Tricky Dick and the Peanut Farmer

Okay, first of all I just want to say that the title of this post definitely sounds like the name of Broadway's next offbeat but critically-acclaimed musical.  But I digress...

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I've always loved learning about the presidents.  In general,  I find it the most rewarding to study history through the eyes of the people who lived it, but there is something about the presidents in particular that truly fascinate me.  How their roles and ideologies have evolved over centuries, how a single person can shape so much of our world, and how these men who are supposed to be the embodiment of "presidential" are flawed people, just like the rest of us.  The standards, the scandals, the style- I love it all.

 However, I cannot say that my love is spread equally: there are two presidents in particular that most often peak my interest-- and coincidentally, they both served in the 1970s (I know you must be shocked).  They are our 37th and 39th presidents: Richard M. Nixon and Jimmy Carter (respectively).

So you may be wondering,  what is so interesting about these two people? And why do I love comparing things so much?  The latter question I'm afraid I cannot answer, but the first I most certainly can. Keep reading and prepare to meet your new favorite presidents.

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Richard Nixon served as president from 1969-1974, before resigning in the middle of his second term (he is the only president to ever resign from office).  You probably know him best from the Watergate Scandal- the direct cause of his resignation to avoid impeachment.  You probably think he's a crook.  But did you know that before his presidency went down in flames, he had impressively high ratings and won his second term by the largest margins in history? Indeed, it was Nixon who improved relations with the USSR and China, Nixon who passed legislation to limit the production of nuclear arms, Nixon who brought an end to American involvement in the Vietnam War, Nixon who created the EPA.  I'm not saying that Nixon's presidency was flawless (his economic policies brought trouble for the latter half of the decade) but it's difficult to deny that as far as presidents go, he was downright successful.

But for most Americans, his legacy doesn't extend far past his scandal.  For some, he will always be a disgraced criminal, for others, a foolish figure whose legacy resurfaces every few months when the newest scandal embeds itself in the pop psyche: Deflategate, Bridgegate, Donutgate.  In the weeks leading to Nixon's resignation, his Secretary of State Henry Kissinger pondered that Watergate would be a "minor footnote" in history and that in due time people would come to respect Nixon for his successes.  He was wrong.

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Before I say anything about Jimmy Carter, I want you to know that our 39th president of the United States, now 91, won A GRAMMY this year.  Which is amazing, but probably wasn't that exciting for Carter, considering that he ALREADY HAD A GRAMMY.  That's right, Jimmy Carter has TWO Grammys, and although he's no Taylor Swift (his awards are for the audio recording of his memoirs), he's still a lot closer than me.

But onto the Jimmy Carter that history cares about.  In terms of his presidency, Jimmy Carter is pretty much the mirror opposite of Nixon.  He was an unpopular one-term president who in many ways simply didn't fit the decade.  He was an idealist, and at a time when the United States was becoming increasingly on edge with international affairs, Carter's main goal was to make government "competent and compassionate" and make humanity the driving force in diplomacy.

His disastrous "Crisis of Confidence" speech alienated most of the American public (he essentially placed the burden for America's problems on the back of the nation's "poor spirit"), and the Iran Hostage Crisis sealed the deal for his 1980 defeat by Ronald Reagan.

But after his presidency ended, Carter went on to work heavily with Habitat for Humanity and vigorously advocated for basic human rights in Africa, Central America, and Asia.  In 2002, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts with his organization, the Carter Center.  He is considered to be one of the most successful ex-presidents in history.

A successful president whose own paranoia destroyed his legacy.  An idealist whose values tarnished his presidency but validated his work in the twilight of his life.  I love the 70s, but I would find these two fascinating in any decade.

"God gives us the capacity for choice.  

We can choose to alleviate suffering.  

We can choose to work together for peace.  

We can make these changes-- and we must."

- Jimmy Carter, accepting his Nobel Peace Prize