"Max, this is Jimmy. Jimmy Carter." It was an early Sunday morning. I was about to go out for a morning run when my telephone rang. "Can you join Rosalynn and me for Sunday school and church? We can talk between the services. Be at the White House at 10:30 a.m.? We'll drive over to the church together."
It was during the "malaise" period of his presidency, in the late 1970s. Several advisers and friends were suggesting ways to turn around his falling poll numbers. Energy prices and interest rates were soaring. My patriotic blood was flowing. I wanted to help, to give this good man my two cents, but not every president would find the time to listen to a young second-term congressman.
Jimmy Carter was different.
"Absolutely, Mr. President. I'm honored. I'll be there," I gushed.
I had time to take my run. Time to reflect on what I might say to the president. When I arrived at the White House, there were Rosalynn and the president, the leader of the free world holding his bible. I climbed into the limousine, and we motorcaded to church.
I've forgotten the lesson from the Sunday school teacher, although I remember that he asked good, thoughtful questions. I was sitting next to President Carter. He clearly knew the answers to those questions but didn't want to show off. He let others answer.
At the end of the lesson, we walked into a private room where he turned to me to ask, "Max, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" I told him that I wanted to help him face those very challenging times, however I could. I knew that we had both come to Washington on the heels of the Watergate scandal and our nation was suffering. I wanted to help get our country back on the right path.
He was a good man. His motives were pure, but he had recently given what became known as the malaise speech asking Americans to make sacrifices for the sake of their country. It didn't go over well. I did my best to reassure him—albeit presumptuously—that the American people wanted to believe in him as long as he showed that he believed in them.
In America, presidents are like father figures. People want their father, their president, to be strong, to protect them. People want to be inspired by their president, not talked down to. I did the best I could to lift him up. I told him we believed he could stay the course for our great country.
When I was serving as ambassador to China in 2014, Jimmy Carter signaled to me and the Chinese leadership that he was coming over for his annual visit to China in recognition of his securing U.S.-China mutual recognition in 1979. While both presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford had worked to normalize relations with China, it was Jimmy Carter who got it done. He was a visionary. He knew that establishing mutual recognition would be in the long-term best interests of Americans, the Chinese and the world.
At a small, intimate luncheon my wife and I hosted for him in Beijing, he was rightly proud of the 1979 agreement and the lightning speed that changes had occurred in China in the 35 years since. He and Rosalynn were both gracious and grateful to be a part of the change. They were also clearly grateful for each other even after nearly 70 years of marriage. They held hands throughout most of the luncheon. I'll never forget the affection and respect they had for each other.
Much has been written about his many accomplishments: The Camp David Accords that brought peace between Egypt and Israel; the Panama Canal Treaty that gave control of the waterway to the country for which it is named; and deregulation of the airline and trucking industries, democratizing travel and lowering the price of goods. More importantly, his exceptional dedication to humanity and world peace during the four decades after his presidency are a clarion call to service.
It is these personal memories that stand out most in my mind. They are quintessentially Jimmy Carter and underline his decency and the strength of his character.
He was a good man.
This January, Donald Trump will be sworn in as our next president. The issues that he faces are similar, but different from what Jimmy Carter faced four decades ago. Jobs and inflation at home and authoritarian dictators abroad are the same, but times have changed.
Growing distrust has undermined our relationship with China, and both countries are becoming more self-sufficient. Whereas each country is appropriately protecting its national security, they are also letting nationalism undermine mutual respect. That leaves the prospect that competition will become confrontation.
Advances in communications technologies—such as social media—now undermine institutions. Today, anyone can post false statements and they appear to have equal validity with the truth. It leads to distrust and undermines morality.
Trump's America First presidency will focus on force and bluster. Carter's emphasis was decency, determination and mutual good faith. Unfortunately, that is not something we are witnessing now.
As we begin 2025, it is important to remember, even exemplify, the decency and dedication of Jimmy Carter to serving us all.
The well-being of our children and grandchildren depends on it.
Max Baucus served as the U.S. ambassador to China from 2014 to 2017. Prior to that he represented Montana in the Senate for more than 35 years.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
English (US) ·