___
Rosalynn Carter, from her 1984 book, “First Lady of the Plains”
On the campaign: “Later, I was grateful for those early months when there were no large crowds, although I wanted there to be at the time, and when there was no press with me to record every misstep or distortion. Soon I was able to anticipate questions and answer them, sometimes hesitantly, but I learned. I also developed a standard speech and learned to convey my message in the often brief time given, regardless of the questions that were asked.”
___
About her relationship with the president: “I often acted as a sounding board for him. By explaining a specific issue to me, he could think for himself; and I and the rest of the family often debated with him more intensely than his advisers or staff. For us, he was the same participant in our nightly discussions at the dinner table as he had always been. I soon found it was easier for me to learn about people’s needs while traveling than it was for him. … A president, no matter who he is, can become very isolated if he isn’t careful.”
___
About the criticism that she was too powerful: “Jimmy and I always worked side by side; it is a tradition in southern families and one that is not seen as demeaning to the man. As soon as the press and our persistent opponents found out about my presence in the Cabinet meetings, rumors soon began to circulate that I was “telling” Jimmy what to do! They obviously didn’t know Jimmy!”
___
About making mental health her top priority: “I wanted to take mental illness and emotional disturbances out of the closet, so that people would know that there’s no shame in admitting to having a problem without fear of being called crazy. If we could consider mental illnesses as directly as we do physical illnesses, affected people could seek help and be treated in an open and effective way.”