Jimmy Carter's Flight Arrangements
 

I was listening to an interview with the former president on National Public Radio yesterday, and it was interesting to hear him discuss his annual family Christmastime vacation. He says he books flights for his 23 family members using Frequent Flyer miles he accrues on all his flying during the year. Claims to book in coach, but will often get upgraded if there is room. He also said he likes to go throughout the plane and greet his fellow passengers before they take off. Noticed that since 9/11, when he does this there seems to be much more applause, and has determined that this is not because people are happy to meet him, but rather due to the Secret Service he brings on board.

This is interesting.

Jimmy Carter is not exactly the "jus' folks" he portrays himself as. I can understand him and his family being upgraded on award tix unlike the rest of us.

He is a very decent guy by all accounts.

I've met him more than once, and he is genuinely an incredibly bright and honestly nice guy...

I have to say, the interview, what I heard of it on my lunch break in my car, was very good, interesting. This was on the "Fresh Air" program. He had much to say, and was very composed. Certainly gives the appearance of being a very nice person, and definitely not a schmuck.

I saw him once on a ATL-SFO flight on DL a few years ago, on a 767 IIRC. I was in a bulkhead Y row. He was in F. There were a couple of secret service up front with him, and then a couple others near the front of Y. Mr. Carter came back thru Y a couple of times during the flight and shook hands with quite a few people.

This is a very interesting post. Thanks very much.

Mr. Carter must be very lucky in getting 20+ award seats. I just booked a domestic award near Christmas with great difficulty even though I was very flexible with dates.

Aren't all former presidents nice guys? Gerald Ford's a nice golf guy. Ronald Reagan's a nice comic book reader guy. George Bush (dad) went to a Houston soup kitchen on Thanksgiving even though he's not running for office.

At least this is one pax that enjoys the inflight peanuts.

lol! it is a pity they banned peanut

....,but a Democrat, nonetheless.

Come now FlyAAway, I am as republican as they get. But to dismiss President Carter as a "demo, nonetheless" is not fair. Regardless of what people may think of his policies and success/failure as president, one thing cannot be denied - Jimmy Carter is one of the most honest and ethical men to have served in the White House. The farther we move into the future, the more people realize what a great man this country has in President Carter.



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Ken in Sacramento

Amen!

The only President in my memory that I would characterize as less than a decent person is Richard Nixon. Clinton comes close, too.

I can't speak for Ford because he hasn't done all that much since he's left office. Carter definitely seems to be a class act and a good man, even though he was a horrible President. Reagan has faded away due to his Alzheimers but even when he was in office, he seemed like a good guy even though I was pretty much against a lot of his policies. Bush Sr. is a far better man than his son will ever be.

As for Carter getting upgraded, well, yeah, of course he does. Think about it. You're a gate agent, and a former President has a seat in coach. Of course you're going to upgrade him.

Clinton comes close? Political affiliations aside, he and Nixon should have been friends...

Well, you'll notice that I didn't even characterize Nixon as bad. I'm trying to be nice. But if you ask me flat out whether or not I think Nixon and Clinton are good men, I will refrain from commenting. That should tell you everything you need to know.

I can just imagine it; as friends you can be sure they both would have bugged each other's offices.

What would they hear?

Well of course Nixon would have heard Clinton in the throes of passion with an intern, and Clinton would have heard Nixon in the throes of passion sitting and listening to his tape of Clinton and an intern.

That Jimmy Carter interview in full...

http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/fa/20011205.fa.ram

I am not a computer whiz so I hope the link works!



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Over & Out.

Is Jimmy worth meeting?

Tonight I might go get his book and have him sign it and use it for a Christmas present for someone...

I was on a Delta flight to Atlanta a few years ago and he did just that--went through coach and shook everyone's hand. Not just some passengers, but everyone in coach.

Say what you want about his politics, but that always struck me as such a nice thing to do. I mean, how often do you get to shake a President's hand? It was no big deal but I still remember it a few years later.

Well said!

Disclaimer: I am a committed moderate-to-liberal Democrat who can't wait for the Dems to take the House next year... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

He is definitely worth meeting - makes a real impression... you forget sometimes what genuine honesty looks like in someone's eyes.. he has it.

Is Carter in Seattle December 7?

Yep he sure was, down at University Bookstore in the U District. I got some books signed and (quickly) got to meet him. A very nice man, and he does look honest in the eyes. I'm glad I went. While I was only alive for the last 51 days of his term, it was still an honor. My fiance said "I'm honored" to him and he said "It's my pleasure" then he said "hi" to me and then we said thanks & bye.

Impertinent young whippersnapper! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

FlyAAway must be joking as all the residents of Puyallup are Democrats. That's why we have such a nice town. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I also am a fan of Carter.

A stroll through the Carter Center in Atlanta is a fascinating way to spend 2-3 hours, especially if the stroller was news-observant during the years of the Carter administration.

QUOTE]Originally posted by TravelManKen:
Regardless of what people may think of his policies and success/failure as president, one thing cannot be denied - Jimmy Carter is one of the most honest and ethical men to have served in the White House. The farther we move into the future, the more people realize what a great man this country has in President Carter. /QUOTE]

Thank you, very well said.

I also heard part of the NPR interview with Carter. He made some really good viewpoints about the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. It seems to me he would be an excellent person for the administration to send there as a special envoy for peace. His integrity, experience and track record should be well respected by both Israel and the Arab world. We need someone like him who can be impartial and caring for both sides of the conflict.

** I forgot I was in Milebuzz and not in Omni. If anyone has anything to add regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, please go to Omni.



[This message has been edited by ChaseTheMiles (edited 12-08-2001).]

I met Jimmy Carter while I was a student at Emory University in the early 90s. I was standing in front of the student center when his Suburban pulled up and he and his entourage got out. On his way inside the building, he stopped and shook my hand and we exchanged a few salutations.

As simple as that story sounds - I will never forget that moment, as it was one of the most indelible of my life. I have yet to meet a person with the presence, power, and charisma of Mr. Carter. Although I have been tremendously impressed with his post-presidential work, and I enjoyed the lectures he occasionally gave in a political science classor two, his firm handshake, honest gaze, and the time-stopping level of attention he focused on me (an unshaven, probably unwashed, bookbag toting undergrad) will remain etched into my consciousness for quite some time to come.

Mr. Carter has been a much better ex-president than president.

I wish we could have elected Mr. Carter to be a former president immediately, without him having to serve as a sitting president. Could we elect him National Grandfather?

I'll readily agree with that, but I wonder how much of it was Carter's fault and how much of it was due to circumstances beyond his control.

I've often said that the President is like a quarterback. He gets far too much credit when things go well, and far too much blame when they don't.

Okay.. this might be getting way off topic, but I could not resist adding my two cents.

Anyone that has spent at least 5 minutes looking into what Jimmy Carter has done since he left office would agree without a doubt, he has done more for humankind than ALL of the past 5 or 10 or more Presidents COMBINED. And, one could probably argue he has done more than any recent president even incuding time in office.

They used to sponsor an annual ski trip to benefit the Carter Center that we went on, way back. We still get updates on what the Carter's are up to. Amazing, simply amazing.

What do you want to bet Jimmy Carter and his Secret Service entourage don't have to endure the security hassles the rest of us do? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif Can you see someone going through his underwear in front of dozens of people? I doubt it.

Well... I'm finding this thread pretty interesting so I might as well tell my own Jimmy Carter story...

I was flying BOS-LAX-TPE-MNL on UA / China Airlines (yes, I know... it was due to a very low group fare), to build a house in the Philippines for the 1999 Jimmy Carter Work Project. CAL switched the TPE-MNL leg to a 747 to accomodate the project, but the plane was still full (lots of free upgrades, I wasn't so lucky.)

Waiting for the plane to take off from TPE I was about half-conscious, not in very good shape after the LAX-TPE segment... when President Carter made the rounds, shaking every hand on the plane. I think I managed to mumble something slightly coherent before falling back asleep. Guess I could have done a better job meeting a world leader, but UA and China Airlines Y wasn't really the best way to stay rested. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Next lesson was that flying across 11 time zones and starting to build a house the next day can be painful! Anyway, a few days later I came across Jimmy again on the work site... he was wandering around looking for somebody who could help him install a toilet (not the sort of request you'd expect from a former president!) He survived the 5 days of near-100 degree heat remarkably well, especially impressive for his age.

Anyway, just to keep this "on topic" (sure!), I'll have to recommend that everybody try to fit some home building into their next mileage run. Maybe BKK? Jimmy would be proud. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif