He said in his video that the people of New Orleans were “abandoned by their government” (during Katrina). In my view, that is a lie. And not just a lie, but a corrosive one. The government made mistakes, of course, as people always make mistakes, especially in chaotic circumstances. But “abandoned”? This sort of assertion stokes grievances, and keeps them alive, and worsens them. We have had way, way too much of that in America.
On the positive side, Jimmy and Rosalynn walked out to “Georgia on My Mind” (a marvelous song). (They looked great, too. Carter still has some charisma, some flair — flashing that grin of his. And loving the applause.) During the ’76 campaign, they kept playing “Marching Through Georgia” for Carter, at various stops. He said, “Don’t they know that’s a northern song?”
It’s been a while since we could regard Jimmy Carter as charming.