Criticized foren what i did, and i got a lot of , but you learn to live with it. I never let it influence me. Rosalynn carter in a recent interview in atlanta. She was her husbands political partner from their first campaign. She attended cabinet meetings and championed womens rights and Health Issues and even testified before congress. Inir partnership continued the postwhite house years. The evening and welcome to cspan series on first ladies. By looking at the lives of living first ladies. First tworoduce our guests. They will be in the studio to tell you about her biography. Is a is a pheasant he president ial scholar. On the historyes of the south. I want to talk about the themes. She was gracious enough to grant us an interview. We will post it online so you can hear all she had to say. I want to pick up on things i have learned that she referenced. The carters first visit to the white house was after he had been elected and the inauguration. We have heard travel was ethical, but it is unusual in the modern age. What skills did she bring to this job . In some ways the transition to the Governors Mansion in big. Ta was she did get the chance to take on issues and do the kinds of things first ladies do at the white house, albeit at a smaller level. They were washington outsiders coming to a town where they had not spent much time, but also they had that as governor, which she used as a foundation for what she expected to do as first lady. Firsthad many books on ladies. He says, under Rosalynn Carter the office of first lady completed its metamorphosis into a vital white house organ. Previous first ladies had done campaigning, but none had preceded with the professionalism as Rosalynn Carter and her staff. Positiontime east wing grew by almost 30 , but she used the staff differently to expand on traditional and entertainment functions. , almostshe grew up during her entire childhood the first lady of the United States was eleanor roosevelt, so one would inc. That is would think that is different. ,he testified before congress and she wanted to be a serious player on the issues. She wanted the president to take her seriously. They communicated back and forth very candidly. She was not afraid to criticize him, at least in private. It was a strong modern era of first ladies getting involved in issues where you can make a difference. Let me ask another theme in the series, and that has been the role of women in society. We have learned so often first lady is a linchpin for changes in the country. In 1970 six, particularly southern women and how accepting the public was. Lady atecame the first a time of great change in womens roles. That made her job challenging, but it also gave her some wonderful opportunities, which she worked hard to seize. It was a lot harder for her to learn how to be the first lady in the Governors Mansion because she had to train to work in various capacities in the Governors Mansion, and when she got to the white house everyone knew what to do and that was easier. She came into the white house at the moment when womens roles are really changing greatly across the country. I think people were surprised she was such an outspoken person coming from the south, and she tackled issues. I think she really made a mark. Those of you remember the big question was jimmy who. We are going to show you a bit of the campaign ad they put together. In the final days a group of georgia supporters often referred to as the peanut brigade flew into new hampshire. Snow on the ground like this we would the paralyzed for weeks. We couldnt get outside. Her schedule was grueling, almost as tough as her husband, get through it all she remained a gracious campaigner. Everybody know every in you we werei just tell them born and raised in georgia. It has a population of 683, and everyone has always known everything i did. Believe he can restore honesty, integrity, openness, confidence in government we need. I think he would be a great resident. Hill, what was happening in the country in 1976 that these outsiders from georgia appealed to the public . I think a lot of things are intersecting in interesting ways to help carter and first lady in their rise in politics. On the first on the one hand you have the failures of the mcgovern campaign. They want a campaign who is not going to be able to be representing a liberal or left part of the party. Carter with his southern roots, his smalltown background, they think he is going to appeal to somebody who wouldnt vote for mcgovern or might be alienated by that part of the democratic hardy. Also, he is an interesting candidate because he is from the out inand he is speaking support of integration and the gains of the Civil Rights Movement, and that also really helps create momentum he had them. He is seen as a candidate who can bridge a lot of divides and draw in a lot of people. That video represents the peanut or gay. Are the peanut brigade . It is the carters from georgia who went to other states to campaign. It was impressive when they went into the snowbound streets of new hampshire. , when you are going to a voter and saying, i am asking you to vote for someone i personally know, that carries a lot of weight. People would wear gold pendant , and i thinkt pens the idea of running as an outsider might have worked in 1976 in a way that might not have worked in other years. It was the right campaign for the right time. It became the standard way in which candidates would run after that. It is very interesting that running from an outsider, what else could carter do, being from as anl town, then run outsider from washington . It became a model for campaigns. You see many politicians running as outsiders. George bush thomas the second bush ush george the second george bush ran as an dashder going after their off his experience in texas. The Carter Family, mrs. , the son, the motherin law, all involved in making it a family affair. Peoplentil this point wouldnt figure out you have to get outside of washington. One of my favorite stories from mrs. Carter, she and a friend would go around and spend 75 days in florida, and they would and look for town an antenna because they figured it was a radio station, and they would say, would you like to interview us . A would ring questions they want a lowbudgets campaign, but in that year with thatce laws of that kind was the way to do it. A different way of campaigning than we see now staying with areas people in the small towns a visited. They will do that in iowa and new hampshire, but after that it gets hard to do. Aboute a little bit learning the mechanics of political science. They had only a little experience. Biography, their systematic approach to learning mechanics is interesting. About is theyking wouldnt tell them to the same audiences. She took memory classes so they would be able to remember faces and names. Talk about their approach to politics. Both of the carters really believed in doing their homework. Theould read the book on 1972 campaign to find out what went right, what went wrong, and she would take meticulous notes, and when they ran for reelection in 1979, she pulled out all these notes from the 1976 campaign. She had the names of everybody. Theystarted out knowing didnt know how to do this, but and did their homework, they would come home on sunday so they were always on the same page. They would come back and compare notes on sunday. Then they would head back with a very powerful combination. I cannot believe the work schedule she had during that campaign. Youess growing up on a farm learn how to put in long days, but she was willing to make that ismitment. What is great your involvement. We welcome that as well. You can send us a tweet firstladies. People are posting questions. We will get to as many of those as we can. If you areo call. Mountain pacific or even further west, we welcome the conversation. This viewer asks, where was she educated . We are going to visit the town of clayton, georgia. How big is it . Thats when she was there it was dirt roads. Now the roads are paved, but it doesnt look much different today than it did then. Ended upsurprised they there because when they were younger the goal was to get out of the town. Thats check out this video. Not much has changed since the president and mrs. Carter grew up here. If we were to take away this a dirt road ine front of it, it would look very similar to a photograph of planes, circa 1925. Mom andd here with her dad, brothers, and sister. One of her favorite memories is when her dad would come home from work, go into the kitchen, give her a 800, swing her around, and give her a kiss. Rosalynn carter lost her mother at a young age. Plaained nurse here in ins. On the night of his passing they actually took Rosalynn Carter to be with jimmy carters sister ruth. This is jimmy out here with president carters sister ruth. A room jimmy carters room in gloria. Out to see her friend ruth, this is where they play hang out together, games and do homework and enjoy company. Ers surely when miss rosalynn was ut visiting president carters sister she would have seen a young jimmy carter. This is where Rosalynn Smith and jimmy carter would have attended first through 11th grade. Her first memory of going to school here is she made straight as at first quarter. She went home and she showed her smith and her mom, as and the straight they were so proud of her her for her her a dollar accomplishments. Later on a local businessman had the student who had the best grade point average year. Ghout the whoever had that grade point average he would give them 5. 1920s and 30s that was quite a bit of money. 7th grade year, miss rosalynn won that 5 from a businessman. One of the activities that Rosalynn Carter would have been engaged in was basketball. So excited when she made srars varsity basketball team. We have a picture of her uniform at the accomplishment time. This is the United Methodist hurch and right here where president carter asked miss rosalynn on a date for the first time. Here where they got married. Its a special place for and mrs. Carter. Theres a look at some of the life in plains, georgia. Ill let someone on twitter ask meet . Did they as the park ranger said, they probably saw each other from a distance because she was a friend of the sister but they Pay Attention to her. But as he got older and it was would travel around the world and join the navy, she him and the cus on first date they had when she was 17 and sewas about 20, he went mother he was is going to Mary Rosalynn after the first date. Convince m a while to marry her. Event they hadnt run into each other. They were three years apart which may have been the reason. She married him at 19 . Yes was she ever able to finish college . An associates has degree from georgia southwestern. That school is important. Her mother went to that school today the school has a care giving Program Named after her that school. Ive in could someone ask the second were f reginas question, they both of the same religion 1 as a launching point to talk politics and their phre and th political rise. They were always churchgoers. His and her faith were important hen they were campaigning for the presidency. Hat was again an interesting moment just like womens rights christians more theological christians were fear ing the publics coming out of the selfimposed taking up ad really public life and carter really spoke to them. A lot of them that would later rite hemselves as the new or the christian rite, many of those people voted for carter some of of them voted in time they national campaign. At the lly put that campaign. Their she became a navy wife and about the birth of their son. He was very active in the submarine program. Helped develop things for the navy. Sea at lot. There were two sons born while navy. In the jack was born in portsdz smith born in hawaii and jeff was born in connecticut. She had a lot of jobs rape sons because jimmy was not around a lot of the time nd she would run the Family Finances which a task she took on at the farm as well. Was busy but also enjoyed the opportunity to travel to all these great places and i think enjoyed living in hawaii, for instance. It was a special experience for them. Accepted arter was into the Nuclear Submarine worked with the father of the Nuclear Submarine program. He leads it. Why . I think the main reason is dies earlier than expected. Passed away inl, 1953, and billy was too young to farm. Ver the so, it was kind of, i guess, a question that the farm might be if he didnt mily go back. Hen he went back he found out his father had been more active in the Community Helping poor people and giving loans to needed help and he never realized that as a child more thought i could do good back here. The thing is he didnt consult question ynn on that and she actually refused to talk on the trip and he said after that, he learned his lesson and he would never make a major decision without consulting with her. Here she found herself back after seeing the world. But they put themselves into the peanut Farm Business and used it as a way to grow and get around the state. That segway into their life in politics they started off getting politics. In local it jimmy carter became involved there in chool board plains and used that as a jumping off point to the Georgia State legislature. And from there, eventually he for hed two campaigns governor. The first wasnt successful and the second was. Hey really used their sort of rootedness in plains and i think their experience of the broader coming together helped them to get into national politic. Lets invite our callers into discussion beginning with steve watching us in fort meyers florida. Hi, youre on. Caller good evening. I was fortunate to meet president and misses carter when meyers, to for tt florida in 1994. President carter with a medal and this was to pass the s work alaska lands act which actually 104 million acres of wilderness. Carter had misses any effect on his Environmental Policies because i know she to put forth ed some information to president carter on some of his policy. Know how much of his Environmental Policies she might information about and to at least make him form a policy. Was she a person concerned Environmental Issues . Theyre both outdoor people love to fly fish, for instance. Always had this personal interest in rivers. He was involved in environment in many ways. Fact theyre both serious birders. Hey go actual around the world looking for species they havent notebook e and have a of Different Things theyve seen. The carter presidency has been ranked by historians for the environment i dy roosevelt and nixon, is right up behind them in most of the environmental both of them have a Great Respect fortunate and outdoors. Watching from greenville, indiana. Youre on. Caller hi, how are you . Very well. Whats your question. Caller what was the reaction of carter and first lady he lost the election to Ronald Reagan in 1980 . Okay. Thank you. Story fast forwarding our but what was the reaction when they lost the 80 campaign . Mean, they were devastated. You know, i dont really know to that. Dd do you want to take that up . Devastated. Y the election was not close, so, until the last week or the polls showed it was an open race. Realized before election it was coming, and it hard. She is very candid if you read her memoirs she doesnt try to about p how she feels things and she said everybodys pretended like they werent sure was. I so, you know, obviously for what you put in to run for the office and put in to do when you get tough a verdict like that from the to rs, but theyve come peace with it and been able to make a great use of the rest of life. It was a fragile victory in 76 when he won. Victory. Small so i think it was in some ways a surprise victory. Before we leave there, someone wants to know what major accomplishments did they make for the state of georgia that replicated by other states. What can you point to . Was a majora, there reorganization of the functions of State Government so there fewer agencies. He was the first 1 to set up a bureau to attract films to come to georgia which was big. Active in International Promotion of business and trade and the environment which we already mentioned. He only served one term as governor because at that time notgeorgia constitution did for a nybody to run second term. Thats why he only served the one term and of course reason he going to retire from politics or run for president. Of the things that is interesting about his governship particularly as liberal on issues of racial the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement that had rocked the south in the leading up to and even when he was first running for first campaign. That lly didnt run liberal on these issues. He became governor perhaps in part because he did georgia wheren in white voters were not going to upport those views he made a tactical turn and nurtured the career of a young andy young at really began to really moderate what had been traditional white southern views before that. Race have a question about about the first lady. What g up in the south views did rosalynn have on equal rights and human rights . Was very impressed by Lillian Carter. I dont think we mentioned Lillian Carter yet. She was a major force through the whole town of plains because she was a nurse. Prevailing attitude as africanamericans had to come through the back door and the schools were separate, as far as she was concerned equal and she had to carry out her nursing responsibilities that way. Saw that and one named lynns sisters was after miss lillian so there was a respect for her. Ven at this time, although the prevailing culture was of segregated society, i think both with a basic p sense of fairness that said this ought to bey things and of course as they travelled broadened world they their perspectives. Neither of them were amongst white southerners t