Recollecting Carter

Before he was President, Governor, or even a State Senator, Jimmy Carter's first political office was on the Sumter County School Board in rural, south Georgia filling a seat vacated when his father passed away in 1953. On this episode of Recollecting Carter, I talk with Dr. Jason Berggren about how understanding Carter's earliest political appointment helps us to better appreciate just how much he evolved over the course of his career.

You can find Jason and co-author Adrienne Petty's research at: https://www.npshistory.com/publications/jica/sumter-co.pdf

Though we rarely hear talk of a "Religious Left" today, in the 1960s and 70s there was an active and vibrant set of voices advocating for progressive policies from across the faith spectrum. On this episode of Recollecting Carter, I talk with Dr. L. Benjamin Rolsky about how Carter fit into that historical moment and the lessons that we can learn about the relationship between faith, politics, and popular culture.

You can find Benji's book at: https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-religious-left/9780231193634

Biographer Kai Bird published The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter in 2021. Kai is a prolific author, most notably of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, which earned he and his co-author a Pulitzer Prize in 2006 and became a major motion picture in 2023. I got a chance to talk with Kai about the role he sees biographers playing in the formation of collective memory.

You can find Kai's book at: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/538942/the-outlier-by-kai-bird/

Many of the details of Carter's Presidency have been forgotten by the general public and some have even been intentionally mischaracterized by right-wing political operatives masquerading as journalists. On this episode of Recollecting Carter, I talk with Dr. Kevin Kruse, one of the foremost experts on modern American political history. Kevin talks about how public perception of Carter has changed over time, and how Carter's conduct while in office has become the gold standard for presidential ethics in the modern era.

You can find a couple of Kevin's books at: https://uncpress.org/book/9781469642246/showbiz-politics/ and https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691246666/247-politics

The connection between Washington politics and Hollywood celebrity is often taken for granted today, but, historically speaking, it hasn't always been the case. On this episode of Recollecting Carter, I talk with Dr. Kathryn Cramer Brownell. Katie talks about her research into the origins of what she calls "showbiz politics," and the surprising role that President Carter played in the creation of the 24 hour news cycle.

You can find Katie's books at: https://uncpress.org/book/9781469642246/showbiz-politics/ and https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691246666/247-politics

Jimmy Carter was at one time the most well-known Southern Baptist in the world, but he left the denomination in the year 2000 citing their theological views on the role of women as one of his primary reasons for leaving. On this episode of Recollecting Carter, I talk with Dr. Beth Allison Barr, author of The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth, about the history behind what Carter called "a twisted interpretation of the Word of God."

You can find Beth's book at: http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/the-making-of-biblical-womanhood/404050

Recent books on American evangelicalism such as Kristin DuMez's Jesus and John Wayne have challenged long held assumptions about the relationship between faith and politics. On this episode of Recollecting Carter, I talk with David Nanninga about how certain sets of religious beliefs worked at the local level in cities such as Waco and Amarillo Texas to shape public opinion and ultimately sway the 1980 presidential election.

Dr. Russell Moore is a prominent theologian, author, and the Editor-in-Chief of Christianity Today. His most recent book Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America has been well received by critics across the spectrum of faith and politics. On this episode of Recollecting Carter, I got a chance to talk with Moore about how the relationship between Evangelical Christianity and American presidential politics has changed from Carter's era to now.

You can find Russell's book at: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/709965/losing-our-religion-by-russell-moore/

You can hear more from Russell on his podcast The Russell Moore Show: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/podcasts/russell-moore-show/

Journalist and Author Jonathan Alter published His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, A Life in 2020. Despite coming out a full four decades after Carter left office, it was the first independent, full-length biography of our 39th President. On this episode of Recollecting Carter, I got a chance to talk with Alter about his experience writing the book and ask why he was inspired to write it now in this historical moment.

You can find Jonathan's book at: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/His-Very-Best/Jonathan-Alter/9781501125546

Understanding President Carter’s fraught relationship with the press is key to understanding his Presidency. On this Episode of Recollecting Carter, I talk once more with Dr. Amber Roessner about the historical context behind two news stories that exemplify press coverage of Carter’s time in office. Understanding this history can uncover a lot about how news media help to create the uniquely American version of political theater we experience today.