- Both Rosalynn and Jimmy grew up in
Plains, Georgia, and although they knew each other well, he never
asked her for a date until he was home on leave from the Navy
in 1945
- They were married the following year
and lived in Norfolk while he finished his military duty
- They returned to Plains and the Carter
family peanut business, which Jimmy later inherited from his
father
- After learning accounting, she took
care of the company books
- When Jimmy won the presidency, a reformer
who was against government overspending, she packed a picnic
lunch in lieu of an inaugural ball
- Amidst the glamour of the Washington
searing-in ceremony Rosalynn attended her husbands inauguration
wearing a six year old dress
- As First Lady she was her husband's
best friend and closest advisor, regularly sitting in on Cabinet
meetings
- They tried to have a regular Wednesday
lunch date to discuss administration policy and personal matters
- Often called "The Steel Magnolia,"
she hired an 18 member staff to try to convince Congressmen to
vote for the Equal Rights Amendment
- She and her staff also worked on problems
of the aged, including mental health afflictions
- Rosalynn convinced PBS to broadcast
select performances from the White House so everyone, especially
children, could enjoy works performed in ballet, symphony, and
the arts
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