Pending books begin with jeffersons memoir and 18 cents have written books. Prior to the 20th century memoirs were rare grants were the exception. Jimmy carter the author of 25 books including Public Policy and Foreign Policy and a novel and also a Childrens Book which was illustrated and then appeared on book tv afterwords where he discussed the white house diaries he kept while in office 1977 to 1981. Welcome to washington dc mr. President. When you fly in and go over the monuments and the potomac what do you think flying into this town . I look for the white house to see if its there and the wonderful times. And we flew over the canal sounded by douglas a justice for the Supreme Court. I was running about 40 miles a week then. Thats a lot. I think about the good times and how thankful i am now to have that bipartisan support which doesnt exist anymore. Is there a republican in the senate are congress that you learn to enjoy working with that you became friends with . Senator baker was the minority leader. And i get wonderful cooperation from the republican side. And also a great supporter of mine. So during the last couple of years kennedy ran against me so took away those liberal democrats to support him. So with the modern and conservative democrats and republicans we can have such a good batting average. Host what about sam . He was a young senator and was the leader on the key issues applying to nuclear power. And was is working his way up to be chairman later on of the defense committee. And then when i was governor that them both of them made a very difficult choice which was the most courageous boat i think the u. S. Senate has ever cast. There were 20 senators who voted for the panama canal treaty and out of 20 only seven came back the following january. Herman was defeated in the next election. One of the reasons is because he voted for the panama canal treaty it was the rightful but unpopular at the time. Host and then Walter Mondale had to be the deciding vote . We got 68 votes and had to get 67. We needed two thirds so republicans needed to vote for it. And Ronald Reagan was making a nationwide crusade against the treaty. Host why do you feel reagan and john wayne and the conservative leaders were so vehemently opposed . John wayne supported the treaty one reason is he just liked reagan very much. Also he had been to panama several times and knew the leader at the time. So john wayne let me know early he was in favor of the panama canal treaty and wrote me a letter opening which i used against our position of Ronald Reagan. Host speaking to talmage in georgia that it burned him out. So do you thank you pushed it to quickly . And with that increasing amount of dissatisfaction. With the unfair treaty we had formulated in the 19 hundreds. And then there was a big altercation and they wrote diplomatic relations with the United States and venezuela and other leaders organize the third world powers. All of the road there was opposition of the United States as you may or may not remember the panama canal treaty was signed in the middle of the night. The secretary of state in washington and no panamanian ever saw the city was negotiated by a frenchman who hadnt been there in 18 years and claim to be speaking for panama. Obviously everybody recognize that was an unfair agreement. Host he went back to panama to monitor the election to call noriega out as running a fraudulent election. The fact you are the architect of the panama canal treaty gave you a credibility that would not have been there . No doubt about that. The first important elections and noriega at the head of the socalled military National Guard and he tried to steal the election. And then they were monitoring that election. And with noriegas orders. And then to be put in prison for a long time. Because the Carter Center monitor the election it was honest and fair. Host did you feel that noriega should still be in prison . He was sentenced originally 40 years and then qualified for a pardon. He served his time and has been rearrested because some of uses he perpetrated against citizens of france. He was extradited to france to be tried on another crime after he finally served his term. Host has he ever reached out to you . No. Hes not my friend. [laughter] and on the basis to monitor elections and at that time we were innovators from outside. And the 81st election and in the palestinian area in the they change from 50 years of dictatorship to democracy. And then i have to give noriega credit because i had to denounce him as a crack a crook. In the White House Center on diaries going to texas you say you are going on a job and then when you were inaugurated you did the famous walk. How did the idea walking for the inaugural come about . One of the senators was talking about physical fitness and suggested that would be a symbolic gesture. And to see there was a great deal of distress and animosity and with the tea party there was a lot of disillusionment. So we decided to show we trusted the American People when i ran for president 763 had just experienced watergate and the defeat from vietnam and when kennedy was assassinated and so what is mlk. And the cia perpetrated crimes including murder that we did not approve of those policies. So all of these things cause americans to doubt the integrity of the government i wanted to show them i was one of them helpfully they have trusted me. He used to do walks along the canal was there a route you would run around her was that too hard with secret service . We can keep it secret sometimes we would in different areas sometimes inside the white house grounds. And on the weekends we would jog at camp david but the canal was the best place and that became a National Park and extends 108 miles from Downtown Washington all the way to West Virginia and this canal adjacent to the potomac was very important trade route that they had a 12foot wide path the horses word walk on to pull the barges so thats what i would jog it was isolated. Host of all aspects of your presidency that you as a conservationist and creating the department of energy by putting solar panels on the white house. Were you upset that reagan took them down . Why did he do that . There was a difference of philosophy between me and reagan i thought that people should Pay Attention to our excessive dependence on foreign oil so i work to get a comprehensive Energy Package passed and i did. We were importing six. 8 million per day and we reduce that by half four. 3 Million Barrels per day. He said america doesnt have to conserve we can use as much as we want and so we can do away the things that president carter plan on as a constraint i believe there were 36 but prove to the people that i was going to do something and as soon as reagan was in office he removed them and said its a waste of money and a waste of time. One Small College purchase them and they started a crusade a year ago and then convinced obama to put them back on and then this year i was in china and a major producer of the cells and they buy one of the panels that used to be on the white house. They showed me and told me. Host do you still like solar . We used to call alternate sources but use clean burning coal but to reduce the dependence on foreign sources of oil was the major purpose of my goal so we required refrigerators and stoves be made highly efficient and a stamp to be put on everyone with the degree of efficiency. Even houses to be insulated for the first time and also imposed automobile efficiency but there was a loophole for the president could back out and of course the reagan came in he backed out so when obama came in the efficiency vital deals was down so there are things i never dreamed the president would do that the successors did so we still have efficient refrigerators and stoves. Host do you worry about eisenhower with the industrial military complex . Are you worried about big oil and the government . What do we do to control the oil industry better . What can americans do . The oil industry and others are extremely rich and influential in congress and the National Election for president. They put as much money as they cut into the campaign and this includes others in one of the most stupid things the Supreme Court ever has done was ruling last january taking off all of it to make contributions to political campaigns. Even with this selection in 2010 there was a massive influx and then without being identified and then to defend them at the time. So that is what happened with the election and a change the whole character of american politics. When i was running against gerald ford and four years later against governor reagan we never dreamed of using a negative commercial we just said my distinguished opponent that that escalation on television and radio has become because of the enormous influx of money into the campaign so a candidate for Congress Gets 500,000 from the Oil Companies then they spend that on destroying the character and reputation of their opponent. What happened on both sides. Democrats do it also and although they disagree with the procedure it works. That both sides have pretty well convince the public that neither candidate was worthy of Holding Office so by the time i get to washington they carry over that highly partisan animosity from when reagan was first elected we had a wonderful bipartisan support and cooperation now there is no such thing congress is much more polarized now than in history. Some of the major programs obama put forward didnt get a single republican vote in the house or in the senate so republicans of acted irresponsibly during the first few months. After this selection they will have to assume some responsibility controlling the house of representatives. Host what about the start treaty . Its a wonderful treaty its good for the soviet union and europe and the United States and those arsenals of Nuclear Weapons and in an ordinary time even when george w. Bush was in office it would have been approved by a majority of us senators but this boycott and that purpose in 2012 he will be lucky to get another republican votes to put him over. Host what should president obama do at this point . Should he use executive power or find a way to work with congress if you were in this climate what card would you play quick. The next two years should be much more resolved and determined to stick with what he wants to get done and stop trying to induce very few republicans who support his position. He said he will not permit the extension of the george w. Bush tax breaks for people that are very rich. Then he ought to do that. Do what he said he would do and then they would have one vote in the senate to grant the extension of the bush tax reductions to people who make less than 250,000 per year. And one vote on the and not permit any possibility of extending the tax reductions for the very rich. If he does things like that he has some sense. Only when he was the wellknown technique that george w. Bush used with reconciliation to get the health bill passed. In speaking as a democrat i think he will. And to do that Alaska Conservation act and your name and conservation will be on the short list with fdr so how are you able to succeed so wildly in the conservation field . It took me almost four years to do it. And i memorized a map of alaska. Halfway through i saw we would not get support from the two alaska senators. And the idea and in 19 oh seven and to save monuments. And what should be preserved and gave the president almost unilateral right to do so. We use that legislation to designate as National Monuments to be preserved. And eventually the land that we set aside in alaska and other places was large as the state of michigan. So i had that to use. Host did you have a map of alaska . With a very famous house member but we would sit around the table in the president s cabinet room. So my words set it aside permanently as a national monument. The original bill referred to one specific building with vast areas of precious land and that leverage and those that were reluctant to prevail. So after i was defeated in 1980 thats when it actually passed. And we set aside an area almost as large as the state of california we doubled the size of the National Park service and tripled the wilderness areas in that one bill even though it was very unpopular that in alaska because the senators convince them i was taking away alaska land it was one of the most popular things that i did because they see how much it meant to their state. Host what about drill baby drill and the Arctic Refuge and sarah palin . Should it ever be allowed to have oil drilled . Never. Host have you been there . Yes. Host what you say if its empty tundra . I have stood in front of the porcupine heard this is a heard of 140,000 animals of caribou. My wife and i have gotten in front we actually have flown over a wolf that was 30 wolves and it and just off the coast of northern alaska we observed a group of musk ox when disturbed they form a circle with the meals facing out to protect the females and the cavs and we go flyfishing there quite often. I think they will be preserved that there is tremendous pressure to plot bribe members of congress to take this beautiful area of their to make that exploration from wheel. This is an area first set aside and i just preserved when alaska became a state. When i left office the only way i could do that if both houses of congress that could be done in and wire. But they all tried and sometimes came in two or three book votes with legislative support i hope it never happens in over a period of time more alaskans are realizing we need to preserve this area. Host shell wants to drill. I dont think so. Thats where some of the islands are not as where we saw the musk ox. When we passed the alaska lands bill we opened up 95 percent of all coastal areas and only preserve 5 percent which is a special area we are talking about where we prohibited and the 5 percent is not too much to say because its just like god made it i hope it will be there. Host why do you feel sarah palin and alaska is part of the Public Discourse . Have you ever met her or have views of what she is contributing . I never met her. Seen on television shes one of the most dynamic and attractive speakers we have ever seen. She knows how to appeal she is extremely eloquent. Clearcut political philosophy and is highly enthusiastic with her supporters. Within the Republican Party and the tea party element she will be a formidable candidate if she decides to run in 2012. I wouldnt be surprised if she could get the republican nomination. However even within the party many dont think shes qualified to be president. But she does have the capability in my opinion as the extreme outsider to get the nomination. Host is there any connection . And then to come out of nowhere with the pnet brigade and iowa and New Hampshire coming from the democratic side do you see what what shes trying to do . Now i finish my term as governor. [laughter] host will quitting hurt her . You didnt and reagan didnt. A large group of supporters dont hold that against her. She has proven that. I see no there on parallel but i do between 76 in the past year with the Tea Party Movement those that were wellmeaning completely dissatisfied in washington and i had that same type of benefit when i ran. And those candidates that were my opponents they were very distinguished and i could prevail and that was a driving force and with the iranian hostage crisis do you ever hear from them . Quite often when i go on a book tour normally one or two will send word that they want to meet behind the scenes and i obviously give them a free book and shake hands and they are doing quite well not as much as it used to be a good many would let me know and advance and then they would think that they did come home safe and free. Have a Good Relationship with all of them. I ran was so much a part and the two white house the Carter White House and then dealing with the hostage crisis is there something you would have done different . I know you sent an extra helicopter on the rescue mission but look at that whole situation and wish you would have done something differently . Not really if i knew completely what was happening but i dont think so under the circumstances because i was the last holdout to let the shaw come to new york for treatment of his terminal cancer. With kissinger and all those guys said let him come it to humanitarian thing to do. I contacted the president and Prime Minister of iran is that i was contemplating the shot to come to new york for treatment. I wanted assurance from them they were about 8000 and mark on dash those including 66 members of the embassy. And they guaranteed nothing would happen if the shot came to new york and pledge not to make a political statement while he was in america and he didnt. He gave me that assurance. The militants took hostages and when the ayatollah supported it the holding of the hostages, the both the president and Prime Minister resigned in protest but that was the beginning of a long ordeal. I believe it wouldve done anything different the main was to attack iran but i was convinced then and still am i would have killed 10000 innocent iranians aid immediately would have executed hostages. Does it ever come back to making Big Decisions like that is very profound you could take out 10000 peoples lives does that form your judgment . I worship jesus christ as the prince of pea