Jimmy Carter at Notre Dame

By University of Notre Dame

December 30^th, 2024

A ‘cherished friend’ of the University

Due to playing the role of Notre Dame football star George Gipp in the film Knute Rockne, All-American—and subsequently adopting the nickname “Gipper”—Ronald Reagan may be the US president most publicly associated with the University of Notre Dame. But it actually was Jimmy Carter among American chief executives who had the closest relationship with the University.

Notre Dame’s relationship with Carter began in the summer of 1976. Soon after accepting the Democratic Party’s nomination for president, Carter called Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., late one evening seeking advice.

Father Hesburgh offered advice on a variety of issues. Carter appreciated the insight, gave the priest/president his home phone number in Plains, Georgia, and asked for any recommendations he might have for people to serve in his administration if he were to win the election.

1977 Commencement Address

Soon after President Carter was inaugurated in January 1977, Father Hesburgh invited the new president to Notre Dame’s commencement ceremony in May to deliver the principal address and receive an honorary degree.

Carter accepted and gave what many regard as the most important foreign policy address of his presidency, speaking of a diminishing threat from the Soviet Union. The notion was dismissed as naïve at the time, but it proved prophetic. He also advocated for the creation of new global alliances and championed human rights, policies built upon the “new reality of a politically awakening world.”

Notre Dame Award

Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, returned to Notre Dame in 1992 as the inaugural recipients of the Notre Dame Award, which recognizes men and women of any faith or nationality whose life and deeds have shown exemplary dedication to the ideals for which the University stands: faith, inquiry, education, justice, public service, peace, and care for the most vulnerable.

Fr. Ted’s Memorial

Former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter were among the dignitaries who spoke at a tribute to Father Hesburgh, the president of the University of Notre Dame from 1952 to 1987, who died February 26, 2015, at age 97.

Commander in Chief

Among several anecdotes Carter recalled at Father Hesburgh’s memorial service, he shared how he made the “mistake” in 1979 of asking Father Hesburgh if there was anything he could do for him. Father Hesburgh told Carter he wanted a ride on an SR-71 supersonic reconnaissance jet, known as the Blackbird.

“I said, ‘Father Hesburgh, it’s not customary for civilians to ride on top-secret aircraft,’” Carter recalled with a smile. “He said, ‘That’s all right. I thought you were commander in chief.’”

Carter stood by his word and arranged for the flight.

As he recalled at the tribute: “I sent word to a pilot of an SR-71 that he would be having his first civilian passenger who was a special friend of mine. And, I asked him how fast the Blackbird had ever flown. He said 2,193 mph. It was the fastest plane on earth. I said I would be very pleased if he could go a little faster than that when he took up Father Hesburgh. And, on the last day of February 1979, Father Ted went up in an SR-71 Blackbird airplane and he and the pilot went 2,200 mph, which set a new world record.”

Footnotes

University of Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., remembered President Jimmy Carter as a “cherished friend of Notre Dame” in his statement at president.nd.edu/news.

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FootNotes

University of Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., remembered President Jimmy Carter as a “cherished friend of Notre Dame” in his statement at president.nd.edu/news.