Former US president Jimmy Carter, who died after celebrating his 100th birthday in October last year, had a lasting impact on many. On Oct 9, 1982, I had the privilege of organising and chairing a meeting with Carter. However, as president of the International Students Association at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I was initially told by university authorities that my proposal to arrange the meeting was nearly impossible.
Today, my book Change My Thoughts: Making the Impossible Possible (pic), soon to be published, traces the challenges I faced in organising this historic meeting with Carter.
As a student in the United States in 1982, and now a retired associate/adjunct professor and freelance journalist, I faced an uphill task as a student leader. Despite the rejection of my proposal to arrange a meeting with Carter, I remained determined to pursue my goal, driven by unwavering perseverance and resolve.
Amidst numerous hurdles, I turned obstacles into opportunities, ultimately securing a meeting with Carter.
As Audrey Hepburn famously said, “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’”, and I truly believe in this.
Fast forward to Oct 9, 1982 – the day I had the honour of organising and chairing a meeting with student leaders and Carter. It is a date forever etched in my mind, one that significantly altered the trajectory of my life.
As I stood in the World Fair president’s room, I felt the air thicken with anticipation. I could not help but marvel at the journey that had brought me here – a young Malaysian student about to meet one of the most influential figures in modern history, a US president.
The ornate decorative clock on the wall ticked relentlessly towards 10.25am. Each second felt like an eternity, yet paradoxically, time seemed to rush forward.
Suddenly, the heavy oak doors swung open and the room fell into a hushed silence. Bo Roberts, the fair’s president, entered first. His usual jovial demeanour was tinged with an air of reverence as he ushered in two figures who brought a distinct energy into the room.
Carter and his wife Rosalynn moved with a grace that spoke of years in the public eye, yet retained a down-to-earth quality that immediately set everyone at ease.
Fascination for Malaysia
Carter’s lean frame belied the strength of his presence. His clear, piercing blue eyes scanned the room before settling on me. In that moment, I felt truly seen in a way I had never experienced before.
Rosalynn, elegant and poised, stood by his side, her gentle smile perfectly complementing her husband’s focused gaze.
Roberts enthused and paced forward towards me and Carter – a moment I was eagerly waiting for – and made the introduction: “Mr President, meet Krishna.”
“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you,” Carter said, his voice carrying the soft accent of his Georgia upbringing. His grip was firm and reassuring, the handshake of a man who had brokered peace deals and navigated global crises.
“Where are you from?”
I took a deep breath, steadying myself to mask my nervousness, and replied: “Malaysia, Sir. It is an honour to meet you, Mr President.”
A spark of interest lit up his eyes. “Malaysia. A beautiful country at the crossroads of Asia. I’ve always been fascinated by its diverse culture and rapid development.”
As I escorted them to the conference room, my mind raced. This man, who had shaped world events from the Oval Office just a year ago, was now walking beside me, genuinely interested in my home country, Malaysia. The surreal nature of the moment was not lost on me.
The boardroom was a sea of eager faces – student leaders from various backgrounds, all united in their excitement to meet the president.
As we entered the boardroom, a wave of applause welcomed us. Carter raised his hand in acknowledgement, his smile warm and genuine. The room erupted loudly in applause, a tidal wave of sound that threatened to overwhelm me. But as Carter extended his hand again, the noise faded away and the world narrowed to this single point of contact.
As he took his seat at the head of the table, he surprised me once again. “Krishna,” he said, gesturing to the chair beside him, “come sit next to me. I’d like to hear more about your experiences as a student leader”. Overwhelmed by his graciousness, I complied.
The weight of responsibility settled on my shoulders as I realised I was not just representing myself, but my country and all the student leaders present.
“Thank you, Mr President, for this incredible honour,” I began, my voice growing stronger with each word. “When we first dreamed of meeting you, we never imagined you would choose to visit us during your trip to the World’s Fair. Your presence here today speaks volumes about your commitment to nurturing future leaders.”
As I outlined the purpose of our meeting – to inspire leadership, honour Mr Carter and foster interaction among diverse student groups – I saw heads nodding in agreement around the table. However, it was the intense focus in Carter’s eyes that truly drove home the significance of this moment.
Pinnacle of global leadership
Carter helmed the world’s most powerful nation from 1977 until January 1981. Here was a man who had stood at the pinnacle of global leadership, now sitting among a group of aspiring young leaders, ready to share his wisdom and experiences.
With a friendly and instantly infectious smile, Carter said, “Krishna, I’m happy to be here. I appreciate the honour of visiting the people from the University of Tennessee and student leaders from throughout the world.”
Carter was careful, rational and precise in his remarks; he spoke with earnestness and moral assurance while gesturing for emphasis.
“I kind of like the life now. I do not have the daily responsibilities of the White House, but I still have many of the privileges that come with being a former president. And one of the great things I have is the chance to travel around the country and other nations, meet interesting people and share views.
“I will be working with Emory University, dealing with the problems faced by our country and the rest of the world. We plan to undertake major projects that we believe cannot be done elsewhere, and I hope to establish a centre over time. It will be a ‘senate’ to resolve crises and disputes for the people who have serious arguments or differences in their country or between nations.
“They can come to my private centre in Atlanta and, with a trusted mediator, try to resolve difficulties, disputes between them and perhaps avoid a war,” he said.
“At Emory University,” he added, “I will be teaching international affairs law, political science and theology.
“One of the questions we address in theology that you may be interested to know is how the world religions impact the world and human events. Some of the great achievements of world history were because of religious beliefs.
“Almost all the religions you know, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism or Christianity, have a basic premise: understanding, communication, brotherhood, love and peace. The question of why everybody wants peace but cannot seem to get it should be addressed by the greatest thinkers of our time,” Carter stated.
The discussion shifted to the state of the US economy when I asked: “Has Reaganomics solved the country’s economic problems?”
Human and civil rights policies
“When I left office,” Carter said, “there wasn’t a high school graduate who was academically qualified who couldn’t get a college education through loans, grants or scholarships. All that has been taken away. The best investment is in people or human resources. We have gone backward in providing services to our people.
“It has been a great failure and a tragedy for our country. Under president (Ronald) Reagan, the nation’s deficit will exceed all the peacetime (deficits) ever served in this country in 200 years,” he said.
Carter had an uncanny ability to crystallise issues by distilling them to their essence. Although Carter said he generally approved of Reagan’s stand on the Middle East, he found fault with Reagan’s handling of other international affairs, including incidents in Africa, Latin America and the Falkland Islands.
Carter also criticised Reagan’s cutbacks in aid to the poor as well as his approach toward soaring unemployment rates. He also pointed out that Reagan had not pursued human and civil rights policies.
“Other than that,” he chuckled, “I think he’s done a pretty good job.”
What does it take to be a president?
To another question by an American student leader, “What does it take to be a president?”, he replied: “A little more than an ordinary man. Anybody who says he is qualified must have a lot of ego, ambition, self-confidence, honesty, integrity and tenacity.”
His approach was crucial in steering the US to overcome the complex and nearly impossible challenges of creating a sound economic nation. His systematic, unhurried and logical approach was partly developed by his training as a top-class engineer.
Reflecting on his four years as president, Carter said: “All difficult decisions are made in an element of loneliness, a loneliness that requires a certain amount of courage in the final analysis.”
As the meeting ended, Carter called his wife to the forefront and remarked: “She is my greatest political adviser, and she could have answered all those questions better than I did.”
On that note, I profusely thanked him again and led him out as the presidential security escorted him to the World’s Fair national pavilions.
That night, the stars appeared more dazzling than ever. Slowly, I began to see a pattern forming in the dark night. As I lay on my bed in the dormitory, I reflected as my heart listened intently and as my mind mused: “What an achievement for students, the university and myself as a person who organised and chaired the historic and unprecedented meeting.”
Krishnamoorthy is a media coach, adjunct professor and undercover journalist.
With decades of experience, he has contributed to major news outlets like Bernama, NST and Malaysiakini. He also collaborates with international networks like CNN and the BBC.
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