UGA Logo UGA Office of Public Affairs top bar image UGA Home
Columns faculty staff newspaper News Service
Contact Us
Text-Only
top bar image
SEARCH
  Columns   UGA    
 
  January 29, 2007
  In this issue
  News
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Around Academe
  News to Use
  Giving Back
  Go Figure
  Digest
  UGA Guide
  Kudos
  Newsmakers
  Campus Closeup
  Faculty Profile
  Administrative Changes
  Retirees
  Update: Private Giving
  Forum
  Questions&Answers
  Weekly Reader
  Cybersights
  Bulletin Board
 
  Back Issues
  Publication Dates
  Contact Us

campus newS


Journalists discuss Carter’s political rise. . . and fall
By Matt Weeks
mweeks@uga.edu
Taking part in the discussion on the press and the presidency are (from left); Judy Woodruff of PBS, Jim Wooten of ABC News and Jody Powell, former White House press secretary. (Photo by Dot Paul)
The Carter administration provided a perfect mix of an underdog story, uncontrollable events and big personalities to ensure a political epic, a group of journalists said in the “Press and Presidency” panel session. The discussion covered Carter’s tenure in national politics and the media engines that propelled him into and out of office.

“The beginning was almost magical,” PBS reporter Judy Woodruff said. “You had somebody come out of nowhere. There was almost a love affair between many in the press and this little-known governor from Georgia who had risen to power.”

But it didn’t last. Just four days after the Iran hostage crisis began, ABC News premiered Nightline, which on a nightly basis displayed a tracker counting the days since the scandal began.

“I remember on the night before the ’80 election, the lead story wasn’t the presidential election, the lead story was the hostage crisis anniversary. I think that was a nail in the coffin,” said moderator Chris Matthews, host of Hardball on MSNBC.

A political story like Carter’s, which boasted a prominent rise and sharp fall, is the kind that many media outlets savor, said Jon Meacham, editor of Newsweek.

“I don’t think the press is ideologically driven. We’re conflict driven and change driven. . . . And that can produce some difficulties,” he said.

This Carter phenomena set the stage for later political stories, Meacham added. He pointed to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who also has garnered massive amounts of media attention.
Maybe Obama should be careful. Carter ended the session by referring to a recent study concluding that for the 48 months he was in office, only one month produced more positive coverage than negative.

“It was my first month,” he said. “After that. . . well, you know.”

The Carter Presidency: Lessons for the 21st Century
Carter: United Staes should epitomize human dreams
‘No road maps’: Mondale discusses forging of a new vice presidency
Panelists: U.S. needs to develop othe fuel sources
Foreign exchange
Former first lady sheds light on private thoughts behind public face
More than 1,000 turn out for conversation with the Carters during town hall meeting
Student panel discusses policy decisions with former president
Journalists discuss Carter’s political rise. . . and fall

 
 
 


Columns is produced by the UGA News Service, a unit of UGA Public Affairs.
286 Oconee St., Ste. 200N, Athens, GA 30602-1999
Juliett Dinkins (jdinkins@uga.edu): editor (706) 542-8017,
Janet Beckley (jbeckley@uga.edu): art director (706) 542-8170, Peter Frey (pfrey@uga.edu): photo editor (706) 542-8086,
Matthew Weeks (mweeks@uga.edu): senior reporter (706) 542-8024, Sara Freeland (freeland@uga.edu): reporter (706) 542-8077
Questions or comments should be directed to columns@uga.edu

Back Issues | Publication Dates | Subscribe to Columns | Contact Us | Text-only Version

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2008-2009 University of Georgia. All rights reserved
The University of Georgia • Athens, GA 30602 | UGA Directory Assistance 706/542-3000
UGA Home | UGA Today | Public Affairs Directory