What an exciting day for President Carter. I found myself cheering for the man who rose from the fields of peanut farms in Georgia and transitioned to the Oval Office and now is the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

I was always a Carter cheerleader. His pensive manner and soft-spoken drawl were something completely different than the outspoken Northerners of my childhood.

I was angered by the credit that Reagan reaped for the hostage negotiation that Carter fastidiously worked on up to his 11th hour in office yet was declared a success of the Reagan Presidency.

When Carter emerged again in the 90's as a force of International Peace, I found myself rooting for him in my college dormroom, as we chugged "jungle juice."

Footage of Carter, over the years, driving nails into fresh wood framing houses for the underprivileged in Appalacia, warmed my heart. To see an ex-President, so dignifed beyond the Oval office, the epitome of the term "public servant," made me want to tie the tongues of all of those Republicans still pointing the finger at Jimmy and muttering gas crisis.

In my opinion, there is so much to be said for grace and dignity, so much more than lauding someone for progeny that can get itself elected with oil and energy money. There is so much to be said for these qualities, because it so rare anymore.

It is the true definition of diplomacy, to be able to eloquently chastise a dictator for abusing human rights as he sits in the audience and then to shake that man's hand in a gesture that says, you've heard me, I've heard you, but we are both gentlemen enough to show diplomacy. So much more adult, than issuing aggressive language in floated leaks to the media and through White House spokesmen.

Jimmy Carter is the President during my lifetime that I most admire and that I would be honored to meet.

And of course, today, while thinking of all of this, I thought of that Second grade mock-election I mentioned once before, where my classmate E.F. went around and told all of the other children that Carter wanted to kill all the children, and so he lost our class vote.

I'd like to track her down today, and give her a raspberry over the phone. But that isn't bery Carter-like,so I will refrain.

Although I may anonymously send her a bag of peanuts in the mail.

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