Jimmy Carter: A Man Who Knew Forgiveness
Dr. Eileen Borris
Global Consultant in Political Forgiveness, Multi-Track Diplomacy, Leadership, Conflict resolution, Author, Dynamic Key-Note Speaker
A Message to You
President Jimmy Carter had many political rivals who he held strong emotions towards. During his 1976 presidential campaign he spoke of Gerald Ford in the most unflattering terms — and then had a change of heart over the years, which can only come about through a practice of forgiveness. The two men went on to become intimate friends and eulogized each other at their funerals. Carter took this mastery of political forgiveness on an individual level and leveraged it to create peace between nations during the Camp David peace accords between Israel and Egypt. Political forgiveness on a national level also requires skills in building personal relationships and deep listening.?
What Can You Do?
Carter wasn’t perfect. He held grievances toward several political rivals in particular — but he was able to let it go. If his example inspires you, take a minute to become aware of grievances you’re holding toward others who may have hurt you in some way. Can you begin a dialog with deep listening to understand where they’re coming from? This moment of generosity can transform a relationship.
Jimmy Carter: A Man Who Knew Forgiveness
Jimmy Carter was a complicated man, a humble peacemaker, and he could also be fiercely competitive. He held on to grievances and yet he was also a Baptist Sunday school teacher who believed in forgiveness and recognized the good in people. This added to the complexity of who Jimmy Carter was.
Carter had many political rivals who he held strong emotions towards. Gerald Ford, Edward Kennedy, and the Clintons were just a few of the difficult relationships. During his 1976 presidential run, Carter spoke of Ford as being “incompetent, and his policies morally and politically and intellectually bankrupt,” as reported by The Washington Post. Over time Carter had a change of heart, which can only come about through a practice of forgiveness. He came to praise Ford as reflected in his inaugural address: “For myself and for our nation, I want to thank my predecessor for all he has done to heal our land.” Carter received a standing ovation for his kind words. Later these men began working closely together as well as becoming very intimate friends.?
Carter described his relationship with Ford “as the closest bond between any two former presidents,” both of whom made a pact that the one who lived longer would speak at the other’s funeral. In 2006 it was Carter who spoke at Ford’s funeral. The men and both their wives had become exceptionally close. Carter’s words at the funeral reflected his feelings in saying, “The four of us learned to love each other,” as Betty Ford nodded and Rosalynn Carter dabbed tears from her eyes. In January of 2025, during Carter’s funeral, Steven Ford read the eulogy his father wrote, which spoke of his love and appreciation for Carter.?
The same two men once traded insults and accusations as they competed for the presidency. But The Washington Post reported that, at the funeral for the 39th president, the 38th president eulogized: “Now is a time to say goodbye, our grief comforted with the joy and the thanksgiving of knowing this man, this beloved man, this very special man. He has given the gift of years, and the American people and the people of the world will be forever blessed by his decades of good works. Jimmy Carter’s legacy of peace and compassion will remain unique as it is timeless.” This relationship speaks to the power of forgiveness, which Jimmy Carter embraced.
Although Carter did not make peace with all his political opponents, he was determined to reconcile with as many as he could. With Ford, fences mended quickly. With Edward Kennedy reconciliation came more slowly. Perhaps it was Carter’s recognition of how politics was dividing the nation that made him realize the importance of “cleaning up his own house,” his own personal fractures, one at a time. The consciousness of forgiveness is who he was, and he understood the importance of building relationships, especially in the political world.
The Camp David Peace Accords
The Camp David peace accords was Carters most lasting achievement. It was Ford who helped Carter build a relationship with Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, which began to pave the way for the Camp David peace accords. Between January 1977 and September 1978 President Carter worked closely with Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to find a way to bring these men to the negotiating table. Carter realized just as the relationship between Egypt and Israel was laden with distrust and doubt, so too was the relationship between Sadat and Begin.
Throughout 1977 there were separate conversations and visits between Carter, Sadat and Begin, without either side budging from their entrenched positions. Finally Carter invited both men to come to Camp David for a series of private talks scheduled in September 1978. There were many heated arguments and a great deal of frustration and disappointment. Toward the end of the talks, Begin’s foreign minister told Sadat that Israel would never compromise on certain major issues. Sadat and his staff began packing their bags and asked for a helicopter to take them back to Washington so they could return home. Carter spoke to Sadat, reminding him of his promises to Carter and the global importance of his role as peacemaker, and convinced the Egyptian president to stay.?
By the 13th day the men had reached an impasse. It was now Begin who decided to call it quits. Carter was asked to call for a car so Begin could leave behind Camp David and all possibilities for a real chance at an Israeli-Egyptian peace.
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From My Desk
“The 39th president had many political rivalries over the years, but he was determined to reconcile with adversaries to a degree rarely seen in modern politics.”
The Camp David Accords embody a model for peacemaking that remains highly relevant today. They ushered in greater prosperity for people on all sides and eliminated a major threat to regional peace and stability.
What if we were to continue fighting for our vision of the good society but, in the midst of that fight, we were to let go of our negative judgments so that we could truly love those on the other side?
Forgiveness Coaching and Consulting
Learning to forgive others and ourselves is an important skill in any interpersonal relationship. For those seeking to heal relationships and arrive at a place of forgiveness, I’m now offering dedicated forgiveness coaching and consulting. This consulting practice is available to individuals, couples, families, corporations or community leaders.
I am the author of Finding Forgiveness: A Seven-Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness, as well as a political and clinical psychologist working in the area of peacebuilding. I also develop programs in political forgiveness and work in areas of conflict around the world.
For more information reach out to me at?[email protected].
Deeper Moment
By Thich Nhat Hanh, excerpted from How to Love
Heart Like a River
If you pour a handful of salt into a cup of water, the water becomes undrinkable. But if you pour the salt into a river, people can continue to draw the water to cook, wash, and drink. The river is immense, and it has the capacity to receive, embrace, and transform. When our hearts are small, our understanding and compassion are limited, and we suffer. We can't accept or tolerate others and their shortcomings, and we demand that they change. But when our hearts expand, these same things don't make us suffer anymore. We have a lot of understanding and compassion and can embrace others. We accept others as they are, and then they have a chance to transform. So the big question is: how do we help our hearts to grow?
To read more clarity, compassion and humor from the Zen master, check out How to Love, book 3 in the Mindfulness Essentials book, an illustrated pocket-sized guide to the many ways love manifests in our lives.