After the corruption and disgrace of the Nixon White House, the then-Governor of Georgia, Carter restored national respect for public service. As a result, a number of Cornellians entered the federal government – at levels high and low.
Among the Cornellians in the Carter Administration was Edmund Muskie, JD ‘39, who served as Carter’s Secretary of State from 1980-81.
Carter appointed Cornell Economics Professor Alfred E. Khan as Chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board, where Kahn presided over the deregulation of the airline industry. Carter later appointed Kahn the White House Inflation Czar.
In 1979, Russia invaded Afghanistan. As a part of the U.S. response, Carter organized a boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics that were hosted in Moscow. However, Robert J Kane ‘34, who was then serving as President of the U.S. Olympic Committee, wanted the U.S. athletes to compete in Moscow, and a bitter political fight ensued. Ultimately, 66 nations joined the U.S. in the boycott.
In 1980, Carter was defeated in his bid for re-election by Ronald Reagan. After leaving the White House, Carter established the Carter Center in Atlanta Georgia where he advocated for world peace and world health initiatives. His dedication at the Carter Center gained him the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize. Carter also helped publicize and work as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.
