Jimmy Carter, USN -- Nuclear Hero (xpost)

[bananas]

Posted by Octafish in GD yesterday:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x798238

Jimmy Carter, USN -- Nuclear Hero



A very brave officer of the United States Navy, Lt. James Earle Carter, Jr., personally led the effort to contain a reactor meltdown.

Jimmy Carter and Fukushima

Apr 2nd 2011, 11:42 by K.N.C. | TOKYO
The Economist

EXCERPT...

The fear and danger is beyond comprehension for most people, and in particular the political leaders who must order men in to danger. But interestingly, it is not unfamiliar to former American president Jimmy Carter. Nearly half a century ago, as a young naval officer, he led a 23-man team to dismantle a reactor that, like Fukushima, had partially melted down.

The reactor in Chalk River, Canada, about 180 kilometres (110 miles) from Ottawa, was used to enrich plutonium for America's atomic bombs. On December 12th 1952 it exploded, flooding the reactor building’s basement with millions of litres of radioactive water. Lieutenant Carter, a nuclear specialist on the Seawolf submarine programme, and his men were among the few people with the security clearance to enter a reactor. From Schenectady, New York, they rode the train up and got straight to work.

"The radiation intensity meant that each person could spend only about ninety seconds at the hot core location," wrote Mr Carter in "Why Not the Best?", an autobiography published in 1975 when he was campaigning for the presidency.

The team built an exact replica of the reactor on a nearby tennis court, and had cameras monitor the actual damage in the reactor's core. "When it was our time to work, a team of three of us practised several times on the mock-up, to be sure we had the correct tools and knew exactly how to use them. Finally, outfitted with white protective clothes, we descended into the reactor and worked frantically for our allotted time," he wrote. "Each time our men managed to remove a bolt or fitting from the core, the equivalent piece was removed on the mock-up."

CONTINUED...

http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2011/04/japans_nuclear_clean-up

Just when I thought I really knew the guy...

[Rhiannon12866]

1. K&R for President Carter!

Thanks so much for posting this. He's been my hero for a very long time and he never ceases to amaze and impress me with his accomplishments. :patriot:

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. He really is terribly underestimated

(Thanks in large part to Republican disinformation.)

[Rhiannon12866]

3. Even folks on our side tend to dismiss him

Bill Maher has made disparaging remarks about President Carter which have really pissed me off. Have you ever seen "Man from Plains?" It's a terrific documentary about him and after watching that I was more impressed than ever. He's a brilliant man who has an incredible understanding of this country, our history, and the world... :hi:

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. "Man From Plains"

No I haven't. (Thanks for suggesting it.)



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/inaug/history/stories/carter77.htm

Carter Is Sworn In as President, Asks 'Fresh Faith in Old Dream'

By Haynes Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 21, 1977; Page A01

Jimmy Carter promised he would be different, and on his inaugural day he proved it. After delivering a solemn, short speech, understated in tone and in stated promise, he set out on his own and walked his way to the White House.

The sight of the new President strolling down Pennsylvania Avenue hand-in-hand with his wife and daughter Amy was one Washington has never seen before. It was the most dramatic of many memorable scenes that marked the nation's 48th inauguration.

Washington was full of symbolism yesterday as Carter came to power. There was "Daddy" King standing where his slain son had delivered his great speech on the Lincoln memorial steps, paying emotional tribute to a white man from rural Georgia. There was the way Carter began his presidency by reaching out to salute his predecessor, Gerald R. Ford, "for all he has done to heal our land." There was the amiable tone, the spirit of goodwill coming in such contrast to the immediate presidential past, that Ford himself set as he greeted political foes and friends on that presidential pavilion at the Capitol. There was the weather, sparkling and fresh, with not a trace of snow or new arctic blasts sweeping the capital.

But what undoubtedly will be most remembered about Jimmy Carter's inauguration was that long walk from the Capitol to the executive mansion. It took him 40 minutes to cover the mile-and-a-half. As he walked along, with Amy prancing, jumping and dancing along at his side, he was shattering recent presidential practice and legend—the idea that a President must be remote and removed from the people.

…

[Rhiannon12866]

5. And thank you for the great pic and the vintage article!

I seem to remember that he brought back the tradition of walking to The White House on Inauguration Day... :)

As for "Man from Plains," it's a chronicle of his 2007 book tour for "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid." If you remember, there was a whole lot of controversy about the book, accusations of bigotry towards one of the least bigoted humans on the planet, from those who, obviously, hadn't read it. What amazed me is how well he handled this, never upset and willing to appear anywhere to discuss it with anyone. Even at this advanced age, he's still got it all together and is still my hero. :)


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0913958/

[Kolesar]

8. Bill Maher is a libertarian

He gave Anne Coulter his start. Bill should retreat to Hefner's grotto, smoke a doob, and stay there.

[flamingdem]

6. fascinating, yay Jimmeh! nt

[madrchsod]

7. i forgot about that.....

the best president we have ever had after they left office.