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Jimmy Carter shaking hands with people in a crowd in this black and white photo.
Jimmy Carter shaking hands during a campaign stop in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio Columbus, 1976. Sep. 8 or 9. [Thomas J. O’Halloran | Library of Congress]

Retired Statehouse journalist Jim Otte looks back on covering President Jimmy Carter in Ohio

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Flags are at half-staff until Jan. 28 in honor of former President Jimmy Carter, who died on Sunday. Carter, who was in the White House from 1977-1981, is being remembered by many across the country.

That includes now-retired Statehouse journalist Jim Otte, who worked for the Statehouse News Bureau before joining WHIO-TV in Dayton. He said one of his first big stories was Carter’s September 1978 visit to Columbus, when he was at WOXY-FM.

Thousands lined up to hear Carter speak on Columbus’ East Side. He was in central Ohio for the dedication of Mount Vernon Plaza, which provided residents in a primarily African-American area with a new shopping center and low-income housing.

“I remember it because that was, for me, as a new reporter, one of the biggest early stories for me – a presidential visit that was a really big deal for Ohio,” Otte said.

Carter had won Ohio two years before by less than a quarter of a percentage point.

“He did win Ohio in 1976 was about as razor thin as you would ever see. It was just a little bit over 11,000 votes and it went to a recount. He did win but not by much,” Otte said.

Carter inherited a tough economy – high gas prices, interest rates and inflation. But on this day, Carter told the crowd things were getting better.

“I believe our country is rich enough. I believe our people are intelligent enough. I believe we’ve got enough team spirit in our country to give every family a decent place to live, a good education for their children, safe streets to walk on, a beautiful place to look at and also jobs for our people and a better life for all. That’s what I believe we can have,” Carter said.

Otte said it was a difficult economic time in the country and in Ohio.

Jim Otte sits down for a television interview.
Jim Otte, former reporter for WHIO TV in Dayton, was on the scene during the 11 day long riot at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility. He served as the television pool reporter when prison leaders allowed the media to take video of the damage sustained as a result of the uprising. [Daniel Konik | Statehouse News Bureau]
“It seemed to me like he was a populist Democrat who had promised an awful lot and I thought, well, ok, let’s see some performance, let’s see some proof, let’s see you make good on those promises,” Otte said. “And by the time we rolled around to the next two years, it just did not pan out.”

Carter lost to Republican Ronald Reagan in a national landslide in 1980. Reagan won Ohio by 11 points. Still, Otte said he believes Ohioans will remember Carter fondly.

“I think a lot of people have remembered Jimmy Carter more for his post-presidency than his presidency because it was so short. His post-presidency was so long. People will remember that he did a lot of good for a lot of people,” Otte said.

That good includes working with Habitat for Humanity – an organization with which he helped to build nearly 4,400 homes after leaving office, wielding hammers and tools well into his late 90s.

In a statement, Gov. Mike DeWine praised Carter’s work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center in promotion of democracy. DeWine added: “President Carter lived his faith through his public life, and he had one of the most impactful post-presidencies in American history.”

US Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-9), the longest serving woman in Congress, worked in the Carter administration. The Toledo-area Democrat said in a statement about Carter: “Our grateful nation is indebted to your service and to your life’s example of utterly selfless humanity.”