FOURTY-EIGHT YEARS AGO THIS WEEKEND THEN-GEORGIA GOVERNOR AND DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE JIMMY CARTER MADE AN APPEARANCE IN LE MARS.
CARTER AND OTHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES WERE INVITED TO A DEMOCRATIC PARTY DINNER AT WESTMAR COLLEGE TO HONOR A LONG TIME PLYMOUTH COUNTY OFFICIAL.
JOHN DEVEREAUX WAS WORKING FOR WESTMAR AT THAT TIME AND WOULD LATER WORK ON THE CARTER CAMPAIGN IN IOWA:
CARTER1 OC……..THAT RESPONDED. :18
CARTER FLEW INTO OMAHA WHERE A SUPPORTER AGREED TO DRIVE HIM AND PRESS SECRETARY JODY POWELL HALF WAY, MEETING DEVEREAUX IN ONAWA, IOWA:
CARTER2 OC…CHEAP OPERATION. :28
THE AMBER INN STILL HAS A PLAQUE ON THE DOOR OF THE ROOM THAT CARTER SLEPT IN.
FEBRUARY 26TH, 1975, WAS THE NIGHT OF THE BANQUET AND DEVEREAUX SAYS THE EVENT RAN SMOOTHLY:
CARTER3 OC………WERE IMPRESSED. :11
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, CARTER’S CANDIDACY WAS NOT YET HELD IN HIGH REGARD:
CARTER4 OC……FOLLOWING JANUARY. :08
DEVERAUX LATER BECAME THE STATE COORDINATOR FOR CARTER IN IOWA IN 1976.
HIS CONNECTION WITH PRESIDENT CARTER LATER RESULTED IN A JOB IN WASHINGTON DC., WORKING FOR AN AGENCY STARTED BY THE CARTER ADMINISTRATION.
DEVEREAUX IS NOW RETIRED AND LIVING IN CALIFORNIA.
PHOTO COURTESY THE CARTER CENTER
