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Oral History Interview with Jimmy Carter [exact date unavailable], 1974. Interview A-0066. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007).
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  • Abstract
    Jack Bass and Walter DeVries talk with then-Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter about the unique aspects of southern politics, the viability of the Democratic Party, the importance of citizen participation, and the changes brought on by the civil rights movement. Carter argues that the Democratic Party is recovering from the backlash against President Johnson and will overtake the Republican Party in many state elections in the coming years. Carter suggests several ways that southern politics have changed for the better since the civil rights movement and the Voting Rights Act, specifically in a noticeable shift toward pleasing voters rather than local business leaders. He argues that citizens' desire for personal contact with politicians, experience with social change, and religious beliefs give southern politics unique traits that will soon affect United States politics in general.
    Excerpts
  • Support from business leaders is no longer helpful in electoral politics
  • Democratic candidates benefit from increased voter participation
  • Candidates of both parties should be accessible to voters as they govern
  • Direct citizen contact helped Governor Carter realize problems in governance
  • The South is now a bellwether for the nation, rather than a backward region
  • Military interests and religious conservatism make southerners unique
  • Southerners are used to resurgence
  • Southerners can help the nation practice harmonious governance
  • Southern ideals of friendship and social progress smoothed sudden social change
  • A Democratic presidential candidate could win by catering to southern voters
  • Southern voting cohesion means that Democrats need southern candidates
  • The end of the county unit system increases the importance of voter participation
  • State Democratic Party focuses on individual candidates rather than party allegiance
  • Learn More
  • Finding aid to the Southern Oral History Program Collection
  • Database of all Southern Oral History Program Collection interviews
  • Resources for Educators
  • Changes in Southern Politics Learning Object
  • Subjects
  • Southern States--Politics and government
  • Democratic Party (Ga.)
  • Georgia--Politics and government
  • Georgia--Race relations
  • Governors--Georgia
  • The Southern Oral History Program transcripts presented here on Documenting the American South undergo an editorial process to remove transcription errors. Texts may differ from the original transcripts held by the Southern Historical Collection.

    Funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services supported the electronic publication of this title.