I can’t claim to be a presidential historian, but I consider myself informed in an above average fashion on the topic because of my background in history. And this is how I know that Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the United States, would not fall into the top ten of all the men that have occupied that elected post, maybe not even the top 20; definitely not the bottom ten though. Anyway, the one thing we can agree on is that Carter has made a far more compelling and proactive former President. To prove this assertion, look no further than the documentary Man From Plains.
Directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker Jonathan Demme, the film follows Jimmy Carter for a period of about two or three weeks in November and December of 2006. The filming coincides with the launch of a book tour to support Carter’s tome containing his thoughts about the situation in the Palestinian territories called Palestine: Peace not Apartheid. With a highly provocative title, Carter spends a lot of the tour facing stiff criticism from many people who beg to differ when it comes to his use of the word “apartheid”. In between interviews though, the former President keeps a hectic pace of personal appearances, speeches and even building the occasional house.
All in all, I found Man From Plains quite inspiring. The idea that a man can be more influential after he leaves the most powerful office is a fascinating one. Seeing Carter bound around cross-country with the energy of a man half his age makes me wonder about his successors careers post White House. Bill Clinton and, when he leaves office, George W. Bush, are relatively young men. And while Clinton has lead a literally and figuratively, rich post-office life with speaking engagements and charity work, could he not be using his clout to do more. (Also, personally, I don’t see “Dubya” being paid to talk or make money for charity after leaving office.)
Jimmy Carter is one of those people that makes you feel embarrassed that you’re not doing more because even though he’s 83 and got a half century on you, he’s still touring like a man on the campaign trail. He’s also an inspiring figure. Whether you agree with his use of the word “apartheid” in relation to the conflict between Israel and Palestine, you have to admire Carter for the practiced and patient way he sticks to his convictions. He’s passionate about the subject and he’s exceptionally informed. You can tell that there’s still some fight in him over the issue of peace in the Middle East and that perhaps there’s a little anger mixed with regret in the fact that he couldn’t finish what he started when he was President having lost to Ronald Reagan in 1980.
While the documentary is fairly flattering and glowing in its portrayal, which will probably anger a lot of people, Demme does try to show some warts with the Carter legacy and highlight some of the counterarguments to the former President’s view of the Middle East. He doesn’t try very hard I think, but I can’t tell if that’s because he agrees with the point of view or was maybe just concerned about taking the focus off his main subject. Either way, this is a compelling film about a man who might otherwise have been forgotten by history if only he had gone quietly into his retirement. Elected the wrong Carter indeed.
