HONORING CARTER
August 14, 2000

Ray Suarez talks with former President Jimmy Carter, honored on the first night of the Democratic Convention.

Online NewsHour Special Report: 2000 Democratic Convention Election 2000 Aug. 11, 2000: Sen. Joe Lieberman talks about his candidacy, religion and the campaign. Aug. 11, 2000: Shields and Gigot discuss Gore/Lieberman. Aug. 11, 2000: Examining Gore's economic plan Aug. 10, 2000: Los Angeles prepares for the Democratic Convention. Aug. 8, 2000: An historic choice. Aug. 7, 2000: Al Gore asks Lieberman to be his runningmate. Browse the NewsHour's coverage of Politics and Campaigns and Election 2000     Democratic Convention Official Web Site	RAY SUAREZ: Mr. President, welcome back to the NewsHour. JIMMY CARTER: Well, it's nice to be back. This is one of my favorite places, as a matter of fact. RAY SUAREZ: Well, you're at the 2000 convention, depending on how you look at it, the first convention of the new century or the last one of the old century. Is this party one that you recognize, that has a central core that really hasn't changed very much from when you were active in politics? JIMMY CARTER: There's some elements of it that are almost compatible with when I was in the White House. I would say a total commitment to working families' well-being; secondly, a commitment to the environment and to the end of racial discrimination, and quite different from many of the Democratic leaders when I was in Washington, a commitment to very conservative economic policies, with a balanced budget, very tight control over expenditures versus income. So I would say that the last eight years there's been a remarkable demonstration of good economic leadership and Al Gore has been an integral part of that so I feel very close to him. Obviously the eight years has been marred, you know, by the scandals that resulted in the House vote of impeachment but that's something for which no one could hold Al Gore responsible. RAY SUAREZ: Having said that, doesn't he have a fairly subtle task ahead, both stepping into the spotlight himself but still wanting to run on a record? JIMMY CARTER: Well, there are two statements that are unquestionable. One is, he was deeply involved in the decision-making process that brought Alan Greenspan and kept him in the Federal Reserve system and also that brought Rubin into the Secretary of the Treasury's office, which has resulted in a good economic system, there's no doubt about that. Secondly, he was not involved in any way in the relationship between President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. So, the two factors that you questioned me about are inherently separated and not related. But in the public's mind you are right, he does have that problem. I think that after President Clinton's speech and his departure the following morning, the Democratic Party structure, the political institution that encompasses me and all of the Democrats will be led by Al Gore and Joe Lieberman. And there's a different demeanor, there's a different consciousness, between a person who is always walking in the shadow of a President, which every Vice President has to do, on the one hand, and a man who has now taken a role of leadership for the future with his own Vice President who has to walk in his shadow. So I think there's going to be an apparent and very clear distinction between the past eight years and the next four years. But, as far as economics and progress is concerned, I hope it will be a continuous process.
	Passing the mantle
	RAY SUAREZ: Well, while you see that split very clearly, is it an argument that's hard to make in the way we run campaigns today, 30-second commercials, quick appearances in shopping centers and in public spaces? JIMMY CARTER: Well, that's one of the advantages of a convention. And lot of people say why spend all this money at this convention here, with 15,000 news reporters showing up and 5,000 delegates, we already know who's going to be the next candidate for President and Vice President, both parties. But it's a way to have a pep rally, to clarify issues as much as possible, and I would say for an incumbent party to pass the mantel, from the existing President to what we hope will be the next President. So I think that the candidacy is enhanced in almost every case by a successful convention, which I'm sure this will be. But that is always a challenge to make. I remember that George Bush, the daddy, was completely in the shadow of Ronald Reagan; Nixon was completely in the shadow of Eisenhower; Hubert Humphrey was completely in the shadow of Lyndon Johnson; and some of them went on to greater things, as you know, to be President. And I think the same thing will happen in the case of Al Gore. RAY SUAREZ: You've mentioned a couple of times Bill Clinton's task in this process. Talk about how he accomplishes both a look back at some things that he does want to crow about but also making that transition and moving the party now to be the Al Gore party. JIMMY CARTER: Well, I'm sure that what Bill Clinton wants as much as anything is to see his legacy approved in economic and social matters and foreign policy by the election of Al Gore. So he won't do anything advertent to hurt Gore's chances to separate himself from the Clinton embarrassments and to move forward to a successful election in November. And so I think that after he has left Los Angeles Tuesday morning, it'll be Al Gore's convention and campaign. The second thing is that even if President Clinton wants to cling to the semblance of authority and power and the center stage after next January, that won't be possible. When he goes to Washington two years from now he's not going to be met by you or Jim Lehrer or Sam Donaldson or Cokie Roberts or anyone else; he's going to be met by an absence of people focusing on what he happens to be doing. The center will be focused on the President, I hope Al Gore. So I've been through that, and President Clinton and I have had several conversations about his own future. I've tried to assure him that the best times of my life have been after the White House. You have served a great nation, the greatest nation on Earth, and then you have freedom from political obligations, you have an almost unlimited menu of things that you can either choose or say no; you have a chance for an adventurous and challenging and unpredictable, I would say a gratifying life.
	A lot of life ahead
	RAY SUAREZ: Well, on that last day, like you, he will be a very young man. He'll have a lot of life ahead. JIMMY CARTER: Yeah, he will be. He and I have been two of the youngest people, certainly in this century, that have survived the White House. He has, will probably a life expectancy of at least 25 years after he leaves the White House, so he's going to have to face the same question I did -- what are you going to do with those 25 years? When you're treated with respect all over the world, when you have knowledge of international and national affairs that's very valuable to many people, you don't want to encroach on the authority or the prerogatives of people who are actually holding office, how do you carve out that career for yourself? And I don't have any doubt that he will. Clinton is a brilliant man; he's a Rhodes scholar, as you know, he's been a college professor, so he can teach, like I do at Emory University; he could be maybe at the University of Arkansas. And I'm sure he's going to establish a center somewhat similar to the Carter Center -- whatever he felt was still an ongoing opportunity or obligation to serve the public. It'll give him a foundation from which he can act. RAY SUAREZ: You're going to be remembered tonight and paid tribute to tonight as part of the convention program. Talk a little bit about how far that goes towards perhaps assuaging some of the hurts of not being recognized at previous conventions. JIMMY CARTER: Well, I've been to every convention, let's see, in '84, '88, '92, I've been to every convention since I left the White House except '96, and this time I was asked, urged, by Al Gore to come make a major speech at the convention; I really didn't want to do that. The Carter Center's work is now so totally non-partisan, multi-partisan, that I didn't want to make a major talk. And then the idea was sent to me by Al Gore, why don't you come to the convention, enjoy yourself, join your family who are already scheduled to be there, and let us do a video presentation about your life in the White House and so forth to let the Democrats express their appreciation for your service. And so that appealed to me, so that's why we came, so I'm looking forward to a very pleasant evening without the chore and obligation of having to make a major speech. RAY SUAREZ: So getting a big hurrah is easy work. JIMMY CARTER: That's very nice, yeah, much better, I enjoy that. RAY SUAREZ: President Jimmy Carter, thanks for joining us. JIMMY CARTER: It's a pleasure to be with you.