13:31,000 It makes you realize how small we are in the grand scheme of things. 290 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,100 It's a powerful message. 291 00:13:33,100 --> 00:13:39,500 All right, let's bring things back down to earth for a minute, literally, with the story that resonates strongly in today's world. 292 00:13:39,500 --> 00:13:42,800 Carter's decision to cede control of the Panama Canal. 293 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:45,100 That was a pretty controversial move, right? 294 00:13:45,100 --> 00:13:45,700 It was. 295 00:13:45,700 --> 00:13:52,600 It generated a lot of debate and divided opinions, although not necessarily a long party lines as we see with many issues today. 296 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:57,300 Why would he give up something as strategically important as the Panama Canal? 297 00:13:57,300 --> 00:14:01,500 For Carter, it was all about doing what he felt was ethically right. 298 00:14:01,500 --> 00:14:07,800 He believed it was wrong for the US to hold onto the canal, which we built under some pretty questionable circumstances. 299 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:11,000 He was adamant that Panama should have control over its own land. 300 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:15,100 So it was a matter of principle for him, not political strategy or economic gain. 301 00:14:15,100 --> 00:14:15,900 It was. 302 00:14:15,900 --> 00:14:22,400 And to pull it off, he had to maneuver through some difficult political situations and even went over some unexpected allies. 303 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:24,200 You're talking about John Wayne, Frank. 304 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:25,200 Yep. 305 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:31,400 John Wayne, the ultimate symbol of American conservatism, became a major supporter of the Panama Canal treaties. 306 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:34,400 What? Really? That's so surprising. 307 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:37,000 I know. It's one of those things that makes you scratch your head at first. 308 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:40,200 But when you dig a little deeper, it makes a bit more sense. 309 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:46,900 Wayne was a strong patriot, but he was also practical and concerned about America's image in the world. 310 00:14:46,900 --> 00:14:49,600 So how did Carter convince him? 311 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:55,200 It involved a carefully orchestrated meeting with the Panamanian president, Omar Torrisos. 312 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,200 He was quite the charmer and a skilled diplomat. 313 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:04,900 Torrisos appealed to Wayne's sense of fairness, arguing that it was only right for Panama to have control of its own territory and destiny. 314 00:15:04,900 --> 00:15:05,900 That's pretty clever. 315 00:15:05,900 --> 00:15:07,000 It was. 316 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:13,200 And to really seal the deal, Torrisos set up a meeting between Wayne and some American soldiers stationed in Panama. 317 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:19,600 They argued that giving up the canal was actually the best way to ensure it kept running smoothly and didn't fall into the wrong hands. 318 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:23,200 So it was kind of a strategic maneuver to protect the canal in the long run? 319 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:24,100 Exactly. 320 00:15:24,100 --> 00:15:29,200 That argument really resonated with Wayne, who was a pragmatist at heart, despite his conservative leanings. 321 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:32,800 It's amazing how Wayne's support helped to sway public opinion. 322 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:34,500 It was a game changer. 323 00:15:34,500 --> 00:15:39,300 And once he was on board, it paved the way for the Senate to approve the treaties. 324 00:15:39,300 --> 00:15:42,500 Remarkably, it tasked with bipartisan support. 325 00:15:42,500 --> 00:15:43,900 It's an incredible story. 326 00:15:43,900 --> 00:15:53,600 It shows you that even in the midst of massive challenges and disagreements, people can find common ground and unexpected alliances can bring about real change. 327 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:54,800 Well said. 328 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:59,300 Okay, ready to explore a side of Carter that many people might not know about? 329 00:15:59,300 --> 00:16:00,800 His subtle sense of humor. 330 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:02,000 I'm all ears. 331 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:04,400 Carter wasn't none for being a comedian, right? 332 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:07,500 He often seemed serious, even a bit somber. 333 00:16:07,500 --> 00:16:11,700 But as we've seen already, there's often more to the story than meets the eye. 334 00:16:11,700 --> 00:16:14,500 So you're telling me he did have a sense of humor after all? 335 00:16:14,500 --> 00:16:15,100 He did. 336 00:16:15,100 --> 00:16:18,600 It was a dry wit with a touch of self-deprecation that often went unnoticed. 337 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:20,000 Okay, I need some examples. 338 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,000 Give me the best of Carter's comedy. 339 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:26,200 All right, well, there's that story about him meeting Alex Haley, the author of Roots. 340 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,700 Afterward, Carter joked that he'd never ask anyone about their family again. 341 00:16:29,700 --> 00:16:33,100 Ah, I can see how his delivery might not always land a joke. 342 00:16:33,100 --> 00:16:33,700 Right. 343 00:16:33,700 --> 00:16:37,600 And then there's his response to a reporter who asked how he'd feel if his seven-year-old 344 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:39,500 daughter, Amy, had an affair. 345 00:16:39,500 --> 00:16:40,600 He deadpanned. 346 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:42,100 I'd be shocked and overwhelmed. 347 00:16:42,100 --> 00:16:43,200 Classic dad joke. 348 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:44,100 Any other gems? 349 00:16:44,100 --> 00:16:45,300 Oh, yeah. 350 00:16:45,300 --> 00:16:51,100 While visiting Egypt and touring the Great Pyramid, he was told it took 20 years to build. 351 00:16:51,100 --> 00:16:54,800 Carter quipped back, I'm surprised a government organization could do it that quickly. 352 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:56,200 Okay, that one's actually pretty good. 353 00:16:56,200 --> 00:17:00,300 It sounds like he found humor in the unexpected poking fun at himself and the government. 354 00:17:00,300 --> 00:17:01,000 He did. 355 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:05,300 And it reminds us that even the most serious people can have a lighter side. 356 00:17:05,300 --> 00:17:07,100 It definitely makes him more relatable. 357 00:17:07,100 --> 00:17:09,800 It's those little moments that show their humanity. 358 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:10,500 I agree. 359 00:17:10,500 --> 00:17:13,500 And that's one of the things that makes Jimmy Carter so fascinating. 360 00:17:13,500 --> 00:17:16,700 There's always something new to discover, another layer to uncover. 361 00:17:16,700 --> 00:17:19,400 We've already covered so much ground, but we're just getting started. 362 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:23,600 There's still a ton to explore about this intriguing and often misunderstood man. 363 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:24,700 That's right. 364 00:17:24,700 --> 00:17:27,200 Still so much to unpack about Jimmy Carter. 365 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:32,200 Let's dive into a topic that was really important to him, but also caused a lot of controversy. 366 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,400 His relationship with the Jewish community. 367 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:35,100 Ah, yes. 368 00:17:35,100 --> 00:17:40,200 It was definitely a relationship with a lot of layers, full of support, but also fraught with tension. 369 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:41,000 Exactly. 370 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:46,400 On the one hand, you've got Carter's long history of supporting Israel and Jewish causes around the world. 371 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:49,000 He was instrumental in the Camp David Accords. 372 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:53,000 A huge moment, a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. 373 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:53,900 Right. 374 00:17:53,900 --> 00:18:00,600 And beyond that, he was a strong voice for Soviet Jews, pushed for more funding for Holocaust research and remembrance, 375 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:05,500 and even held the first Hanukkah celebration and Passover cedar at the White House. 376 00:18:05,500 --> 00:18:07,600 He was a true ally in many ways. 377 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:15,100 Many prominent Jewish leaders saw him as a close friend and praised his commitment to Ticolom, the idea of repairing the world. 378 00:18:15,100 --> 00:18:16,900 But then things got complicated, didn't they? 379 00:18:16,900 --> 00:18:17,600 What happened? 380 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:22,600 Well, Carter's always been someone who believes in open dialogue, even with people he disagrees with. 381 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:28,500 As he learned more about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he started criticizing some of Israel's actions, 382 00:18:28,500 --> 00:18:31,000 especially the occupation of Palestinian territories. 383 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:36,000 And that led to the big controversy around his book, Palestine, Peace Not Apartheid, right? 384 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:37,300 Exactly. 385 00:18:37,300 --> 00:18:43,800 In the book, Carter argues that what Israel was doing in the West Bank and Gaza Strip amounted to a form of apartheid. 386 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:52,000 He didn't deny Israel's right to exist or defend itself, but he was very critical of what he saw as widespread discrimination against Palestinians. 387 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:54,900 And a lot of people in the Jewish community felt betrayed by that. 388 00:18:54,900 --> 00:18:55,600 They did. 389 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:58,800 Many accused him of anti-Semitism, which he strongly denied. 390 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:03,200 Some people who had been close to him even resigned from the Carter Center to protest. 391 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:09,800 And Alan Dershowitz, the legal scholar we discussed earlier, went so far as to call Carter an anti-Israel bigot. 392 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:10,400 Wow. 393 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:14,800 Those are strong words, especially giving Carter's past support for Jewish causes. 394 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:17,500 It was a really charged and emotional situation. 395 00:19:17,500 --> 00:19:20,300 Dershowitz's views don't represent everyone, of course, 396 00:19:20,300 --> 00:19:23,800 but his reaction shows just how much pain Carter's words caused. 397 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:25,200 It's a difficult situation. 398 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:26,700 There are no easy answers. 399 00:19:26,700 --> 00:19:31,200 It really forces us to think about how complicated the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is 400 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:35,000 and accept that even people we admire can hold views we disagree with. 401 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:36,200 Absolutely. 402 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:41,800 And it shows how even someone like Carter, who had such a strong moral compass and commitment to peace, 403 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:45,800 could cause division on a sensitive issue like this. 404 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:50,200 Speaking of Carter doing what he believed was right, even when it was unpopular, 405 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:54,100 let's go back to that story about Trees and how he took on the chemical industry. 406 00:19:54,100 --> 00:19:58,300 It's a great example of how he was willing to fight for what he thought was right, 407 00:19:58,300 --> 00:20:01,000 even when it meant going up against powerful forces. 408 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:02,100 Exactly. 409 00:20:02,100 --> 00:20:05,300 It also shows how complicated government regulations can be 410 00:20:05,300 --> 00:20:10,600 and how unintended consequences can pop up even when the goal is to protect people. 411 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:15,400 Okay, just to recap, Trees was a flame retardant they were putting in children's clothing, 412 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,900 but it turned out to cause cancer and Carter tried to ban it. 413 00:20:18,900 --> 00:20:19,800 That's right. 414 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,500 And the chemical companies, well, they weren't happy about it. 415 00:20:22,500 --> 00:20:26,800 They stood to lose a lot of money if they couldn't use Trees anymore, so they fought back hard. 416 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:32,600 They actually managed to get the ban paused while they came up with a plan for what to do with all the Trees they already had. 417 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:37,800 And then instead of getting rid of it safely, they decided to export it to other countries. 418 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:38,800 Yeah. 419 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:44,900 They shipped those dangerous products overseas, mostly to developing nations instead of destroying them. 420 00:20:44,900 --> 00:20:49,700 They put profits ahead of people's health, especially in places where people might not have known the risks. 421 00:20:49,700 --> 00:20:50,900 That's just wrong. 422 00:20:50,900 --> 00:20:54,000 It was a terrible example of corporate greed. 423 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,800 And Carter was furious when he found out. 424 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:05,300 He called it a circle of poison and issued an executive order to stop American companies from exporting any chemicals that were banned in the U.S. 425 00:21:05,300 --> 00:21:06,200 Wow. 426 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:07,200 He took action. 427 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:08,900 How did the companies react to that? 428 00:21:08,900 --> 00:21:15,000 They sued to try to overturn the ban, but they lost in court, but they got their way eventually. 429 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,400 I'm guessing this is where Reagan enters the picture. 430 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:18,200 Yep. 431 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:22,000 One of Reagan's first moves was to overturn that export ban. 432 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:23,900 He said it was excessive regulation. 433 00:21:23,900 --> 00:21:27,600 And didn't he actually give money to those companies to make up for their losses? 434 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:28,500 He did. 435 00:21:28,500 --> 00:21:33,600 A few years later, Reagan signed a bill giving millions of dollars to companies like Monsanto and Dow 436 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:37,000 to compensate them for what they lost because of Carter's ban. 437 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:41,900 So they were rewarded for trying to sell a cancer-causing chemical overseas. 438 00:21:41,900 --> 00:21:43,000 It's pretty messed up. 439 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:46,400 It shows how corporations can sometimes have too much influence. 440 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:50,900 It's a tough reminder to stay aware of what's happening and hold companies accountable. 441 00:21:50,900 --> 00:21:59,100 Okay, let's move on to something that might seem less serious, but it's actually pretty revealing about Carter, his obsession with details. 442 00:21:59,100 --> 00:22:03,300 Oh yeah, this guy was detail-oriented, sometimes too extreme. 443 00:22:03,300 --> 00:22:06,700 He would personally oversee things that most presidents would just delegate. 444 00:22:06,700 --> 00:22:09,100 Like managing the White House tennis court schedule, right? 445 00:22:09,100 --> 00:22:10,200 That's the one. 446 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:14,400 He was involved in every little detail, from who got to play to when. 447 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:15,500 Seriously? 448 00:22:15,500 --> 00:22:18,300 The president of the United States worried about tennis matches. 449 00:22:18,300 --> 00:22:19,600 It seems a little funny. 450 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:20,800 It does. 451 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:25,100 But this intense focus on details wasn't always a laughing matter. 452 00:22:25,100 --> 00:22:27,200 It could be frustrating for the people working with him. 453 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:28,200 I bet. 454 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:30,400 It probably felt like he was always looking over their shoulders. 455 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:31,600 Exactly. 456 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:36,200 Some felt micromanaged and said he had trouble letting go of even small tasks. 457 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:39,900 But sometimes that attention to detail actually worked in his favor. 458 00:22:39,900 --> 00:22:45,800 Like, remember when his knowledge of Alaska's geography helped him spot those sneaky problems in that conservation bill? 459 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:46,500 Right. 460 00:22:46,500 --> 00:22:49,700 The bill that was secretly designed to benefit real estate developers. 461 00:22:49,700 --> 00:22:50,300 That's it. 462 00:22:50,300 --> 00:22:53,400 He was able to stop that bill because he knew the details. 463 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:55,700 So it was a double-edged sword, I guess? 464 00:22:55,700 --> 00:22:57,600 Sometimes helpful, sometimes annoying. 465 00:22:57,600 --> 00:22:58,900 Exactly. 466 00:22:58,900 --> 00:23:03,700 Now, let's go back to 1976 again when Carter was running for president. 467 00:23:03,700 --> 00:23:08,900 This is a story that shows how he wasn't afraid to embrace new technology. 468 00:23:08,900 --> 00:23:14,300 He was actually one of the first politicians to really use computers in a big way for his campaign. 469 00:23:14,300 --> 00:23:15,400 No way. 470 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:16,400 That's surprising. 471 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:17,200 It's true. 472 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:23,400 They even called him the computer-driven candidate because of how his campaign used computers for data analysis and communication. 473 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:23,900 Wow. 474 00:23:23,900 --> 00:23:25,400 That was cutting edge for the time. 475 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:25,800 It was. 476 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:27,400 He was ahead of the curve. 477 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:32,400 Speaking of being ahead of the curve, Carter was surprisingly progressive on drug policy. 478 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:34,500 Especially when it came to marijuana. 479 00:23:34,500 --> 00:23:36,600 We touched on this earlier, but it's worth revisiting. 480 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:40,200 It seems pretty radical for that era with all the tough-on-crime rhetoric. 481 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:41,400 It definitely was. 482 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:43,600 This was the post-Watergate era. 483 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:45,300 Trust in government was low. 484 00:23:45,300 --> 00:23:47,500 The war on drugs was ramping up. 485 00:23:47,500 --> 00:23:50,200 But Carter was willing to question the status quo. 486 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,600 So he actually talked about legalization during the campaign. 487 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:54,500 He did. 488 00:23:54,500 --> 00:23:58,600 Which was a pretty bold move, even in places where decriminalization was already being considered. 489 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:00,100 That's gutsy. 490 00:24:00,100 --> 00:24:04,400 And I remember he invited John Lennon and Yoko Ono to his inauguration. 491 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:07,200 They were really outspoken about changing drug policy. 492 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:07,900 Exactly. 493 00:24:07,900 --> 00:24:10,700 He aligned himself with people who wanted to see change. 494 00:24:10,700 --> 00:24:18,800 And then, in 1977, he officially asked Congress to reduce or even eliminate penalties for marijuana possession. 495 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:21,300 He said the punishment shouldn't be worse than the drug itself. 496 00:24:21,300 --> 00:24:25,800 It makes you wonder what would happen if more people had listened to him back then. 497 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:28,600 It's a good what if to ponder. 498 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:31,400 Full-scale marijuana reform didn't happen under Carter. 499 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:34,100 But he did have a win in this area. 500 00:24:34,100 --> 00:24:36,800 Do you remember that bill legalizing home beer brewing? 501 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:37,300 Right. 502 00:24:37,300 --> 00:24:39,400 His brother Billy must have been happy about that. 503 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:40,300 For sure. 504 00:24:40,300 --> 00:24:45,300 So even though Carter's larger drug policy goals didn't succeed, he did get something done. 505 00:24:45,300 --> 00:24:46,200 A win's a win. 506 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:48,200 Okay, let's talk about something totally different. 507 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:49,900 Carter and Outer Space. 508 00:24:49,900 --> 00:24:52,300 Tell me about his connection to the Voyager program. 509 00:24:52,300 --> 00:24:53,700 This is one of my favorites. 510 00:24:53,700 --> 00:24:56,000 Carter was really into Voyager. 511 00:24:56,000 --> 00:25:00,600 The program that launched those probes with the golden records full of information about Earth. 512 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:05,300 It's like a giant message in a bottle floating through space for maybe billions of years. 513 00:25:05,300 --> 00:25:06,500 I love that idea. 514 00:25:06,500 --> 00:25:09,100 So remind me again what they put on those golden records. 515 00:25:09,100 --> 00:25:10,600 Everything you can think of. 516 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:15,600 Pictures of humans, animals, landscapes, scientific diagrams. 517 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:21,300 They even included spoken greetings in 55 different languages and the sound of a baby crying. 518 00:25:21,300 --> 00:25:24,900 It's like a capsule of human experience for anyone who finds it. 519 00:25:24,900 --> 00:25:26,700 What about music? Was there music on the record? 520 00:25:26,700 --> 00:25:28,100 Oh, tons of music. 521 00:25:28,100 --> 00:25:30,300 Classical music, folk music from all over. 522 00:25:30,300 --> 00:25:34,700 And I'm betting given Carter's love of rock and roll, he had some input there, right? 523 00:25:34,700 --> 00:25:35,400 Of course. 524 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:39,200 He was a big advocate for including American blues and rock and roll. 525 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:42,300 They originally planned to use Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles, 526 00:25:42,300 --> 00:25:44,000 but the publisher wouldn't give permission. 527 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:45,200 Oh, that's too bad. 528 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:46,500 What did they use instead? 529 00:25:46,500 --> 00:25:49,800 They settled on Johnny B. Good by Chuck Berry. 530 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:51,300 Good choice. 531 00:25:51,300 --> 00:25:56,200 It's mind blowing to imagine that song out there traveling through the vastness of space. 532 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:56,600 Right. 533 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:59,700 And you know, Carter also wrote a message that's on the golden records. 534 00:25:59,700 --> 00:26:01,100 Okay, I've got to hear this. 535 00:26:01,100 --> 00:26:04,500 What did he say to these potential alien life forms? 536 00:26:04,500 --> 00:26:08,000 It's a pretty long message, but here's a part of it. 537 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:11,300 This is a present from a small distant world, 538 00:26:11,300 --> 00:26:18,000 a token of our sounds, our science, our images, our music, our thoughts and our feelings. 539 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:21,500 We were attempting to survive our time so we may live into yours. 540 00:26:21,500 --> 00:26:24,900 We hope someday, having solved the problems we face, 541 00:26:24,900 --> 00:26:28,000 to join a community of galactic civilizations. 542 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:34,300 This record represents our hope and our determination and our goodwill in a vast and awesome universe. 543 00:26:34,300 --> 00:26:35,700 Wow, that's beautiful. 544 00:26:35,700 --> 00:26:38,100 It really captures a sense of hope and possibility, 545 00:26:38,100 --> 00:26:40,600 even in the face of such a huge unknown universe. 546 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:41,300 It really does. 547 00:26:41,300 --> 00:26:43,600 Okay, let's come back down to Earth now, literally. 548 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,400 We've got to talk about Carter's decision to give up control of the Panama Canal. 549 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:49,000 That was a really big deal back then. 550 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:49,600 It was. 551 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:53,600 Why would he give up something as strategically important as the Panama Canal? 552 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:55,800 Doesn't seem like a typical political move. 553 00:26:55,800 --> 00:27:01,100 For Carter, it was about doing the right thing, even if it was hard. 554 00:27:01,100 --> 00:27:04,300 He felt it was wrong for the US to continue controlling the canal, 555 00:27:04,300 --> 00:27:08,300 especially since we built it under some pretty shady circumstances. 556 00:27:08,300 --> 00:27:12,000 He believed that Panama should have the right to govern its own territory. 557 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:16,600 So it was about morals and ethics, not politics or economics. 558 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:17,700 Exactly. 559 00:27:17,700 --> 00:27:22,200 And to get it done, he had to be really strategic and get support from some unlikely allies. 560 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:23,300 Like John Wayne, right? 561 00:27:23,300 --> 00:27:24,300 You got it. 562 00:27:24,300 --> 00:27:27,100 John Wayne, the symbol of American conservatism, 563 00:27:27,100 --> 00:27:30,000 was actually a major supporter of the Panama Canal treaties. 564 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,200 Wait, seriously, that blows my mind. 565 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:33,200 I know, right? 566 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:34,300 It's pretty wild. 567 00:27:34,300 --> 00:27:36,700 But when you look at the whole picture, it kind of makes sense. 568 00:27:36,700 --> 00:27:39,700 Wayne was a patriot, but he was also a pragmatist. 569 00:27:39,700 --> 00:27:41,600 He cared about America looking good in the world. 570 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:43,800 So how on Earth did Carter convince him? 571 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:48,800 It all started with a meeting with a Panamadian president, Omar Tarihose. 572 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:52,300 He was the charismatic guy and a really skilled negotiator. 573 00:27:52,300 --> 00:27:54,500 He appealed to Wayne's sense of fairness, 574 00:27:54,500 --> 00:27:58,000 arguing that it was only fair for Panama to be in charge of its own destiny. 575 00:27:58,000 --> 00:27:58,900 That's smart. 576 00:27:58,900 --> 00:27:59,900 It was. 577 00:27:59,900 --> 00:28:02,100 And to really drive the point home, 578 00:28:02,100 --> 00:28:06,900 Tarihose arranged for Wayne to talk to American soldiers stationed in Panama. 579 00:28:06,900 --> 00:28:11,700 They convinced Wayne that giving up the canal was the best way to keep it running smoothly 580 00:28:11,700 --> 00:28:14,000 and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. 581 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:18,300 Wow, so letting go was actually seen as a way to protect the canal in the long run. 582 00:28:18,300 --> 00:28:19,300 Exactly. 583 00:28:19,300 --> 00:28:21,400 And that was an argument that resonated with Wayne, 584 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,600 who was very pragmatic despite his conservative views. 585 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:28,400 It's crazy how much influence John Wayne had in swaying public opinion. 586 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:29,700 It was huge. 587 00:28:29,700 --> 00:28:33,500 And once he was on board, the Senate was much more likely to approve the treaties, 588 00:28:33,500 --> 00:28:37,000 and they did, with support from both Democrats and Republicans. 589 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:38,100 What a story. 590 00:28:38,100 --> 00:28:40,600 It shows you that even when things seem impossible, 591 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:43,300 people can find common ground and make a difference. 592 00:28:43,300 --> 00:28:48,300 It's a reminder that dialogue and open-mindedness can lead to real change. 593 00:28:48,300 --> 00:28:50,900 Okay, ready to talk about something that might seem a bit lighter, 594 00:28:50,900 --> 00:28:55,100 but it's actually really telling about Carter's personality, his sense of humor. 595 00:28:55,100 --> 00:28:56,400 Bring on the jokes. 596 00:28:56,400 --> 00:28:59,900 Well, Carter wasn't exactly known for being a comedian. 597 00:28:59,900 --> 00:29:04,900 He was seen as a serious guy, even somber sometimes. 598 00:29:04,900 --> 00:29:09,500 But as we've seen throughout this deep dive, there's always more to discover. 599 00:29:09,500 --> 00:29:11,900 So you're saying he did have a funny side? 600 00:29:11,900 --> 00:29:16,500 He did. He had this dry wit, a little self-deprecating, that often went unnoticed. 601 00:29:16,500 --> 00:29:17,900 All right, give me some examples. 602 00:29:17,900 --> 00:29:19,800 What were Carter's best jokes? 603 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:24,000 Okay, well, there's this one about when he met Alex Haley, the author of Roots. 604 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:27,300 Afterwards, Carter joked that he'd never ask anyone about their family again. 605 00:29:27,300 --> 00:29:29,900 Ah, I can see why people didn't always get his humor. 606 00:29:29,900 --> 00:29:31,100 I know, right? 607 00:29:31,100 --> 00:29:37,100 And then there's his response to a reporter who asked him how he'd feel if his 7-year-old daughter, Amy, had an affair. 608 00:29:37,100 --> 00:29:40,500 He just said, totally straight-faced, I'd be shocked and overwhelmed. 609 00:29:40,500 --> 00:29:43,600 That's hilarious. Total dad humor. Any others? 610 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:44,800 Oh, yeah. 611 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:50,100 When he was visiting Egypt and touring the Great Pyramid, he was told it took 20 years to build. 612 00:29:50,100 --> 00:29:53,600 And Carter said, I'm surprised a government organization could do it that quickly. 613 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:55,200 Okay, that one's actually pretty funny. 614 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:57,800 He had a way of finding humor in unexpected places. 615 00:29:57,800 --> 00:29:59,000 He did. 616 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:02,600 It's a good reminder that even the most serious people have a lighter side. 617 00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:04,200 It definitely makes him more human. 618 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:06,700 Those little moments of humor make all the difference. 619 00:30:06,700 --> 00:30:09,900 I agree. And that's what makes Jimmy Carter so interesting. 620 00:30:09,900 --> 00:30:13,600 There's always more to uncover, another layer to peel back. 621 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:17,600 This deep dive has been quite a journey, but we're not done yet. 622 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:23,000 We've got even more surprising stories to share about this complex and often misunderstood man. 623 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:26,100 That's right. We've only just scratched the surface. 624 00:30:26,100 --> 00:30:29,000 So much more to uncover about Jimmy Carter. 625 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:32,900 Let's pick up where we left off with that surprising sense of humor we were discussing. 626 00:30:32,900 --> 00:30:37,300 Yeah, those little moments of humor really add a new dimension to how we see him. 627 00:30:37,300 --> 00:30:38,200 They do. 628 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:42,400 It's a good reminder that even the most serious figures can have a lighter side. 629 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:49,100 But for now, let's shift gears and go back to a story that really highlights Carter's strong moral compass. 630 00:30:49,100 --> 00:30:51,700 His battle with the chemical industry over Triss. 631 00:30:51,700 --> 00:30:53,300 Ah, yes, Triss. 632 00:30:53,300 --> 00:30:59,000 It's a story that reveals so much about his character and his commitment to doing what's right, even when it's hard. 633 00:30:59,000 --> 00:30:59,800 Exactly. 634 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:07,400 And it really exposes the complexities of government regulations, corporate greed, and the unintended consequences that can happen, 635 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:09,800 even when the goal is to keep people safe. 636 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:15,100 Right. Triss was that flame retardant they used in kids clothes and it turned out to be really dangerous, right? 637 00:31:15,100 --> 00:31:18,100 It did. It turned out to be carcinogenic. 638 00:31:18,100 --> 00:31:21,700 Carter tried to ban it, but the chemical companies weren't having it. 639 00:31:21,700 --> 00:31:25,300 They stood to lose a ton of money if they couldn't use Triss anymore. 640 00:31:25,300 --> 00:31:26,900 So they fought back hard. 641 00:31:26,900 --> 00:31:34,800 They actually got the ban temporarily put on hold while they supposedly came up with a plan to deal with all the Triss they already had. 642 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:39,700 And then instead of safely disposing of it, they decided to just ship it off to other countries. 643 00:31:39,700 --> 00:31:43,900 Yep. They sent those dangerous products overseas, mostly to developing nations. 644 00:31:43,900 --> 00:31:48,600 Instead of destroying them like they should have, they basically put profits ahead of people's health, 645 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:52,400 especially in places that might not have had strong safety regulations. 646 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:56,400 It's just a terrible example of putting profits before people. 647 00:31:56,400 --> 00:32:03,400 It is. And when Carter found out about this circle of poison, as he called it, he was angry. 648 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:10,000 He took action, issuing an executive order to prevent U.S. companies from exporting chemicals that were banned in the U.S. 649 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:12,300 He didn't mess around. What did the companies do? 650 00:32:12,300 --> 00:32:17,300 They weren't happy. They tried to fight the ban in court, but they lost. Unfortunately, it didn't last. 651 00:32:17,300 --> 00:32:19,800 Let me guess. Reagan came in and reversed it. 652 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:23,300 Dingo. It was one of Reagan's first acts as president. 653 00:32:23,300 --> 00:32:27,800 He overturned the export ban, claiming it was a case of the government overreaching. 654 00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:32,200 And didn't he end up giving those companies money to compensate for what they'd lost? 655 00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:38,000 He did. A few years later, Reagan signed a bill that gave millions of dollars to those companies, 656 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:43,500 including Monsanto and Dow. It was supposed to cover the money they lost because of Carter's ban. 657 00:32:43,500 --> 00:32:48,300 It's crazy that they were rewarded for trying to sell a cancer-causing pemicle in other countries. 658 00:32:48,300 --> 00:32:52,800 It really is a messed-up situation. It shows how much influence corporations can have. 659 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:57,800 It's a good reminder to stay informed and hold corporations accountable. 660 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:00,900 Okay, let's move on to something a little less heavy. 661 00:33:00,900 --> 00:33:03,600 We were talking about Carter's attention to detail earlier. 662 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:05,700 Oh, yeah. He was definitely a detailed guy. 663 00:33:05,700 --> 00:33:11,100 Sometimes it was almost too much. He'd get involved in things that most presidents wouldn't even think about handling themselves. 664 00:33:11,100 --> 00:33:14,200 Like, personally managing the White House tennis court schedule. 665 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:20,900 Exactly. He was involved in every detail. Who got to play? When they could play? The whole nine yards. 666 00:33:20,900 --> 00:33:25,400 I can't imagine a president these days being that hands-on with something like that. 667 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:29,300 It's definitely a different time. And while it might seem amusing, 668 00:33:29,300 --> 00:33:33,800 that kind of laser focus on details could be tough for the people working with him. 669 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:36,000 I bet. It probably felt stifling. 670 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:42,600 Yet did for some. Some staff members said he micromanaged and had trouble letting go of even small tasks. 671 00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:45,800 But sometimes that attention to detail really paid off. 672 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:51,900 Remember when his knowledge of Alaska's geography helped him catch those shady things hidden in that conservation bill? 673 00:33:51,900 --> 00:33:55,400 You mean the bill that was secretly designed to help real estate developers? 674 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:59,800 That's the one. He knew enough about the details to stop that bill from passing. 675 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:02,700 So his obsession with details had its ups and downs. 676 00:34:02,700 --> 00:34:08,600 Exactly. Okay, let's flash back to 1976 again, to Carter's presidential campaign. 677 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:11,400 This story shows just how forward-thinking he was. 678 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:16,400 He was one of the first politicians to really embrace computers and use them in his campaign. 679 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:18,400 Really? That's fascinating. 680 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:23,900 It's true. They nicknamed him the computer-driven candidate because his campaign was so tech-savvy. 681 00:34:23,900 --> 00:34:29,200 They used computers for analyzing data, figuring out which voters to target, and communication. 682 00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:31,000 It was pretty revolutionary for that era. 683 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:32,700 Wow, he was ahead of the curve. 684 00:34:32,700 --> 00:34:37,900 He was. And speaking of being ahead of his time, let's talk about his views on drug policy. 685 00:34:37,900 --> 00:34:40,100 Specifically, marijuana. 686 00:34:40,100 --> 00:34:42,900 We touched on this a bit earlier, but I'd love to hear more. 687 00:34:42,900 --> 00:34:46,700 It's pretty remarkable considering the tough-on-crime atmosphere of the time. 688 00:34:46,700 --> 00:34:49,900 It was. This was the post-Watergate era, remember. 689 00:34:49,900 --> 00:34:54,200 Public trust in the government was low, and the war on drugs was in full swing. 690 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:57,600 But Carter dared to challenge those prevailing attitudes. 691 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:00,800 He actually mentioned legalizing marijuana on the campaign trail. 692 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:02,500 Wow, that's seriously bold. 693 00:35:02,500 --> 00:35:07,400 It was. And remember how he invited John Lennon and Yoko Ono to his inauguration? 694 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:10,500 They were huge advocates for changing drug policies. 695 00:35:10,500 --> 00:35:12,700 Right. He was sending a clear message. 696 00:35:12,700 --> 00:35:20,500 And then in 1977, he officially asked Congress to reduce or even get rid of the penalties for having marijuana. 697 00:35:20,500 --> 00:35:24,200 His argument was that the punishment shouldn't be more harmful than the drug. 698 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:29,000 It was a logical argument, and it shows how far ahead of his time he was on this issue. 699 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:32,700 Makes you think how different things might be if more people had listened back then. 700 00:35:32,700 --> 00:35:38,500 It does. So, did he achieve any of his larger goals for drug policy reform? 701 00:35:38,500 --> 00:35:43,400 Full-scale reform didn't happen during his time, but there was one smaller victory. 702 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:46,000 Remember that law that legalized home beer brewing? 703 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:49,000 Oh, yeah. That must have made his brother Billy happy. 704 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:53,500 Absolutely. So, while Carter didn't achieve all of his goals for drug policy reform, 705 00:35:53,500 --> 00:35:55,400 he was able to get something done. 706 00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:57,700 It's all about the small wins sometimes. 707 00:35:57,700 --> 00:36:01,600 Okay. Last but not least, let's talk about Carter and outer space. 708 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:03,700 What's his connection to the Voyager program? 709 00:36:03,700 --> 00:36:07,500 Ah, Voyager. This is one of my favorite Carter stories. 710 00:36:07,500 --> 00:36:12,600 He was such a big fan of the program, which launched those probes with the golden records. 711 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:19,300 They're like cosmic messages in a bottle carrying information about Earth out into the universe. 712 00:36:19,300 --> 00:36:21,800 Who knows? Maybe they'll travel for billions of years. 713 00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:26,100 It's such a cool concept. What exactly did they include on those records? 714 00:36:26,100 --> 00:36:28,000 They included a little bit of everything. 715 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:34,300 Pictures of humans, animals, landscapes, scientific diagrams, greetings in 55 languages. 716 00:36:34,300 --> 00:36:37,600 They even recorded a baby crying and included that on the records. 717 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:40,800 Wow. It's like a tiny encapsulation of what it means to be human. 718 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:42,200 Did they include music? 719 00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:46,200 Of course. There was classical music, folk music from around the globe. 720 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:50,200 And I'm guessing knowing Carter, he pushed for some rock and roll too. 721 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:55,200 Oh, absolutely. He was a huge advocate for putting American blues and rock and roll on those records. 722 00:36:55,200 --> 00:37:00,400 They wanted to include, here comes the Sun by the Beatles originally, but the publisher wouldn't allow it. 723 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:03,600 Oh no, that's too bad. What did they end up choosing instead? 724 00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:06,500 They went with Johnny Be Good by Chuck Berry. 725 00:37:06,500 --> 00:37:13,200 Good choice. It's pretty amazing to imagine that song traveling through space maybe for billions of years. 726 00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:18,800 It's mind-boggling. And if that wasn't enough, Carter also wrote a message that was etched onto the golden records. 727 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:23,600 What? I didn't know that. What did he say to these potential extraterrestrial beings? 728 00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:26,600 It's a long message, but here's a part of it. 729 00:37:26,600 --> 00:37:35,600 This is a present from a small, distant world, a token of our sounds, our science, our images, our music, our thoughts and our feelings. 730 00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:39,400 We are attempting to survive our time so we may live into yours. 731 00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:45,800 We hope someday, having solved the problems we face, to join a community of galactic civilizations. 732 00:37:45,800 --> 00:37:51,200 This record represents our hope and our determination and our goodwill in a vast and awesome universe. 733 00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:57,500 That's really beautiful. It's such a hopeful and inspiring message, especially when you think about the vastness and mystery of the universe. 734 00:37:57,500 --> 00:38:04,900 It truly is. It really captures the spirit of exploration and our desire to connect with something bigger than ourselves. 735 00:38:04,900 --> 00:38:11,400 Well, we've explored so many facets of Jimmy Carter's life today, from his humble beginnings to his nuclear adventures, 736 00:38:11,400 --> 00:38:18,000 his love of movies, his connection to Elvis, his dry sense of humor, his meticulous attention to detail, 737 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:22,700 and his unwavering commitment to doing what he thought was right, even when it was unpopular. 738 00:38:22,700 --> 00:38:27,800 It's been a fascinating journey. We've learned about his surprising progressive stance on drug policy, 739 00:38:27,800 --> 00:38:31,300 his bold decision to return the Panama Canal to Panama, 740 00:38:31,300 --> 00:38:36,700 and even his message to potential alien civilizations hurtling through space aboard the Voyager probes. 741 00:38:36,700 --> 00:38:40,800 It just goes to show that there's always more to learn, even about people we think we know well. 742 00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:44,300 Exactly. And that's the beauty of these deep dives. 743 00:38:44,300 --> 00:38:51,900 They allow us to uncover hidden layers, challenge our assumptions, and gain a richer understanding of the world and the people in it. 744 00:38:51,900 --> 00:38:55,300 Thanks for joining us on this adventure into the life and times of Jimmy Carter. 745 00:38:55,300 --> 00:38:59,000 We hope you learned something new and maybe even changed your perspective a bit. 746 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:21,500 Until next time.