The Unraveled Charm of the Carter Marriage

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Editors Note: Kate Andersen Brower, the author of "The Residence," "First Women," "Team Of Five," and "First In Line," who covered the Obama administration for Bloomberg News, expresses her views in this article. Read more opinion at CNN.

In April 2021, President Biden and Jill Biden visited Plains, Georgia, for a meeting with Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. This was their first meeting since President Biden's inauguration. However, it was Rosalynn, not Jimmy, who led the way and escorted the first couple out of the Carters' modest ranch home after the meeting concluded.

Kate Andersen Brower

Rosalynna, throughout the 77-year marriage of the Carters, played an equal role in various aspects. This included taking charge of bidding farewell to their esteemed guests, thereby enabling her husband to indulge in his routine swim. Additionally, this arrangement allowed the media-shy former president to evade the crowd of reporters eagerly awaiting news about the visit's outcome.

Rosalynn Carter, who was a shining example of strength and resilience, had a remarkable marriage built on true partnership. The Carter Center confirmed her passing on Sunday, sharing that she had peacefully passed away with her loved ones by her side.

Former President Carter had previously described his marriage to Rosalynn as the ultimate peak in his life. In his heartfelt tribute on Sunday, he honored his late wife as an incomparable companion and unwavering source of support.

Newlyweds Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter in their wedding picture.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution/AP

Rosalynn Carter passed away at the age of 96, two days after the Carter Center announced her admission to hospice care. She had been diagnosed with dementia in May and her husband, former President Carter, began receiving home hospice care in February after multiple hospital stays.

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter were married for over 77 years, making them the longest-married president and first lady in US history. They were married on July 7, 1946, at a Methodist church in their small hometown of Plains, Georgia, when she was 18 and he was 21. At the time of her death, the former first couple had been married for approximately the same period as the average life expectancy of an American.

Jimmy Carter, the son of a peanut farmer with limited name recognition beyond Georgia, emerged as a presidential candidate. Rosalynn, his staunchest supporter, played a pivotal role in his campaign. Leading up to the 1976 Democratic nomination, a dedicated group of volunteers from Georgia, known as the Peanut Brigade, tirelessly campaigned door-to-door on his behalf. Meanwhile, Rosalynn embarked on a nationwide journey, surprising television and radio stations, offering herself up for interviews to gradually introduce voters, town by town, state by state, to her husband.

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter help build a home in Tijuana, Mexico in 1990.

Habitat for Humanity Int'l

Boys never interested Rosalynn while growing up. She struggled with talking to them and had no desire to go out with them. In fact, she used to ask her mother to inform any potential suitors who called that she was unavailable.

However, her perspective changed when she saw a photo of Jimmy Carter on the bedroom wall of her neighbor's house. Ruth Carter, who happened to be Rosalynn's best friend, was Jimmy's sister. "Then, Jimmy Carter came along and my life has been an adventure ever since," she shared with enthusiasm while sitting next to her husband during their grand anniversary celebration a few years ago.

Rosalynn believed her primary responsibility as the first lady was to communicate the concerns of the people to her husband. Once they resided in the White House, the first couple established a weekly ritual of having private lunches, allowing them uninterrupted time to discuss the state of the nation.

According to Vice President Walter Mondale, who served alongside Carter, Rosalynn was aware of all the secrets and intricacies of the administration. This level of intimacy could be unsettling, even for experienced staff members. Gerald Rafshoon, the communications director for Carter, recalled their remarkable bond, sharing that they would even read the Bible together in Spanish, leaving him in awe but also somewhat envious of their close relationship.

Former President Jimmy Carter kisses former first lady Rosalynn Carter after they received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton in 1999.

Rafshoon, who didn't speak Spanish along with Hamilton Jordan, expressed concern about meetings with the Carters. Whenever the topic was sensitive and they were advocating for something, the former president and first lady would abruptly switch to speaking Spanish, causing worry.

She consistently supported him without rest. When her husband lost his bid for reelection to Republican challenger Ronald Reagan in 1980, Rosalynn expressed that she felt bitterness on behalf of both of them. Even years later, in a 1999 interview with the New York Times, she revealed that her greatest regret in life was Jimmy's defeat. During my 2018 interview with her, she expressed her belief that the American people had made a mistake.

Following their departure from the White House in January 1981, the Carters made a unique decision to return to their hometown, embarking on the longest, most ambitious, and most successful post-presidency in American history.

After departing from the White House, Jimmy Carter diverged from the conventional path taken by former presidents, which involves lucrative paid speeches and corporate board positions. "The amount of money I earn annually holds little significance for me," he remarked, contemplating his next steps. The understated manner in which the Carters chose to navigate their post-presidential life aligns closely with Rosalynn's restrained approach.

Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter, at their home in Plains, Ga. on June 25, 2021.

Erin Schaff/The New York Times/Redux

The ex-president conceived the notion of establishing the Carter Center and chose Atlanta as its headquarters, conveniently located approximately two-and-a-half hours away from Plains. The organization's mandate is extensive, encompassing the pursuit of peace, efforts to combat diseases, and the cultivation of hope.

Over the years, the duo could often be seen attending Sunday services at the Maranatha Baptist Church, where the ex-president consistently drew sizable audiences for his Bible study sessions. Jill Stuckey, a close friend of many years, affirmed, "The majority of us within the congregation would willingly step in harm's way to safeguard either of them."

Despite their unwavering honesty regarding the difficulties they faced in their special and lasting bond, it cannot be denied that it was not always a smooth journey for them. In a 1987 interview with the Los Angeles Times, the pair playfully admitted that their collaboration on the self-help book "Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life" came closest to leading them to consider a divorce.

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In Jimmy Carter's post-presidency, he and his wife have actively supported democracy and political stability by visiting conflict-ridden regions such as Cuba, Sudan, and North Korea. They have successfully facilitated peace negotiations between Ethiopian leaders and Eritrean rebels, and have strongly condemned fraudulent elections worldwide.

Furthermore, their significant contributions to global public health cannot be overstated. Through the efforts of the Carter Center, numerous preventable diseases, including guinea worm, have been combated. In 1986, this disease affected approximately 3.5 million individuals annually across 21 African and Asian countries. However, thanks to the involvement of the Carter Center and its partners, guinea worm is now on the brink of elimination.

The previous president was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his tireless dedication to seeking peaceful resolutions to global conflicts, promoting democracy and human rights, and fostering economic and social development.

However, insiders affirm that this honor should have been shared by Rosalynn, emphasizing that they functioned as a cohesive team in all aspects of their lives.