Chapter 10

Walking Humbly

Jimmy continued to win primary races. It looked as if he would become the Democratic Party’s candidate. That meant that he needed to choose a running mate, someone to serve as vice president. He chose Walter Fritz Mondale, a senator from Minnesota. Mondale and Carter agreed on most issues, they liked each other, and they thought they could work well as a team. Senator Mondale knew how things were usually done in Washington. He wanted to be a new kind of vice president, one who would be more involved in running the country. He wanted an office in the West Wing of the White House near the president so that he could attend all major meetings and help make important decisions. Jimmy eagerly agreed. Since Jimmy was from the South, he felt that it was an advantage that Mondale came from the North. Together, they represented all the people. They were young, energetic, and willing to work hard.

The Carters went to New York in July for the Democratic National Convention. They attended parties and receptions, gave interviews, and invited five thousand Democratic delegates to a picnic. They served fried chicken, coleslaw, peanuts, and beer. Jimmy and Rosalynn shook hands for hours.

On the night he was chosen as the Democratic Party’s candidate for president, Jimmy began his speech with these words, “My name is Jimmy Carter, and I’m running for president.” Delegates cheered. Some even cried for joy. The Reverend Martin Luther King Sr., father of the great civil rights leader, gave a closing prayer. He said, “Surely the Lord sent Jimmy Carter to come on out and bring America back where she belongs.” Then he led the delegates in singing “We Shall Overcome.” It was a great beginning.

Convincing the voters

There were seventy-five days until the general election. The Carters returned to Georgia to rest — and to plan. Their lives would never be the same. Now that he was a candidate for president, the Secret Service protected Jimmy. Wherever he went, Secret Service men went with him. Newspaper reporters followed him, eager to hear what he had to say. Jimmy gave dozens of speeches and interviews all across the country. Now, everyone recognized Jimmy Carter.

They recognized Rosalynn too. She had always been shy, but campaigning had given her more confidence. She gave dozens of speeches, talked to newspaper reporters, and answered questions on the television show Meet the Press. It seemed as if everyone wanted to know more about the Carters.

Although black voters throughout the country and many Southern voters supported Jimmy Carter, many people outside of the South considered Carter too religious. He tried to explain that as a Baptist, he believed that the church and the government should remain separate. Jimmy followed Jesus’ teaching in Mark 12:17: “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.’ ” This means that in some areas, the government makes the rules, and in others, the church is in charge. In other words, people should pay taxes to the government, but the government should not require people to worship in any particular way. Jimmy found it difficult when people made comments about his faith, but he admitted, “The people have a right to know about the religious beliefs of their future president.”

Jimmy was running against President Gerald Ford. As the election approached, the two candidates agreed to debate one another. Afterward, people argued about which candidate had done a better job. Jimmy felt that his performance made a difference and “gave the viewers reason to think that Jimmy Carter had something to offer,” he said.

November 2, 1976, was Election Day. The Carters voted in Plains, and then they waited at an Atlanta hotel for the results to come in. It was three in the morning before they got the word. “We’ve won!” Jimmy shouted.

Preparing for Washington

It had been a close race. Jimmy Carter received 40.8 million votes to President Ford’s 39.1 million. Jimmy later said, “I’ve never asked God to let me win an election or to let me have success in politics. I’ve just said, ‘Lord, let my action be meaningful to you, and let the life that you’ve given me not be wasted.’ ”

The Carters spent the next few months planning for their move to Washington, DC. Jimmy and Rosalynn traveled to Washington to tour the White House. Rosalynn toured the family living quarters. That area of the White House is called “the mansion.” Jimmy visited the Oval Office, which is in the West Wing where the president and his advisors work. The East Wing is reserved for the first lady and her staff. Rosalynn took photos to share with the family and to help plan for their move.

The first major event for any new president is the inauguration ceremony. Jimmy studied the speeches that earlier presidents had given at their inaugurations. Then he wrote his own speech. He chose to include a Bible verse from Micah 6:8. “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” The verse described exactly what Jimmy Carter wanted to do as president. He wanted to do justice, show kindness, and honor God’s commandments. It would not be easy.

The crowd cheered as the new president and his family walked from the Capitol to the White House in the inaugural parade.

Doing things differently

January 20, 1977, was Inauguration Day. At noon, Warren E. Burger, chief justice of the Supreme Court, administered the oath of office to Jimmy Carter. Jimmy used the same Bible that George Washington had used in 1789. He also made the same promise:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

After hugging his family and friends, he gave one of the shortest inaugural speeches ever. It lasted only eight minutes. He began with the words of Micah 6:8, and then he went on to list his plans to protect the rights of all people, create fair laws, and preserve the environment. He ended with these words: “When my time as your president has ended, I would hope that the nations of the world might say that we had built a lasting peace.”

Jimmy Carter was the first president who:

✓ walked in the inaugural parade

✓ came from Georgia

✓ graduated from the Naval Academy

✓ took the oath of office using his nickname

After the speech, it was time for the inaugural parade. The parade is a tradition going back to George Washington’s time. Modern presidents ride in a shiny black limousine past waving crowds. Not Jimmy Carter. He got out of the car and began walking. At first, people along the parade route thought something was wrong with the car. But when they realized that the Carters had chosen to walk, they shouted, “They’re walking! They’re walking!” Jimmy and Rosalynn held hands as they walked the mile and a half to the White House. Nine-year-old Amy pranced and danced beside her parents.

Jimmy Carter later described it as one of the “few perfect moments in life when everything seems absolutely right.” A newspaper reporter claimed it would be the thing most people would remember about Carter’s inauguration. By walking to the White House, Jimmy Carter showed people that he planned to do things differently. He wanted his presidency to be a new beginning for the United States.