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Georgia Southwestern English Professor Blue Argo shared recollections of her efforts in the campaign to elect Jimmy Carter president. While Argo stated that she was not a member of the Peanut Brigade, she did have the opportunity to campaign for Carter at a crucial time and place. Argo had just gotten accepted into graduate school at the University of Iowa before the election. “Since I was going to Iowa, I offered to help in any way I could. Future President Carter and his staff got really excited about that because they had a plan in place.”

Argo states that she had a premonition of Carter’s candidacy. “I guess I was a senior, and this [was] before he ever announced that he was gonna run.” Argo told how she had a dream. “I had a dream in which there was a fife and drummer boy and President Carter and the flag was flowing behind them. And I woke up, and I told everybody President Carter is gonna be the next President, and everybody just laughed at me.”

She told how at the time, there was no indication that Carter was planning to run. “But he did run, and they got very excited about the idea that I was gonna be in Iowa and so connected me with people that they were putting in place in Iowa.”

Argo told of conferring with Hamilton Jordan and Jody Powell, along with Tim Kraft. “I got involved with the Johnson County democrats. I started the Carter for President Club at the University of Iowa and was president.”

Argo shared details about her introduction to politics. “We met in places in Johnson County quite a bit. We met in Des Moines. We did the caucus thing. I really got kind of soured on politics because I saw the backroom kind of wheeling and dealing that people did.”

She shared the focus of their campaign efforts. “When there were political rallies where various candidates would come for forums, we went to those things and talked to people about Carter. I really had a huge impact on the voting population that I talked to, because I knew him.”

Argo told how the campaign efforts progressed. “I gave speeches in all kind of places, and speeches at some of these conventions. And then we had the Jefferson Jackson day dinner. We knew this was a big deal because there was always a straw poll. It was the first indication in the nation which candidate was in the lead. We had campaigned hard. Tim Kraft was there and then the Carter’s showed up. Carter won the straw poll handily.”

She also shared a memory of how her personal connection with Carter helped with campaigning. Argo recalled talking to one potential voter who was dismissive of her support for Carter.  “A woman said; ‘yeah sure you know him, and that’s why you want, you say you want, to vote for him. And I said; ‘no ma’am, I know him and I still think he would be. . . the best candidate for president.’ I saw that had an effect on the people standing around me. They all did a double take. And so, you know, just little moments like that, I knew I made an impact.”

For more stories about Jimmy Carter please go to www.americustimesrecorder.com/category/jimmy-carter/