When President Jimmy Carter Came to Torrance

 

'Town Meeting' Is Carter's Centerpiece

By Edward Walsh

October 2, 1980

Jimmy Carter was never a high school basketball star. He is not tall, and even as a boy his taste in running was for the space and solitude of the distance events, not for jostling with nine other kids up and down a 74-foot strip of hardwood floor.

But now that he is a man and the president, Carter has become at home in the high school gymnasiums of America. Already in the fall campaign he has visited the gyms at Truman High School in Independence, Mo., Moody High School in Corpus Christi., Tex., and North High School in Torrance, Calif.

And today, which happened to be his 56th birthday. He was in the gym at Northern Community High School here, home of the Vikings, where he was as comfortable and at ease as any member of the girl's basketball team, winners of 56 straight, state champions the last two years.

The president was holding another of his "town meetings" and, as usual, it was an event.

The walls of the building were plastered with signs welcoming him, praising him, wishing him happy birthday. At one end of the gym, the school band sat cramped in a section of retractable wooden bleachers, poised to play "Hail to the Chief." There would be no basketball game here this afternoon, for the gym floor was covered with folding chairs where the respectful citizens of Flint would sit and listen to the president.

This was Carter's 22nd "town meeting" as president, and the fourth he has held during the one month of the general election campaign against Republican Ronald Reagan. The president told the cheering crowd that it was no accident he decided to come today to Flint, where he ended his 1976 campaign.

It is also no accident that the "town meeting" -- a format in which the president makes opening and closing statements and in between answers about a dozen questions from randomly selected citizens -- has become the centerplace, the main event, of the Carter campaign on the road.

The president is running as tightly a controlled campaign, and is at least as shielded from questions from the traveling press, as is Reagan. But it is part of Carter strategy to portray Reagan as a man out of his intellectual depth when it comes to national issues and to accuse the GOP nominee, as Carter did in a speech Tuesday night, of being "muzzled" by a staff that does his thinking for him.

The "town meeting" is the device the White House has hit up to contrast the "open" president with his "muzzled" opponent. Carter has used the device since the beginning of his presidency. He is more comfortable with it than with news conferences, and he is extremely skillful in exploiting the format.

Like other presidents before him, Carter has also said he gets better questions from ordinary citizens at these sessions than he does from Washington reporters. That, occasionally, is the case, but it is also true the questions posed at a "town meeting" can be as silly and shallow as any asked during a White House news conference.

Today's hour-long "town meeting" at Northern Community High was another virtuoso performance.

The first questioner, who began her inquiry about Cuban refugees in Spanish, gave the president a chance to show off his knowledge of Spanish, which won applause.

And elderly woman said she was concerned about the future of senior citizens, to which the president replied, "A lot of the future life for senior citizens will depend on the decisions that will be made in the ballot boxes of voting places on Nov. 4." He then launched into a discourse on his devotion to the Social Security System and other issues of particular concern to the elderly.

A man complained that Flint had not received due recognition as an automobile manufacturing center. Carter quickly agreed, expressed sympathy for the city's economic woes, and concluded by saying: " i was invited to meet here to have a man-to-man debate with Gov. Reagan. I'm here -- and anytime he's willing to meet me back here on a two-man debate proposition, I'll make my sixth visit to Flint, Mich."

Almost nothing fazes the president at a "town meeting" not even the two questions posed today about the economy of Flint, where last summer the unemployment rate hit almost 26 percent and where more than 22,000 people are still out of work, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Nor was Carter rattled by the truck driver who challenged administration policy on a complex issue involving umemployment benefits for workers in industries, such as trucking, that are indirectly affected by foreign imports. There was no suggestion of a change in policy from the president. Instead, he asked the man for his name and address so he could "go back and talk to the secretary of labor and give you a call."

The crowd loved it. They loved it when Marlene Laro, 9, asked Carter to explain "the difference between the Republicans and you so I can tell my parents how to vote." And they loved it when Carter, after his long answer to Marlene that he was more than happy to provide, shed his suit coat, a regular part of the theater at these events.

At the end, the crowd in the gym stood and sang "happy Birthday" to the president. With a broad grin, Carter thanked them and then he was gone. He is off Thursday to Dayton, Ohio, for another "town meeting."

Ronald Reagan’s 107th Birthday--Why Are We Still Celebrating?

After receiving three different emails to sign a card celebrating Ronald Reagan’s 107^th Birthday, I asked myself: “Why are we still celebrating the Gipper?” He was a great President, but is the icon turning into a crutch for hiding from the fights of today? The issue is a two-sided question. Indeed, Reagan’s legacy offers a lot for us to rejoice about, but also to ponder and reconsider. He represented the seemingly contradictory conservative change agent in a time when Americans were ready for anything after four years of economic malaise, cultural chaos, and political depression.  His victories for conservatism are considerable, but if he’s an example to follow, there’s so much more to consider besides what he did.

Why Should We Celebrate Reagan Still Today?

The background for President Reagan’s rise, setback, ascent, and legacy go as follows. Ronnie had run briefly in 1968, but party bosses decided “Nixon’s the one.” In Election 1976, Reagan had wrapped up two terms as governor to challenge politically-damaged Gerald Ford. The former House minority leader signed off on Richard Nixon’s pardon, and was punished in the short term, although historians and politicos acknowledge that this first major order spared the country further disarray.

Then just like now, the internal fighting within the GOP focused on how consistently to contend for limited government and individual liberty, both at home and abroad. Liberal Republicans embraced Big Government entitlements, while the more conservative faction wanted to scale back the state and restore constitutional principles.

In 1980, just like Trump did in 2016, Reagan ran against the Republican Establishment and a Democratic Party lurching leftward, including a strong primary challenge from US Senator Ted “Chappaquiddick” Kennedy.  Reagan’s conservatism bothered GOP liberals so much, that one House Rep (the Jeff Flake of his time) John Anderson launched a third-party bid, which only helped Reagan. Reagan’s incredible victory took down the abysmal incumbent Carter, a rudderless administration defined by hand-outs, oil embargoes, Iranian hostages, and a country at home struggling through stagflation. Carter became President only because he ran as a relatively unknown centrist.

Today, President Trump’s victorious election win and first year remind us how outsiders can get in to make American great again. Candidates who listen to the working classes and middle-income voters on their most pressing concerns will win every time. Republicans forgot this lesson for thirty years, focusing more on raising big money and making nice with the press

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The once-disdained free market reforms implemented by Reagan lead the country through a massive economic contraction. Similar reforms are helping buoyed American workers today. Reagan’s version of tax cuts generated five years of unprecedented economic prosperity.

Despite an assassination attempt early in his presidency, Reagan survived, and his standing thrived before the American people. His robust optimism brought a country on the brink of second-tier solace to first-tier resurgence. Like Trump, Reagan loved this country, and did everything to protect it. He projected strength within the first 100 days of his first term. The Ayatollahs released the American embassy hostages within weeks of his election win. As President, he called the recalcitrant air traffic controllers’ bluff, as they had reneged on their promise not to go on strike. Reagan firmly ordered the federal employees: “Get back to work in 48 hours, or you will be summarily terminated.” Unlike his predecessor, the former B-Movie actor was not playing around. Decisive leadership with clear, convincing rhetoric defined Reagan’s Presidency.

And he was not afraid to call evil to its face. How desperately we need leaders to define and defend moral absolutes in a morally relative world. The Soviet Union was no wayward global competitor, but “The Evil Empire.” Jailed dissidents in Russia celebrated this moral turn in the Cold War. Reagan’s international victory, to supervise and behold the dissolution of the Soviet Union, was Reagan’s single most important win, a product of his communication process and grounded visionary hopes. As early as 1968, he had declared “I want the Berlin Wall to come down.” Academics, intellectuals, and media pundits had all resigned themselves to the lasting influence of Soviet Communism.

Reagan knew better. He knew that the Soviet Union needed to liberalize their economy to survive, but Reagan played for keeps, demanding an end to that sordid regime, including the removal of the hated Berlin Wall. To this day, my most memorable moment happened when I was 8 years old, and  I watched the Berlin Wall come down, with jubilant Germans climbing, dancing, and ultimately cutting down that wretched, artificial divide. Reagan’s principled perseverance was inimitable yet worthy of imitation, and for that we should be forever grateful.

Why We Should Think Twice About Reagan

The biggest problem isn’t entirely Reagan per se, but rather how stagnant Reagan-mania has made conservatives. Remembering his accomplishments cannot replace fighting for future conservative victories. During Election 2012, Republican Presidential contenders resorted to praising Reagan and dropping anecdotes about when they shook his hand or talked to him. Obama was a weakened incumbent, but Reaganite nostalgia did not promote a robust, victorious conservatism.

I wouldn’t go so far as columnist Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post (“Tear Down This Icon”), but Republicans need to stick to current solutions for today’s issues. On other matters, Reagan supported an assault weapons ban. He strong-armed fiscal hawks early in his administration to vote for more debt-ceiling increases with promises to cut the spending. The spending cuts didn’t happen, the necessary entitlement reforms were abandoned, and our government needs to take national debt seriously. I could spend the next three paragraphs raging about the infamous Simpson-Mazzolli amnesty. I would say that immigration reform failed because there was no wall or funded enforcement. Learn from Reagan’s mistake, President Trump and Republican Congress!

In short, indeed we should celebrate Reagan for his stellar accomplishments, from election victories to policy wins, but we can’t bask in the triumphs of yesterday to win against the imposing evils of today. Sadly, that defines the objectives of too many political operatives today.

Torrance Congressional Election 1980: The Firebrand Conservative vs. Hollywood Liberal Royalty

Election 1980.

Ronald Reagan was not just a stellar conservative candidate.

He brought up the ticket all over the country. Republicans were winning seats in some of the bluest areas, especially in California, particularly in Los Angeles County.

Bob Fiedler, a liberal Republican who had served on the Los Angeles Unified Board of Trustees, would sweep out a West Valley incumbent Democratic.

In fact, here's how things worked out in California in 1980 for the Congressional seats:

A net gain of three seat, including Duncan Hunter Senior, who would serve for 28 years in Congress.

But what happened in West Torrance?

B-One Bob held his own--again!--against the son of Gregory Peck.

Here's an account from the Washington Post covering the West Side district, which descended all the way down to the South Bay:

'Star Wars' Campaign

Before the election in 1976 as the Republican representatives from California's 27th Congressional District, Robert K. Dornan worked as an actor, television newscaster and talk show host. He is the nephew of the late actor Jack Haley.

Can you imagine a well-known name running for Congress as a Republican, and a conservative one?

That's exactly what Bob Dornan did.

Robert K. "B-One Bob" Dornan

Dornan's Democratic challenger in the Nov. 4 election is Carey Peck, the 31-year-old son of actor Gregory Peck. And voters in the district, which runs along Santa Monica Bay, include such luminaries as Ronald and Nancy Reagan, and Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden.

Now think about this ...

Ronald Reagan was running for President that year. He won, of course.

But whom did he vote for Congress?

Bob Dornan! I can think of no higher honor than to receive the vote from the President in my bid for office.

So people here are calling this race "Star Wars." But "Jaws II" might be more apt.

This is a rerun of the 1978 race that Dornan, 47, won by just two points. And jaws are active in this campaign, pouring out oratory and occassionally drawing blood.

Notice the harsh sentiments used to depict Dornan. Unbelievable.

Voters here are concerned mostly about inflation. Peck is a self-described "fiscal conservative," who often sounds like a Republican unless he is talking about the two issues where his opponent and Dornan's normally conservative constituents part company: abortion and the Equal Rights Amendment. One result is that issues aren't getting too much attention.

Abortion was a heated subject at this time, especially since the Supreme Court deliberately injected itself into the campaign. Inflation was the issue of the day, too, which meant that the massive influx of fiat money ended up driving up the cost of goods. This signature issue was hurting Britons as well, and it ushered in the Thatcher government in 1979.

As for the Equal Rights Amendment, this proposed constitutional amendment pitted Establishment Republicans against the conservative grassroots

The contest is a unique opportunity for a California Democrat, caught in the midst of the West's conservative tide and Reagan enthusiasm, to unseat an incumbent Republican. Thus it is no surprise that each of the candidates will raise and spend in the neighborhood of $400,000 apiece. What is surprising is the level of mud into which this campaign often sinks.

Really? The media do this all the time. They keep claiming such heated and hateful attacks are unprecedented. They only write this kind of rhetoric to sell papers. It's time for them to adopt a better schtick.

Carey Peck in more recent times

Dornan is one of California's most flamboyant politicians and is well known in his district. So he might have been expected to run the traditional incumbent's campaign, saying little about his opponent and leaving it to Peck to explain to the voters why they should oust their congressman in favor of a young man whose work experience consists mostly of the Peace Corps and a stint on Capitol Hill as a Senate aide.

Ugh. Carey Peck, the son of Hollywood royalty, was looking for an easy way into Congress.

But Bob Dornan cannot stop talking about Carey Peck.

The congressman claims that his opponent accepted an illegal campaign contribution. Peck denies it. The ex-convict who is alleged to have given the money to Peck later waffled on his story and now denies it. And the Justice Department says it has investigated the charge and found it false.

Eek! It was getting pretty heated pretty quickly, wasn't it? Then 1976 Election was the first time in nearly 20 years that the Westside/South Bay seat was open for election. The fight was more than heated. Dornan was used to fights then, and he was prepared for this one, too.

But Dornan, although he has pledged more than once that he will not repeat that accusation during this campaign, seems unable to let it go.

At a candidates' forum in the South Bay last Monday night Dornan and Peck shared a platform for the first time this year. It was Peck who first departed from the intended discussion of issues by stating that "one of the issues" he wanted to challenge the incumbent on was "his style of campaigning." 

Oh brother! Democrats once again raising alarm over the style rather than the substance of the campaign. Give me a break!

Carey Peck

In particular, Peck objected to Dornan having referred to him as a "sick, pompous little ass." Dornan subsequently told a reporter: "I never said that. Why would I call him sick? He's obviously a tall, healthy guy. What I said that he is a sycophant and a pompous little ass."

LOL! Good one. B-One Bob!

"And," Peck continued, "he attacked my father on the floor of the House. . . [he owes me] an apology."

B-One Bob with the El Camino College Republicans
(Credit: Armand Vaquer) 

Then it was Dornan's turn. He again brought up the illegal contribution matter. Dornan said he would file charges against Peck as soon as Ronald Reagan is elected president and gets rid of Jimmy Carter's "highly politicized" Justice Department.

Wow! Highly politicized Justice Department ... where have I heard this before? (Obama-Holder-Lynch)

Then he complained that Peck never called to congratulate him on election night in 1978. With that, the congressman angrily slapped a coin down on the table in front of Peck and said: "So here's a dime, character. Use it to call and congratulate me on Nov. 4." Peck just smiled.

The next day, Dornan admitted that the illegal contribution charge had "boomeranged" and done more damage to his campaign than to Peck's.

I wonder why there was such an obsession with this character and style campaign agenda?

Easy ... Democrats had nothing substantive to campaign on in 1980. There was widespread anger, and many Democrats were probably convinced that Jimmy the Peanut Farmer was going down. They could only imagine how bad it was going to be.

Dornan said he wished he had stayed away from the candidates' forum and "taken the flak for not showing up. Or maybe I should let him do a soft-shoe [sic] dance on my forehead and just restrain myself. But it is insufferable for him to ask me for an apology, when he owes me so many. And he uses those buzz words, 'He's attacked my family,' because he knows his father is a respected, elegant man."

Gregory Peck, Academy Award Winner
Father of Failed Democratic Congressional Candidate

Peck's campaign manager, Terry Pullan, concedes that his side needs to keep Dornan on the offensive. "If we win," Pullan says, "a lot of the credit will be due Bob Dornan."

They really believed that setting off Dornan was going to make him lose?

When Peck is not trying to goad his opponent into campaign theatrics, he is out in the precincts he has been walking for the better part of three years, saying the same words again and again: "Hi. I'm Carey Peck, I'm running for Congress. How're you doing? I hope you'll take the time to read the brochure, it's just a straightforward issues statement." Big smile. Extended hand. "Great to catch you at home. 'Bye."

That's part of the problem for Democrats in general, and I guess for Carey in particular.

Peck has walked so many precincts, rung so many doorbells and smiled at so many people that the faced become a blur. And sometimes skin blurs into fur, so that when a dog whose registered voter-owner is talking to the candidate barks for attention, Peck smiles down and says to the dog, "Hey, how're you doing?"

Oh brother! It's so obvious that WaPo Hate wanted Carey Peck to win. This is the least substantive piece of writing I have found yet.

B-One Bob meeting with volunteers at his Santa Monica Headquarters
(Credit: Armand Vaquer) 

But Peck stops short of giving the animal a brochure. And if the dog could talk, he probably wouldn't ask for one. He'd just ask that burning question that most humans keep asking this candidate: "Is Gregory Peck really your father?"

FYI: Dornan beat Peck a second time, and by a wider margin than in 1978.